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Morin Elementary School Handbook
Medication Use in School

Yellowstone City-County Health Department
Policy and Procedure for Medication Use in Schools

PURPOSE

It is recognized that many children are only able to attend school on a regular basis because of the effective use of medication (prescription and/or non-prescription) in the treatment of disabilities and/or illness. Parents/guardians of students requiring administration of medication during school hours may make arrangements to come to school to give the medication. If the parent/guardian requests that school personnel supervise the administration of medication, then the following policy and procedure must be adhered to both by parent/guardian and by school personnel. If the student is physically unable to take medications on their own, or whose level of functioning does not allow for him/her to be responsible to take their own medication, then the parent/guardian may make arrangements for the school personnel to administer the medication, according to the following policy and procedure.

POLICY

Montana State Law and the Administrative Rules of the Board of Nursing allow licensed nurses to delegate specific nursing tasks to unlicensed persons. (Auth: Sec 37-8-202, MCA; Subchapter 17.)

In the school setting, this allows the school nurse to delegate administration of student medication to specific school personnel.

Administration of medication is a nursing function. Delegation of medication is strictly at the discretion of the school nurse.

If the school nurse assessment reveals that delegation is appropriate, the following procedure will be followed:

PROCEDURE

  1. At the beginning of each year, the school nurse shall consult with the building administrator to identify school personnel who will supervise and/or administer medications. All personnel must be inserviced by the school nurse prior to the start of this duty. The school nurse will utilize and complete the "Inservice Guidelines for Supervision and/or Administration of Medication."
  2. When a child requires the medication to be administered, the parent needs to give the school time to prepare trained personnel. The parent/guardian will submit a completed "Permission Form for Administration of Medication in Schools" form for all prescription and non-prescription medications. A physician's name will be required for all prescription medications, and upon request at the discretion of the school nurse for non-prescription medication.
  3. The parent/guardian will submit a completed "Request for Self-Administration of Medication in Schools" form for all prescription and non-prescription medications prior to school personnel beginning supervision of medication. A physician's name will be required for all prescription medication use when it must be taken longer than two weeks and upon discretion of the school nurse for non-prescription medication.
  4. Prescription medication must be brought to school in the original prescription bottle with a pharmacy label including child's name, name of medication, dosage, time to be taken, duration of time to be taken, and physician's name.
  5. Non-prescription medications must be in a container labeled with child's name, name of medication, dosage, time of day to be taken, duration of time to be taken, and parent's signature.
  6. To avoid adverse medication reactions at school, the first dose of medication must be administered at home.
  7. All medication stored at school will be kept in a locked area such as the school safe or a locked desk.
  8. At parent/guardian request, the student may carry an inhaler with them, but all other guidelines included in this policy/procedure must be followed.
  9. If school personnel have any questions or concerns regarding medication use in between the nursing visits, they will contact the school nurse.
  10. This procedure is to cover all students in grade K-6 and for any students in grades 7-12 whose parent/guardian or school deems that the student requires supervision of medication.
  11. If any student, grade 7-12 requests that medication be stored at school, this policy/procedure must be complied with in its entirety.
  12. The school nurse reserves the right to review and deny all requests for medication administration during school hours based on completeness of compliance with these procedures.
  13. The school nurse will make a supervisory visit monthly as needed to:
    A. Evaluate the performance of the delegated nursing task;
    B. Determine whether goals are being met;
    C. Evaluate student's response to medication; and
    D. Determine if delegation of medication administration remains appropriate to continue.
  14. Documentation must be maintained on all training sessions and supervision, and administration of the medication.

If the school nurse deems that the school personnel are not complying with the Administration of Medication Procedure, he/she may withdraw the delegation of medication administration at such time and document appropriately.