TANNEHILL

MEDICATION:

ADMINISTERING TO STUDENTS

It is the policy of the Tannehill Board of Education that if a student is required to take medication during school hours and the parent or guardian cannot be at school to administer the medication or if circumstances exist that indi­cate it is in the best interest of the student that a nonprescribed medication be dispensed to that student, the principal, or the principal's designee, may administer the medication only as follows:

   1.       Prescription medication must be in a container that indicates the following:

             A.   student's name,

             B.   name and strength of medication,

             C.   dosage and directions for administration,

             D.   name of physician or dentist,

             E.   date and name of pharmacy, and

              F.   whether the child has asthma or other disability which may require immediate dispensation of medication.

              The medication must be delivered to the principal's office in person by the parent or guardian of the student unless the medication must be retained by the student for immediate self-administration.  The medication will be accompanied by written authorization from the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody that indicates the following:

             A.   purpose of the medication,

             B.   time to be administered,

             C.   whether the medication must be retained by student for self-administration,

             D.   termination date for administering the medication, and

             E.   other appropriate information requested by the principal or the principal's designee.

   2.       Self-administration of inhaled asthma medication by a student for treatment of asthma or an anaphylaxis medication used to treat anaphylaxis is permitted with written parental authorization.  The parent or guardian of the student must also provide a written statement from the physician treating the student that the student has asthma or anaphylaxis and is capable of, and has been instructed in the proper method of, self-administration of medication.  Additionally:

             A.   The parent or guardian must provide the school with an emergency supply of the student’s medication to be administered as authorized by state law.

             B.   The school district will inform the parent or guardian of the student, in writing, and the parent or guardian shall sign a statement acknowledging, that the school district and its employees and agents shall incur no liability as a result of any injury arising from the self-administration of medication by the student.

             C.   Permission for the self-administration of asthma or anaphylaxis medication is effective for the school year for which it is granted and shall be renewed each subsequent school year upon fulfillment of the above requirements.

             D.   A student who is permitted to self-administer asthma medication or anaphylaxis medication shall be permitted to possess and use a prescribed inhaler or anaphylaxis medication at all times. 

MEDICATION:  ADMINISTERING TO STUDENTS (Cont.)

             E.   Definitions:

                    1.     Medication means a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler to alleviate asthmatic symptoms, prescribed by a physician and having an individual label, or an anaphylaxis medication used to treat anaphylaxis, including but not limited to Epinephrine injectors, prescribed by a physician and having an individual label.

                    2.     Self-administration means a student’s use of medication pursuant to prescription or written direction from a physician.

   3.       Nonprescription medication may be administered only with the written request and permission of a parent, guardian, or per­son having legal custody when other alternatives, such as resting or changing activities, are inappropriate or ineffec­tive.  The medication will be administered in accordance with label directions or written instructions from the student's physician. 

   4.       School District Prescribed Epinephrine Injectors.  The school district will inform the parent or guardian of each student, in writing, that a school nurse or school employee trained by a health care professional or trained in correlation with the State Department of Health's Diabetes Management Annual School Training Program may administer, with parent or guardian permission but without a health care provider order, an Epinephrine injection to a student whom the school nurse or trained school employee in good faith believes is having an anaphylactic reaction.  Only those students who have a waiver of liability executed by a parent or guardian on file with the school district may be administered an Epinephrine injection.  A school employee will contact 911 as soon as possible if it is believed that a student is having an anaphylactic reaction. 

The administrator, or administrator's designee, will:

             A.   Inform appropriate school personnel of the medication being administered

             B.   Keep an accurate record of the administration of the medication

             C.   Keep all medication in a locked cabinet except medication retained by a student per physician's order

             D.   Return unused prescription medication to the parent or guardian only

The parent, guardian, or person having legal custody of the student is responsible for informing the designated official of any change in the student's health or change in medication.

This policy statement will be provided to a parent or guardian upon receipt of a request for long-term administration of medication.

REFERENCE:    10 O.S. §170.1

                                59 O.S. §353.1

                                70 O.S. §1-116, et seq.

THIS POLICY REQUIRED BY LAW.