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Medication in School
Forms for Medication in School:
Physician's Order for Administering Medication in School
Allergy Action Plan (updated July 2010)
My child needs to take medication during the school day. Can the nurse administer the medication?
The school nurse is not authorized to treat stuents for illness. Students with cold symptoms should take their medication at home prior to arriving at school. The use of medication during the school day is discouraged. However, if it is determined that your child requires medication during the school day, the Department of Education and the Board of Nursing require the following:
| Written parent permission for the admiinstration of the medication at school | |
| A legal order from a physician or nurse practicioner, detailing the diagnosis or type of illness being treated, the name of the drug, dosage, time of administration and the side effects. (District medication forms for physician and parent are available in the health office and on the website.) | |
| The medication should be brought to the school in the original prescription-labeled container. |
Can my child carry his/her own medication?
The only medications approved for self-administration in the school setting are EpiPen/TwinJect (auto injector mechanisms for emergency administration of Epinephrine), Asthma Inhalers, and a few other emergency medications.
ONLY students with self-administration orders on file in the health office are allowed to have medications in their possession, locker or backpack. (See Asthma Action Plan or Allergy Action Plan - signed by parent and physician)
Why do I need to provide a doctor's order if my child needs an over the counter medication such as Tylenol, Advil or cough syrup?
Nurses practice within the jurisdiction of the Board of Nursing and within the confines of the Nurse Practice Act. As such, no medication can be administered by a nurse without a physician's order. It is illegal for a nurse to administer medication without this order. In addition, the Department of Education also requires written parent approval for medication to be administered in schools.
Is a pharmacy label the same thing as a doctor's order?
No. A legal doctor's order must list information that is not included on a pharmacy label and it must be signed by the prescribing physician.