Medication Guidelines

To help ensure the safe delivery of health services at school, school nurses may communicate directly with a student's licensed health care provider regarding medical orders, treatment orders, and their associated diagnoses. This communication may be necessary to clarify orders, obtain additional information, or coordinate care. School nurses do not need separate parental permission to communicate with a student's prescribing health care provider for these purposes. Such communication is permitted as part of the coordination of treatment and the provision of school health services, consistent with applicable federal and state laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 

Parents and legal guardians remain important partners in the child's health care and are encouraged to communicate with the school nurse regarding any questions or concerns about their child's health needs. 

Students may be allowed to self-carry and self-administer prescribed medications used to treat life threatening conditions during the school day. To begin processing the request, the health care provider and the parent/legal guardian must complete the appropriate "self-carry" sections of the medication order. Once the order is provided to health staff, the school nurse must perform a nursing assessment to determine that the request is appropriate and can be performed safely. The assessment may include a review of the student's medical history, review of school health records, parent/legal guardian interview, and assessment of the environment. The school nurse must also evaluate the student's competency to self-administer and self-manage his/her condition.  Once approved, the school nurse will create a written agreement that must be signed by the parent/legal guardian, school nurse, student (if applicable), and the Principal. 

Once approved, the student's competency will be evaluated at intervals determined by the school nurse.  If the student fails to follow the terms of the written agreement and/or is observed handling the medication in an unsafe manner, the student's permission to self-carry the medication will be revoked until the management plan is re-evaluated.