Health Services
Medication Policy/Procedures
Purpose:
All schools are accountable to provide safe, legal, and appropriate care for students. This includes the administration of medications during the school day that enable the student to attend school and to take full advantage of his or her educational program. However, the Board shall not be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of student illness.
The administration of prescribed medication to a student during school hours in accordance with the direction of a parent/guardian or family physician will be permitted only when:
Failure to take such medicine would jeopardize the health of the student.
The student would not be able to attend school if the medicine were not available during school hours.
Definition:
For purposes of this policy, medication shall include all medicines prescribed by a physician and any over-the-counter (non-prescribed) medicines. For purposes of this policy, CSN shall refer to the district’s Certified School Nurse.
Authority:
No medication, prescription and non-prescription (Over The Counter), will be administered in school except by the Direct Medication Order Form of a licensed health provider and accompanied with a parent’s/guardian completed and signed Highlands Medication Administration Permission Form. This paperwork must be in place before any medications are dispensed to students. Highlands School District does not supply any medications and it is the parent’s responsibility to supply and deliver all medications to be administered during school hours.
Delegation of Responsibility:
Only the School Nurse, or other licensed health personnel, will be solely responsible for administering medications to students. School districts may not assign the medication administration function to the school administrators, teachers, or other personnel under the doctrine of “in loco parentis”.
The parent/guardian is responsible for the delivery of all medications, required consent form, and medication order to the school health personnel. Students are not permitted to carry or possess any medications while in attendance of the Highlands School District Schools.
All medication is to be taken in the presence of the school nurse. In the case of inhalers and EpiPens, the parent/guardian and student will follow the procedures and for possession and use of emergency medications.
Guidelines:
The parent/guardian of the child must assume responsibility for informing the school nurse of any changes in the child’s health or change in medication. A new “Medication Order” from the licensed provider and the Medication Permission Form, completed by the parent will be required with each change in medication and at the start of each school year.
Highlands School District will record any medication variances. Medication Variances are deviations from the standard of care. Variances can include: incorrect medication, incorrect student, omitted doses, incorrect doses, incorrect time of administration, and incorrect route and technique of administration. All variances are to be documented and the parent and the building and department administrators should also be notified. The CSN should notify the licensed prescriber if potential for harm to the student. The student should be assessed by the CSN for untoward effects.