Medications Administered by School Personnel  (CCSD District Regulation:  5200 – R)

All Medications

-          All non-licensed personnel who give medication at school will be required to take annual training on medication administration.

-          All medication administered by school personnel must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Information on dosage, side effects and contraindications of any medication or medicinal-like substance, e.g., homeopathic and herbal remedies, given by school personnel, must be readily available from a professionally acknowledged resource (PDR or other U.S. published drug reference book, FDA or USP website, etc.).

-          School personnel have the right to refuse to administer any prescription, over-the-counter, or other medication and may seek medical opinion or advice pertaining to medication administration.

-          Medication provided by the parent/guardian, must be in the original container in which the medication was purchased which should clearly state, at minimum, the name and strength of the medication and its proper use.

-          All medications shall be kept in secured storage with the exception of emergency medications that may be carried by a student with special written request of the physician and parent/guardian and after the student has demonstrated proficiency in self-administration.

-          A photo identification of the student will be available in a location accessible to all staff who will administer medication, and a record will be kept of each time any medication is administered including the child's name, date, time, medication, and identification of the person administering the medication.

-          All prescribed medication will be retrieved by parent/guardian or disposed of by the school nurse at the end of the prescribed administration period or by the end of each school year, whichever occurs first. At the end of the school year, the parent/guardian is asked to retrieve any leftover personal medication stored in the Nurse's Office. Medications not returned to the parent/guardian will be discarded in an appropriate and legal manner.

-          CCSD nurses will not administer IV medications.

Non-Prescription/Over-the-Counter Medications

-          A limited supply of over-the-counter medications is kept at each school. A signed permission card indicating which of these medications a parent/guardian wishes his/her child to receive will be kept on file in the Nurse's Office. If a signed permission card is not on file, the nurse may obtain verbal permission and instructions from the parent/guardian for administering the medication. However, a permission medication card should be completed by the parent/guardian within 24 hours of the nurse contact.

-          If a parent/guardian wishes administration of an over-the-counter medication not supplied by the school, the parent/guardian will complete a "Permission for Medication" form and provide the school with the medication.

-          Over-the-counter medication brought from home must be in its original container and labeled with the student's name.

-          Administration of over-the-counter medication sent from home will be at the discretion of the school nurse and according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Prescription Medications

-          Prescription medication will be dispensed by a school nurse, principal, or other designee, only when authorized in writing by the student's parent/guardian per completion of “Permission for Medication” form.

-          If instructions and the permission form are not provided with the medication, the nurse may obtain verbal permission and instructions from the parent/guardian for administering the medication. However, a permission form should be completed by the parent/guardian within 24 hours of the nurse contact.

-          Parent/guardian consent must be renewed annually.

-          No student will be given prescription medication except upon order from a U.S. licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or dentist who has the responsibility for medical management of the student.

-          If prescription medication is to be given at school longer than 30 days, the student’s physician must complete and sign the “Permission for Medication” form.

-          A written order from the prescriber must accompany any changes in medication dosage.

-          Administration of medication during the school day must be medically necessary. Parents should give medications outside of school hours whenever possible.

-          The school nurse will determine the schedule for medication administration unless specified by the prescriber.

-          The parent/guardian assumes full responsibility for the supply, appropriate delivery and handling, and security of prescription medication.

-          Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure that the student receives his/her medication. If a student persistently skips medication doses, the parent/guardian will be notified.

-          The first dose of a new medication shall not be administered by school personnel.

Special Consent to Carry and Self-Administer Medication

-          Students may be allowed to carry and/or self-administer life-saving and life maintaining medications on school grounds and/or at school functions.

-          Such situations require a consent form signed by the healthcare provider and the parent/guardian verifying that the student has a severe medical condition requiring self-administration of medication and/or treatments and that the student is capable of, has been instructed in and understands the proper method of self-administration of medication.

-          Students who have obtained permission for self-administration as set forth above must take extraordinary precautions to keep medication/supplies/equipment secure, and must not, under any circumstances, make available, provide, or give the medication to another person. The student must immediately report the theft or loss of any medication occurring at school or during a school activity.

-          The district and its employees or agents shall incur no liability as a result of any injury arising from the self-administration of a medication/treatment by the student.

-          The permission is effective for the school year for which it is granted and must be renewed for reach subsequent school year.