5.01 Administration of Medicine to Students

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to identify when district personnel are authorized to administer medication to students, when students are authorized to self-medicate and how district personnel will maintain, administer, monitor and dispose of student medication.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, these terms have the following definitions:

"Medicine" or “medications” includes prescription medications and over-the-counter medicines such as but not limited to cough drops, antacid medicated ointments and any other item used to treat an illness, disease or malady. This term shall not include “Sunscreen” as defined below.

“Parent” means a parent, a court appointed guardian or a person having legal custody.

“Physician” means a licensed physician or other health care provider with prescriptive authority.

“Sunscreen” means a compound topically applied to prevent sunburn.

Policy

Under Oklahoma law, a school nurse, an administrator or a designated school employee may administer prescription and nonprescription medications and assist in applying sunscreen to students. Medications may be given only with  written permission from the parent/guardian, or physician order. The Student’s need for non-prescription medications will be assessed by the Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Health Aid or designee who has documented training and given per consulting physician order guidelines.

Except as provided in this policy and in the district’s Student Diabetes Care and Management policy, students may not retain possession of or self-administer any medicine. Violation of this rule will be reported to the student's parents/guardians and may result in discipline, including out-of-school suspension.

As further set out below, the district retains the discretion to reject requests for the administration of medication or application of sunscreen and to discontinue the administration of medication or application of sunscreen.

All students in Owasso Public Schools must provide registration information (InfoSnap) each school year. Part of registration includes a “Medication Authorization” permission form, which must be on file for each student in order to administer any medication to the student.

The parent must deliver the student’s medicine to the school nurse or designated school employee in its original container with the parent’s written authorization for administration of the medicine. Sunscreen for application by a school nurse must be delivered to the school nurse or designated school employee in its original container with the parent’s written authorization for application of sunscreen. The parent's authorization for either administration of medicine or application of sunscreen must identify the student, the medicine or sunscreen, and include or refer to the label for instructions on administration of the medicine. The school nurse, an administrator or a designated employee will administer the medicine to the student or assist the student in applying sunscreen pursuant to the parent's instructions and the directions for use on the label or in the physician's prescription. The parent must complete a new authorization form annually and for each change of medication or sunscreen. The district will maintain the authorization form as a part of the student’s health record. Authorization forms will be available in the front office of every school site. A parent who chooses to do so may come to the school and personally dispense medication or apply sunscreen to the student.

The administration of each school will keep a record of the students to whom medicine is administered or sunscreen is applied, the date of administration or application, the person who administered the medicine or applied the sunscreen, and the name or type of medicine or sunscreen administered.

Medications and sunscreen will be stored in a separate locked drawer or cabinet that is readily accessible only to the persons who will administer the medication or apply the sunscreen. Medications requiring refrigeration will be refrigerated in a secure area.

Any person administering medicine or applying sunscreen to a student will participate in training by October 1 of each year conducted by a school nurse or other health care professional. The training will include:

• Review of state statutes and school rules and regulations (including this policy) regarding administration of medication and application of sunscreen by school personnel;
• Procedures for administration, documentation, handling and storage of medication; and
• Medication needs of specific students, desired effects, potential side effects, adverse reactions, and other observations.

Only those persons who successfully complete the training are authorized to administer medication or apply sunscreen. Each school site will maintain a current list of those authorized to administer medication and apply sunscreen at that site.

Students who are able to self-administer specific medications, such as inhaled asthma medication or anaphylaxis medication, or use specialized equipment, such as an inhaler or Epinephrine injector, replacement pancreatic enzymes for Cystic Fibrosis; may do so provided such medication and specialized equipment are transported and maintained under the students’ control in compliance with the following rules:

• A licensed physician or dentist must provide a written order that the student has a particular medical condition (asthma, anaphylaxis, etc.), is capable of and has been instructed in the proper method of self-administration of medication. It is the parent’s responsibility to contact the physician and have the physician complete and return the required order.
• The parent must provide a written authorization for self-administration of medication.
• Parents who elect self-medication understand and agree that the district, its agents and employees shall incur no liability for any adverse reaction or injury the student suffers as a result of self-administration of medication and/or use of specialized equipment.
• The written authorization will terminate at the end of the school year and must be renewed annually.
• If the parent and physician authorize self-medication, the district is not responsible for safeguarding the students’ medications or specialized equipment.
• Students who self-medicate are prohibited from sharing or playing with their medication or special equipment. If a student engages in these activities the parent will be contacted and a conference will be scheduled with the parent, student, nurse and other appropriate persons.
• Students will not be allowed to self-administer:
  • Narcotics;
  • Essential Oils and CBD Oils
  • Prescription painkillers;
  • Medication used to treat ADD/ADHD or other psychological or behavioral disorders; and
  • Other medication hereafter designated in writing by the district.

Except as otherwise provided by an individual student’s school health plan, students may self-administer non-diabetes and non-anaphylaxis-related injectables only in the school office in the presence of authorized school personnel. Diabetes-related injectables will be administered in accordance with the district’s Management of Students with Diabetes policy.

Students who self-medicate are encouraged to wear Medic Alert bracelets or necklaces.

The parent will provide an emergency supply of a student’s inhaled asthma medication or anaphylaxis medication to be administered by school personnel, as required by state law.

Students who are able to self-apply sunscreen may do so provided such sunscreen is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Students may self-apply sunscreen without the written authorization of a parent, legal guardian or physician. All students are permitted to possess sunscreen that is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Sunscreen

School staff will only assist the student in applying sunscreen with the parent’s written authorization and according to label directions or, if applicable, written instructions from the student’s physician. The sunscreen must be in the original container indicating:

• Ingredients; and
• Directions for Application.

Nonprescription Medication

School staff will only administer nonprescription medication with the parent’s written authorization and according to label directions and/or written instructions from the student’s physician. The medication must be in the original container that indicates:

• Student name (affixed to the container);
• Ingredients;
• Expiration date;
• Dosage and frequency;
• Administration route, i.e., oral, drops, etc.; and
• Other directions as appropriate.

School staff will only administer aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and products containing salicylic acid with written instructions from the student’s physician. The parent must provide and maintain a supply of nonprescription medication for the student.

Prescription Medication

School staff will only administer prescription medication with written authorization and instructions. Prescription medication must be in the original container that indicates:

• Student name;
• Name and strength of medication and expiration date;
• Dosage and directions for administration;
• Name of the licensed physician or dentist;
• Date, name, address, and phone number of the pharmacy.

If medication is a sample from the Doctor’s office, a physician’s note must accompany the sample with all of the information requested in the previous section.

The initial dose of a new medication will NOT be given at school due to possible reaction.

No more than a one-month supply of prescription medication be kept at school.

The transportation of prescription medication to and from school is the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

Vitamins/herbs/homeopathic remedies, essential oils, and CBD products not FDA approved will not be given at school.

The parent must provide and maintain the supply of prescription medication for the student.

The parent must reclaim any remaining medication by the last official day of school closing or within seven days after the prescribing physician discontinues the medication. The school nurse or designated employee will destroy in a non-recoverable fashion in the presence of a witness any medication not timely reclaimed. The person who destroys the medication will record the following information:

• Date of destruction;
• Time of destruction;
• Name and quantity of medication destroyed; and
• Manner of destruction of medication

Any and all controlled substances will be destroyed according to state law.

The school nurse or designated employee will advise the principal or designee if discontinuance of medication to a student is appropriate and assist in informing the parent. Legitimate reasons for discontinuing administration of medication include, but are not limited to the following:

• A legitimate lack of space or facility to adequately store specific medication;
• Lack of cooperation by the student, parent and/or prescribing doctor and the district;
• An unexpected and/or adverse medical reaction to the medication at school, i.e., mood change, allergic reaction, etc., considered to be harmful to the health and well-being of the student;
• Any apparent change in the medication’s appearance, odor, or other characteristics that raise reasonable doubts about the quality of the medication; and
• The medication expiration date has passed.

Narcotic medication will not be stored or administered at school by school personnel. Custodial parents/guardians of students being treated by a physician with prescription narcotic medication may administer such medication to their child during the school day. Parents/guardians administering the narcotics medication should report to the main office to request their child for administration of the narcotic medication.

Under state law the Board of Education, the School District, or employees of the District shall not be liable to the student or the student’s parents or guardian for civil damages for any personal injuries to the student which result from acts of omissions of school employees in administering the narcotic medicine. Also the School district, its agents and employees shall incur no liability for any adverse reaction or injury suffered by the students as a result of the parent’s/guardian’s administration of narcotic medication during school hours.

2Nh>District-Wide Emergency Use Stock Inhalers

 Per Senate Bill 381, inhalers and spacer devices may be stocked for use when a student is in need of an inhaler and does not have access to a personal device. Any stock inhalers must be prescribed to the District by a licensed physician. Trained personnel may administer an emergency inhaler when they believe in good faith that a student is having respiratory distress. In the event that a stock inhaler is administered because of respiratory distress, EMS services will be contacted as soon as possible.

District-Wide Administration of Opiate Antagonists (Narcan)

District medical personnel or other district employees trained in recognizing signs of opiate overdose may administer an opiate antagonist (Narcan) for a student or other individual exhibiting signs of an opiate overdose.

District-Wide Use of Epinephrine Injectors

• Per Senate Bill 381, epinephrine injectors may be stocked for use when a student is in need of an epinephrine injection and does not have access to a personal device. Any stock epinephrine injectors must be prescribed to the District by a licensed physician. Trained personnel may administer an emergency Epinephrine injection when they believe in good faith that a student is having an anaphylactic reaction. In the event that a stock epinephrine injection is administered because of an anaphylactic reaction, EMS services will be contacted as soon as possible.
• There will be designated and trained personnel at each school site responsible for:
  • Obtaining the Epinephrine injectors at each school site
  • Ensuring appropriate training on the administration of the injectors for designated staff members
  • Distributing and maintaining annual parent/guardian consent forms.
• No Epinephrine injection shall be given if the proper written consent is not on file with the District.

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Amended June 2024 Amended March 2023 Amended May 2021

Amended April 2019 Amended October 2018 Amended December 2017

Amended December 2016 Amended November 2012 Amended August 2011