Undesignated Glucagon in Schools for the Treatment of Diabetes-Related Hypoglycemia: A 2025 Update

Hypoglycemia will occur on school grounds in students with diabetes who are receiving glucose-lowering drugs. Hypoglycemia may be severe, in which a student is unconscious or comatose. Fast-acting carbohydrates remain the first line of treatment for nonsevere hypoglycemia but preparedness with emergency injectable or intranasal glucagon is ideal. Students may not have their own glucagon devices, so unassigned or undesignated glucagon for use with any student in which glucagon is part of their hypoglycemia treatment plan is critical. Several states have laws permitting undesignated glucagon in schools, and school nurses residing in states without such laws could strongly advocate their state legislators to enact similar laws to ensure students in the nurses' care have access to this lifesaving treatment.