STUDENT MEDICATIONS (4.35WF)
Last Updated On: June 25, 2025
Prior to the administration of any medication, including any dietary supplement or other perceived health remedy not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, to any student under the age of eighteen (18), written parental consent is required. The consent form shall include authorization to administer the medication and relieve the Board and its employees of civil liability for damages or injuries resulting from the administration of medication to students in accordance with this policy. All signed medication consent forms are to be maintained by the school nurse.
Medications, including those for self-administration, must be in the original container and be properly labeled with the student’s name, the ordering health care provider’s name, the name of the medication, the dosage, frequency, and instructions for the administration of the medication (including times). Additional information accompanying the medication shall state the purpose for the medication, its possible side effects, and any other pertinent instructions (such as special storage requirements) or warnings.
Students with an individualized health plan (IHP) may be given (OTC) medications to the extent giving such medications are included in the student's IHP.
The district’s supervising registered nurse is responsible for creating procedures for the administration of medications on and off campus.
The school shall not keep outdated medications or any medications past the end of the school year. Parents shall be notified ten (10) days in advance of the school’s intention to dispose of any medication. Medications not picked up by the parents or legal guardians within the ten (10) day period shall be disposed of by the school nurse in accordance with current law and rules.
Schedule II Medications
The only Schedule II medications that shall be allowed to be brought to the school are methylphenidate (e.g. Ritalin or closely related medications as determined by the school nurse), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and amphetamine sulfate (e.g. Adderall or closely related medications as determined by the school nurse).
For the student’s safety, no student will be allowed to attend school if the student is currently taking any other Schedule II medications than permitted by this policy. Students who are taking Schedule II medications which are not allowed to be brought to school shall be eligible for homebound instruction if provided for in their IEP or 504 plans.
Self-Administration of Medication
Students who have written permission from their parent or guardian and a licensed health care practitioner on file with the District may:
1) Self-administer either a rescue inhaler or auto-injectable epinephrine; 2) Perform his/her own blood glucose checks; 3) Administer insulin through the insulin delivery system the student uses; 4) Treat the student’s own hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia; (District nurses would like to be informed by the student when treatment becomes necessary) or 5) Possess on his or her person: 1) A rescue inhaler or auto-injectable epinephrine; or the necessary supplies and equipment to perform his/her own diabetes monitoring and treatment functions. 2) the necessary supplies and equipment to perform his/her own diabetes monitoring and treatment functions.
A student may be authorized to self-administer a stress dose medication to treat the student’s adrenal insufficiency with:
The parent, legal guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of a student who is authorized to self-administer a stress dose medication shall sign an IHP developed by the school nurse for the school where the student is enrolled. The IHP shall include a requirement for the notification of appropriate staff following the self-administration of a stress dose medication, which shall include the school nurse, teacher of the classroom where the stress dose medication was administered, and a school administrator.
Students who have a current consent form on file shall be allowed to carry and self-administer such medication while:
- In school;
- At an on-site school sponsored activity;
- While traveling to or from school; or
- At an off-site school sponsored activity.
A student is prohibited from sharing, transferring, or in any way diverting his/her medications to any other person. The fact that a student with a completed consent form on file is allowed to carry a rescue inhaler, auto-injectable epinephrine, diabetes medication, stress dose medication, or combination does not require the student to have such on the student’s person. The parent or guardian of a student who qualifies under this policy to self-carry a rescue inhaler, auto-injectable epinephrine, diabetes medication, stress dose medication, or any combination on the student’s person shall provide the school with the appropriate medication, which shall be immediately available to the student in an emergency.
Students may possess and use a topical sunscreen that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for OTC use to avoid overexposure to the sun without written authorization from a parent, legal guardian, or healthcare professional while the student is on school property or at a school-related event or activity. The parent or guardian of a student may provide written documentation authorizing specifically named District employee(s), in addition to the school nurse, to assist a student in the application of sunscreen. The District employee(s) named in the parent or legal guardian’s written authorization shall not be required to assist the student in the application of sunscreen.
Emergency Administration of Glucagon and Insulin
Students may be administered Glucagon, insulin, or both in emergency situations by the school nurse or, in the absence of the school nurse, a trained volunteer school employee designated as a care provider, provided the student has:
- an IHP that provides for the administration of Glucagon, insulin, or both in emergency situations; and
- a current, valid consent form on file from their parent or guardian.
When the nurse is unavailable, the trained volunteer school employee who is responsible for a student shall be released from other duties during:
- The time scheduled for a dose of insulin in the student’s IHP; and
- Glucagon or non-scheduled insulin administration once other staff have relieved him/her from other duties until a parent, guardian, other responsible adults, or medical personnel has arrived.
A student shall have access to a private area to perform diabetes monitoring and treatment functions as outlined in the student's IHP.
Emergency Administration of Epinephrine
The school nurse or other school employees designated by the school nurse as a care provider who has been trained and certified by a licensed physician may administer an epinephrine auto-injector in emergency situations to students who have an IHP that provides for the administration of an epinephrine auto-injector in emergency situations.
The parent of a student who has an authorizing IHP, or the student if over the age of eighteen (18), shall annually complete and sign a written consent form provided by the student's school nurse authorizing the nurse or other school employee(s) certified to administer auto-injector epinephrine to the student when the employee believes the student is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.
Students with an order from a licensed health care provider to self-administer auto-injectable epinephrine and who have written permission from their parent or guardian shall provide the school nurse an epinephrine auto-injector. This epinephrine will be used in the event the school nurse, or other school employee certified to administer auto-injector epinephrine, in good faith professionally believes the student is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction and the student is either not self-carrying his/her /epinephrine auto-injector or the nurse is unable to locate it.
The school nurse for each District school shall keep epinephrine auto-injectors on hand that is suitable for the students the school serves. The school nurse or other school employee designated by the school nurse as a care provider who has been trained and certified by a licensed physician may administer auto-injector epinephrine to those students who the school nurse, or other school employee certified to administer auto-injector epinephrine, in good faith professionally believes is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.
Emergency Administration of Albuterol
The school nurse or other school employees designated by the school nurse as a care provider who has been trained and certified by a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant may administer albuterol in emergency situations to students who have an IHP that provides for the administration of albuterol in emergency situations. The parent of a student who has an authorizing IHP, or the student if over the age of eighteen (18), shall annually complete and sign a written consent form provided by the student's school nurse authorizing the nurse or other school employee(s) certified to administer albuterol to the student when the employee believes the student is in perceived respiratory distress. The school nurse for each District school shall keep albuterol on hand. The school nurse or other school employee designated by the school nurse as a care provider who has been trained and certified by a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant may administer albuterol to those students who the school nurse, or other school employee certified to administer albuterol, in good faith professionally believes is in perceived respiratory distress.
The school nurse for each District school shall keep anti-opioid injectors on hand. The school nurse, other school employees, volunteers, or students may administer anti-opioid in accordance with the District’s procedures to a student who the school nurse, or other observers, in good faith believes is having an opioid overdose.
Emergency Administration of Anti-opioid
The school nurse for each District school shall keep anti-opioid injectors on hand and the school nurse and school resource officer shall possess an anti-opioid at all times when on duty. The school nurse, other school employees, volunteers, or students may administer anti-opioid in accordance with the District’s procedures to a student who the school nurse, or other observers, in good faith believes is having an opioid overdose.
An opioid overdose rescue kit shall be placed within all storage locations in the District high school buildings that currently contain an automated external defibrillator for public use. The opioid overdose rescue kits shall be located where it is readily available to the public, be visually free of advertisement, and contain an anti-opioid.
Emergency Administration of Emergency Adrenal Insufficiency Medication
The school nurse or other school employees designated by the school nurse as a care provider who has been trained and certified by a licensed physician may administer an injectable emergency dose medication in emergency situations to students who have an IHP that provides for the administration of an injectable emergency dose medication in emergency situations.
The parent of a student who has an authorizing IHP, or the student if over the age of eighteen (18), shall annually complete and sign a written consent form provided by the student's school nurse authorizing the nurse or other school employee(s) certified to administer an injectable emergency dose medication to the student when the employee believes the student is having an adrenal crisis due to adrenal insufficiency.
Students who have met the requirements to be authorized to self-administer a stress dose medication under this policy shall provide the school nurse an emergency injectable dose of the student’s medication. This emergency injectable dose will be used in the event the school nurse, or other school employee is certified to administer an injectable emergency dose medication, in good faith professionally believing the student is having an adrenal crisis due to adrenal insufficiency.
Seizure Disorder Medications
Students who have been diagnosed with a seizure disorder shall have a seizure action plan that shall be a written IHP designed to acknowledge and prepare for the healthcare needs of the student. The student’s seizure action plan shall be created in collaboration between District staff and the student’s Parents, legal guardians, persons having lawful control of the student, or persons acting in loco parentis or the student if over eighteen (18). As part of the creation of the student’s seizure action plan, the student’s Parents, legal guardians, persons having lawful control of the student, or persons acting in loco parentis shall:
- Provide the school with written authorization to administer the seizure medication at school;
- Provide a written statement from the student’s healthcare provider that shall contain the following information:
- The student’s name;
- The name and purpose of the medication;
- The prescribed dosage;
- The route of administration;
- The frequency that the medication should be administered; and
- The circumstances under which the medication should be administered;
- Provide the prescribed medication to the school in its unopened, sealed package with the label affixed by the dispensing pharmacy intact, which shall be stored in a safe and secure location accessible only by District personnel or volunteers with training to administer seizure medication.