MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION
Medication Procedures
A student is eligible to have District personnel administer doctor prescribed medication if one or more of the following criteria are met:
1. The student would be unable to attend school if the medication were not given, because the medication is necessary for the student to remain physically healthy.
2. The student needs to take medication for conditions that could be life threatening if the medication was not administered.
3. The student has a disability that prevents him/her from being able to self-administer the medication.
4. The parent(s) or guardians(s) requests that the school personnel administer the medication.
If a parent requests that school personnel administer medication, the request must be presented in writing to the school nurse with supportive data from a physician. Medication permission forms can be obtained from the school health office or by clicking on the district health forms link.
Students who are eligible for the administration of medication by school personnel will be given their medication in accordance with the requirements of this policy. Administration of medication to special education students will be consistent with this policy, to the extent permissible by applicable laws and regulations, and will be included, as appropriate, in the student's Individualized Education Program.
Administration of Medication by District Personnel
The administering of prescribed medication during regular school hours is subject to the following regulations:
1 . The student's physician must provide written orders to the school, specifying the student's name, the name of the medication, the purposes of the medication, the necessity for the medication during the day, the type of disease or illness involved, the correct dosage, the time the medication is to be administered, the benefits of the medication, any side effects, and an emergency phone number where the physician can be reached. Medication permission forms can be obtained from the school health office or by clicking on the district health forms link.
2. The student's parent or guardian must request in writing that the District comply with the physician's orders, indicating those persons who are authorized to administer the medication. The parent or guardian will be requested to sign a written consent form when medication will be administered by administrative school employees rather than a certified school nurse.
3. The medication must be brought to the school office by the student or the student's parent or guardian in a pharmaceutical container labeled with the student's name, the name of the medication, the dosage and all pertinent instructions. A maximum of a one-month supply of medication may be sent to the school at any one time. The container should be sent to school at the end of the month or designated period of time. The empty container will be sent home with the student at the end of the month or designated period of time.
4. The student's parent or guardian must renew written orders for continuing medication at the beginning of each school year, or whenever the medication or its dosage is changed.
5. The school must store the medication in a locked cabinet in the main or nurse's office. Medications requiring refrigeration will be refrigerated in a secure area.
6. The school principal will:
A. Designate which employee(s) is responsible for administering medication to each student.
B. Designate a minimum of two employee staff members as backups in the event that the designated person is not available.
C. Determine the procedure to be followed to get medication to the person primarily responsible for administering it. The person responsible for administering the medication to a student will pick up the medication from the main or nurse's office.
D. Determine the procedure to be used to maintain a written record of any
medication used. Such record must list the student's name, the name and dosage of the medication, the time it was administered and by whom.
Self-Administration of Asthma Medication
For purposes of this section only, self-administration is defined as a pupil’s discretionary use of his or her prescribed asthma medication.
The District will permit the self-administration of medication by students with asthma provided that the following requirements are satisfied:
1. The parents or guardians of the student must provide the District with written authorization for the self-administration of medication ; and
2. The parents or guardians of the student must provide the District with a box with the pharmacy label, containing the following information:
A. The name and purpose of the medication;
B. The prescribed dosage; and
C. The time or times at which or the special circumstances under which the medication is to be administered.
The information provided will be kept on file in the office of the school nurse or the school administrator.
When self-administration is permitted, the District and its employees and agents will incur no liability, except for willful and wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from the student’s self-administration of the medication. Parents/guardians will be required to sign a statement acknowledging that the District will incur no liability, and stating that the parents/guardians will indemnify and hold harmless the District and its employees and agents against any claims, except a claim based on willful and wanton conduct, arising out of the self-administration.
Asthma inhaler permission forms are available from the school health office or by clicking on the school health forms links.
Permission is effective only for the school year in which it is granted. Permission will be renewed each school year upon fulfillment of the requirements set forth above.