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3416P - Medication at School Procedure

Medication

For purposes of this procedure, “medication” means oral medication, topical medication, eye drops, ear drops, and nasal spray. Oral medications may be administered by mouth, by gastrostomy tube, or by inhaling, and may include administration by mask if the mask covers the mount or mouth and nose. Medication does not include over-the-counter topical sunscreen products regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (see Sunscreen section below).

General Requirements for Medication Administration

The District may provide for the administration of medication to a student during school hours or during the hours in which the student is under the supervision of school personnel, only if the following conditions are met:

A. The District receives a written, current, and unexpired request from a parent/legal guardian to administer the medication to the student.

B. The District also receives a written, current, and unexpired request from a licensed health professional prescribing within the scope of their prescriptive authority for administration of medication because there exists a valid health reason which makes administration of such medication advisable during the hours when school is in session or the hours in which the student is under the supervision of school officials. If the student requires medication for more than fifteen (15) consecutive school days, the written request from the licensed health professional must be accompanied by written, current and unexpired instructions regarding the administration of the prescribed medication.

C. The authorization for administration of medication order will be effective only during the current school year.

D. The medication is provided to the school by the parent or other authorized adult in the original pharmacy container labeled with the following information:

  1. Name of student;
  2. Name of medication;
  3. Dosage and mode of administration; and
  4. Name of licensed health care provider.
  5. Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container with the student’s name.
  6. The employee who will administer the medication must first examine the medication and determine in their judgment whether it appears to be in the original container and properly labeled.

Medication may be administered by school nurses or any employee trained and supervised by a school nurse as to proper medication-administration procedures.

In general, students are responsible for obtaining their medication from the designated person at the scheduled time. If a student does not appear for their medication at the scheduled time, the designated staff member will contact the student directly to administer the medication. Medication will be administered within 30 minutes of the prescribed time. If a student refuses to accept the medication or, for some other reason, the medication cannot be administered, a staff member will contact the parent/guardian immediately and document the student’s refusal.

If a student brings medication to school without properly completed administration of medication form and asks school staff to administer the medication, school staff will inform the parent of District Regulation and procedures. The school staff will hold any unauthorized medication and return it to the parent.

School staff will notify parents/guardians immediately if medication to be administered by the school is lost, damaged, stolen, or broken, or if some other unexpected occurrence has caused the medication to be unavailable.

If the school nurse is on the school campus, a nasal spray that is a legend drug or controlled substance must be administered by the school nurse. If no school nurse is on the school campus, the nasal spray or controlled substance may be administered by a trained school employee or parent-designated adult who is not a school nurse. If a school employee who is not a school nurse administers a nasal spray that is a legend drug or a controlled substance, the employee must summon emergency medical assistance as soon as practicable. 

All persons authorized to administer medications must be trained. Training of staff members in proper medication procedures shall take place prior to the commencement of the school year by a licensed registered nurse or advanced registered nurse practitioner. The Orientation Check Sheet for Administration of Medication by a Non-Medical School Staff shall be completed.

The documentation of training will be signed by the professional nurse and each person trained. This documentation will be kept with the medication records.

Epinephrine is the only injectible that school staff will be trained to administer to a student who is susceptible to a predetermined, life-threatening condition. Following the administration of epinephrine, staff will call 911 and notify the parents. Such medication will be administered by staff trained by the supervising registered nurse to administer such an injection.

Except for ephinephrine, insulin, glucagon and rescue inhalers, all medication to be administered by District staff must be kept in a locked, secure place. The school nurse will destroy any medications remaining at the end of the prescribed period or at the end of the school year. Before destroying medication, the nurse will attempt to contact the parents for the disposal of any remaining medication.

Self-Administration of Medication

The following shall apply to the self-administration of medication at school (prescription and over-the-counter).

  1. Elementary/Middle School Students: If a parent states that their child must carry and self-administer medication for emergency health reasons (i.e., asthma inhaler), the licensed health care provider must authorize, and the school nurse and principal must approve, the child to carry and self-administer the medication.
  2. High School Students: If a parent/guardian requests that their child carry and self-administer prescription medication, the licensed health care provider must authorize, and the school nurse and principal must approve, the child to carry and self-administer the medication. High school students may be allowed to carry and self-administer over the counter medication when authorized by the parent/guardian, school nurse and the principal. When determining whether to authorize a student to carry and/or self-administer medication at school, the principal and nurse will take into account the age, maturity and capability of the student; the nature of the medication; the circumstances under which the student will or may have to self-administer the medication and other issues relevant in the specific case.

All medication to be carried and self-administered by the student must be in the original container labeled with the following information:

  1. Name of student.
  2. Name of medication.
  3. Dosage and mode of administration.
  4. Name of Licensed Health Care Provider (for prescription medication).
  5. Not more than one (1) daily dose in the original container, except in the case of multi-dose devices (such as asthma inhalers).

Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container with the student’s name.

Violations of any conditions placed on the student permitted to carry and/or self-administer their own medication may result in termination of that permission, as well as the imposition of discipline when appropriate. Consistent with Regulation 3423, students may not self-administer medical marijuana-infused products.

The authorization to self-administer medication will be valid for the current school year only. The parent/guardian must renew the authorization each school year.

Parent-Designated Adults

Parents of students with epilepsy may designate an adult to provide care for their student consistent with the student’s individual health plan. A parent-designated adult may be a District employee, but must be a volunteer. To be eligible to be a parent-designated adult, a District employee who is not licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW must file, without coercion, a voluntary written, current, and unexpired letter of intent stating the employee’s willingness to be a parent-designated adult. 

Parent-designated adults who are District employees are required to receive training in caring for students with epilepsy from the school nurse. Parent designated adults who are not school employees are required to show evidence of comparable training and meet school district requirements for volunteers. Parent-designated adults also must receive additional training from a health care professional or expert in epileptic seizure care.

Medication on Field Trips

The building nurse will establish procedures for the administration of medication on school field trips that are consistent with Regulation 3416 and this Procedure.

Discontinuation of Medication

School staff may discontinue the administration of medication to any student during the period for which it has been prescribed if a parent or legal guardian is given oral or written notice in advance of the date of discontinuance. Medications will not be discontinued on the student’s recommendation.

Medication Records

School staff must record the administration of any dose of medication on an individual medication log sheet.

All medication records will be kept at the school for one year and then sent to be archived for eight (8) years after the last entry.

Sunscreen

Students, parents, and school personnel may possess topical sunscreen products to help prevent sunburn while on school property or at a school-related event or activity. A prescription or note of a licensed health care professional is not required for sunscreen if the sunscreen is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter use. For student use, sunscreen must be supplied by a parent/guardian. School personnel are not required to assist students in applying sunscreen. 

Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication

The District will make a good faith effort to obtain opioid overdose reversal medication from a donation source and maintain at least one set of the medication in each of its high schools. School-owned opioid overdose reversal medication may only be distributed and/or administered to respond to symptoms of an opioid-related overdose pursuant to a prescription or standing order by a school nurse or designated trained school personnel. 

Opioid overdose reversal medication may be used on school property, including school buses, and during field trips or sanctioned excursions away from school property. A school nurse or designated trained school personnel may carry an appropriate supply of school-owned opioid overdose reversal medication on field trips or sanctioned excursions. 

Training for school personnel who have been designated to administer or distribute opioid overdose reversal medication will comply with training requirements, rules, and guidelines developed or adopted by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Adopted:

9/24/1986

Last Revised:

3/20/2023

Related Regulation:

Related Forms: