TPCN Spotlight: Jeanie Jaramillo, Texas Panhandle Poison Director

Jeanie Jaramillo, Poison Director

1. Tell me your history with poison control. How long have you worked there/what is your background:

My introduction to the world of poison control occurred when I was a pharmacy student and completed a rotation at the local poison center. Until that time, I had no idea how much poison centers actually do! Following pharmacy school, I completed a drug information residency which allowed me to manage cases at the poison center one day each week. Shortly after that, I was asked to serve as the managing director.

 

2. What do you think is one of the most important aspects of poison control services?

 One of the most important aspects of poison control services is our work to help keep people from visiting emergency rooms unnecessarily. With approximately 80% of poisonings being manageable at home, it is so important to help people before they consider going to the emergency room. Aside from the expense of going to an ER, it can create a significant amount of anxiety, especially for children! Our healthcare professionals can assist callers by phone and in many cases, prevent these ER visits.

 3. What do you enjoy most about your job and why?

What I enjoy most about my job is the ability to develop programs that PREVENT poisonings. One such program has been the Medication Cleanout of the Texas Panhandle Poison Center. By facilitating the removal of unused medications from homes, we've been able to prevent numerous poisonings and perhaps even deaths. It's extremely gratifying to have participants come through and tell us how much they appreciate the program.

4. What do you think the public needs to know regarding poison control?

I think that the public needs to know that poison control is not just for kids! We can help those who have taken too much medication, or perhaps taken someone else's medication (like a spouse or child). We complete an assessment over the phone and then make recommendations regarding whether that person can stay at home, or if they need to go to an emergency room or physician's office. Also, many people don't think of drug overdoses as poisonings, but they are! If a person has taken an overdose of a medication, on purpose or unintentionally, we can help. We can also help people decide whether a specific plant or a pesticide is poisonous.

 

5. Share a funny story here that might have happened on the job.

 Probably every director's nightmare is actually needing to call the poison center regarding something that they've had happen to them! I have had to call. While washing my face one night, I got some of the cleanser in my eye and it burned so badly! Of course, I couldn't read the bottle at the time, so I wasn't sure if I simply needed to irrigate my eye with water or if I needed to go the emergency room to see if my cornea was burned. I called one of my very own nurses at the poison center and she helped me out very quickly. Thankfully, I did not need to go to the ER!

Raise Awareness during Poison Prevention Week 2017

When people think of poisonings, they usually think of young children getting into medications or ingesting a toxic substance such as a cleaning supply usually found underneath the kitchen sink. Many people are not aware that poisonings can also include mixing the wrong medications or taking too much of a medication, being bitten by a poisonous snake or spider, and/or coming into contact with silent killers like carbon monoxide. Each year 250,000 calls regarding potential poisonings are reported in Texas alone. With the help of public education, the Texas Poison Center Network hopes to bring the number of poisonings down and raise awareness about the free poison prevention hotline 1-800-222-1222.  

In 1961, the United States designated the third full week of March as National Poison Prevention Week, a week dedicated to teaching, educating and raising awareness about poisonings. This year marks the 55^th year and acts as a reminder that poisonings are currently the leading cause of injury death in the country. But as with any injury, it can be preventable and a poison expert is only a phone call away and ready to assist you.

What is considered a poison?

A poison is any substance, including medications, which can be harmful to your body if too much is ingested, inhaled, injected or absorbed through the skin. Accidental poisoning can occur when a person unintentionally takes too much of a substance and does not mean to cause harm.

Poisonings are more common than you think. Currently, more than two million poisonings are reported each year to all the poison centers in the US. And according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), approximately 90 percent of these poisonings are happening at home with 51 percent of them involving children under the age of six.

Here are some poison facts and tips to remember:

• In children ages six and younger, the most common exposure is to medicines, plants, pesticides and cleaning products.
• Child-resistant packages are not childproof. Most two-year olds can open a child-resistant container in 3 minutes or less.
• Calling 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the United States will connect you to your local poison center.  
• Keep all poisons locked up and out of reach of children.
• Never refer to medicine (prescription, vitamins or otherwise) as candy as children may mistake tiny pills for yummy candy.
• Get fuel burning appliances checked yearly and make sure working carbon monoxide detectors are in the house and checked multiple times a year. This is especially important for the winter months.

What to Do in the Event of an Accidental Poisoning

In the event that you or someone with you has been potentially poisoned, always remember to first remain calm. Then immediately call the toll-free Poison Help line right away at 1-800-222-1222. Follow all the instructions you are given by the poison control specialist. Many times, the poison control specialist will call back to make sure that things are ok and there is no need for further assistance. For more information on accidental poisonings and what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones, please visit the Texas Poison Center Network website at www.poisoncontrol.org.