The nurse or designee must maintain thorough documentation of all medications administered to students.

Nurses must use reasonable and prudent judgment to determine whether to administer particular medications to students while also working in collaboration with parents/guardians and the school administration. In carrying out their legal duty to protect the health, welfare and safety of students, nurses will, when necessary, clarify authorized prescriber orders and respond in accordance with such clarifications.

The district shall not knowingly administer medications in an amount exceeding the recommended daily dosage listed in the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) or other recognized medical or pharmaceutical text. Except for the medications that are only used in an emergency situation, the district will not knowingly administer the first dose of any medication. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to arrange to administer prescription medications themselves when possible.

Staff, students and all other individuals are prohibited from possessing or administering any medication, while on district grounds, on district transportation or during district activities, that is illegal pursuant to state or federal law.

The district may administer over-the-counter medication to a student upon receipt of a written request and permission to do so by the parent/guardian. All over-the-counter medications must be delivered to the school principal or designee in the manufacturer's original packaging and will only be administered in accordance with the manufacturer's label.

Unless otherwise authorized in this policy, the parent/guardian must provide the district with written permission to administer the medication before the district will administer the prescription medication to the student. The prescription label will be considered the equivalent of a prescriber's written direction, and a separate document is not needed.

The district will permit a student to possess and self-administer medications as required by law, except for substances that are illegal under state or federal law, and as allowed in this section. Permission to possess and self-administer medications may be revisited if there is evidence that the student is not handling or administering the medication appropriately or that the student’s actions may be harming his or her own health or the health and safety of other persons. Such permission is required for students to possess and self-administer medications while at school, at a district-sponsored activity and on district-sponsored transportation. Such permission shall be effective only for the same school and school year for which it is granted.

A student with an IEP or Section 504 plan may possess and self-administer medications in accordance with the IEP or Section 504 plan. Students who do not have an IEP or Section 504 plan may possess and self-administer medications in accordance with 1) or 2) below:

1. Students with Diabetes: Upon written request of the parent/guardian and upon authorization by a student's diabetes medical management plan, the district will permit a student with diabetes to perform blood glucose checks, administer insulin through the student's insulin delivery systems, treat hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and otherwise attend to the care and management of the student's diabetes. The district will permit the student to possess on his or her person at all times all necessary supplies and equipment to perform these monitoring and treatment functions. The student shall have access to a private area for performing diabetes care tasks should the parent/guardian or student request such access. Students with diabetes who wish to possess and self-administer medications are subject to the same requirements (below) as students with other health conditions.

2. Students with Other Chronic Health Conditions: Students may possess and self-administer medications for the treatment of asthma, anaphylaxis and other chronic health conditions in accordance with this policy and law. The district will not permit students to possess and self-administer medications unless all of the following requirements are met:

• The medication was prescribed or ordered by the student’s physician.

• The physician has provided a written treatment plan for the condition for which the medication was prescribed or authorized that includes a certification that the student is capable of and has been instructed in the correct and responsible use of the medication and has demonstrated to the physician or the physician’s designee the skill level necessary to use the medication.

• The student has demonstrated proper self-administration technique to the school nurse.

• The student’s parent/guardian has signed a statement authorizing self-administration and acknowledging that the district and its employees or agents will incur no liability as a result of any injury arising from the self-administration of such medication unless such injury is a result of negligence on the part of the district or its employees or agents.

All student-occupied buildings in this district are equipped with prefilled epinephrine auto syringes and asthma-related rescue medications. The school nurse or another employee trained and supervised by the school nurse may administer these medications when they believe, based on training, that a student is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction or life-threatening asthma episode. A prescription or written permission from a parent/guardian is not necessary to administer this medication in an emergency situation.

Epinephrine and asthma-related rescue medications will only be administered in accordance with written protocols provided by an authorized prescriber. The Board will purchase an adequate number of prefilled epinephrine auto syringes and asthma-related rescue medications based on the recommendation of the school nurse, who will be responsible for maintaining adequate supplies and replacing expired syringes and medications.

The school principal or designee will maintain a list of students who cannot, according to their parents/guardians, receive epinephrine or asthma-related rescue medications. A current copy of the list will be kept with the devices at all times.

Students who possess or consume medications in violation of this policy while on district grounds, on district transportation or during a district activity may be disciplined up to and including suspension or expulsion. Employees who violate this policy may be disciplined up to and including termination. District administrators will notify law enforcement when they believe a crime has occurred.