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AR JLCD-R Assisting Students with Medicines

Issued 6/06

Medications in schools

If a student is required to take medication during school hours and the parent/legal guardian cannot be at

the school to administer the medication, only the school nurse, principal or his/her designee will

administer the medication in compliance with the following guidelines.

The parent/legal guardian or emergency contact designee is requested to deliver to the school a

completed district medication form and any medication; and is required to deliver controlled substances.

All medication must be in the original container. All prescription medication must be in the original

prescription container labeled with the following typed information.

• student’s name

• name of medication

• time to be administered

• dosage

• strength

• directions for use

• physician’s name

• date

• pharmacy name, address, phone number

If, under exceptional circumstances, the parent/legal guardian is unable to personally deliver the

medication to the school, a note indicating the number of units of medication must be sent with the

student and must accompany the container and the completed district medication form.

Non-prescriptive (over the counter) medications in the following categories are requested to be

delivered to the school by the parent/legal guardian and must be accompanied by the district medication

form completed by the parent/legal guardian, in the manufacturer’s smallest original container available.

• analgesics --i.e. Tylenol, etc

• antihistamines/decongestants -- i.e. Benedryl, Sudafed, etc.

• antitussives -- i.e. Robitussin, cough drops, etc.

• antibacterial ointments -- i.e. Bacitracin, etc

• antacids -- i.e. Tums, Gaviscon, etc.

These will be the only over the counter drugs administered to students with parental permission. Over

the counter medications other than those listed in the categories above will require a physician’s note.

School personnel will do the following.

• Inform the principal or his/her designee of the medication.

• Keep a record of the receipt and administration of the medication on the district form. Controlled

substances will be counted upon receipt by the principal or his/her designee and weekly thereafter by

the school nurse. Discrepancies in the number of units of medication must be reported to the school

nurse and school principal who will investigate and take appropriate corrective action. The district

health coordinator should be notified if drug diversion is suspected. Pursuant to the Guidelines for

Administration and Security of Controlled Substance in School Settings, DHEC, 6/96, local law

enforcement authorities and the DHEC Bureau of Drug Control should be notified if drug diversion is

suspected. All discrepancies should be documented in the student’s medication record.

• Keep medication in a secure, locked container or cabinet accessible only to designated

authorized school personnel. When refrigeration of medication is recommended or required,

medication must be segregated from food items in a securely locked container.

• Return unused medication to the parent/legal guardian or student at the principal’s discretion

unless instructed otherwise one week after termination of treatment or at the end of the school year.

The school nurse will destroy any remaining medication. When drugs are destroyed, the school

should document the disposition on the medication record. Documentation should include the

prescription number, drug name and strength, the quantity, date of destruction, method of

destruction, reason for destroying the drug, and signatures of the person performing the destruction

and a witness.

Refilled prescription drugs must be provided in a new container, appropriately labeled. Medication may

not exceed a one-month supply.

Any changes in administration of a current prescription medication must be accompanied by a changed

district medication form and a new label indicating the changes. A faxed or hard copy of the physician’s

order to change the administration of a drug may also be accepted by school personnel. These changes

may be indicated on the medication label by crossing out original and writing new orders with an

indelible pen. Label changes must be initialed by designated individual who makes the change.

School personnel and employees cannot be responsible for the adequacy of prescribed medications or

medical treatments recommended by physicians or related medical professionals and/or supplied by

pharmacists or other sources outside the district and, therefore, will assume no responsibility for the

effects of such mediations or treatments upon students.

Students may be given permission to carry and self-administer their medications due to a life threatening

condition. If a student with a chronic illness is permitted to self-medicate or self-monitor, the student’s

healthcare practitioner will provide a written statement verifying that the student has a medical condition

and that the student has been instructed on the proper dosage and use and administration of the

medication and/or medical device. The student will maintain the medication prescribed by the healthcare

practitioner in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacist.

The eligible student is authorized to possess medication on his/her person and to administer the

medication as follows.

• in the classroom and in any area of the school or school grounds

• at a school-sponsored activity

• in transit to or from school and school-sponsored activities

• during before-school or after-school activities on school-operated property

In order for the student to be eligible to self-medicate or self-monitor the following must be met.

• Determination by the school team that the student’s self-monitoring and/or self-medicating will not

seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others; that the student is knowledgeable about the

medication and/or procedure; and that the student understands the school district’s policy.

• A written statement from the student’s healthcare practitioner who prescribed the medication or

monitoring device verifying that the student has a medical condition and that the student has been

instructed and demonstrates competency in self-monitoring and/or self-administration of his/her

medication.

• Written authorization from the student’s parent/legal guardian.

• A written individual healthcare plan developed by the school nurse with input from and the

approval of the student’s healthcare practitioner who prescribed the medication, the parent/legal

guardian and the student (if appropriate).

• Authorization from the parent/legal guardian for the school to share the student’s individual

healthcare plan with school staff who have a legitimate need for knowledge of the information.

• Maintenance of the medication in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacist who filled

the prescription.

• A signed statement from the parent/legal guardian acknowledging that the school district and its

employees and agents are not liable for an injury arising from a student’s self-monitoring or

self-administration of medications.

The written statement from the healthcare practitioner and the parent/legal guardian will be kept in the

office of the school nurse or the school administrator. The permission may be revoked if the student

endangers himself/herself and if the medication or monitoring device is improperly used. It will be

effective for the school year in which it is granted and must be renewed and resubmitted each school

year thereafter.

A copy of this administrative rule and the policy may be provided to parent/legal guardian upon request

for administration of medication.

Issued 7/26/76; Revised 10/26/82, 3/22/94, 5/26/94, 2/8/00, 4/23/02, 6/27/06

The School District of Aiken County

Policy JLCD Assisting Students with Medicines

Issued 6/06

Purpose: To establish the basic structure for assisting students with medicines.

School personnel will dispense medication to students according to the provisions stated below.

The principal or his/her designee may assist students with medicine during school hours or during

authorized school events at the written request of the doctor or parent/legal guardian. All controlled

substances will be delivered by the parent/legal guardian. All medication will be properly labeled and in

an original container.

Students with a chronic illness may be allowed to self-monitor and/or self-medicate. The decision to

allow the recommendation of the student’s healthcare practitioner will be determined by the school team

comprised of the parent/legal guardian, school nurse, physician and the school administrator or his/her

designee.

In some rare instances, the district, after reviewing situations, reserves the right to reject request for the

administration of any medication or to allow a student to self-medicate or self-monitor.

Schools will comply with state law regarding prescriptions for controlled substances in Schedules II

through IV and administrative rule JLCD-R.

Adopted 2/8/00; Revised 4/23/02, 6/27/06

Legal references:

S.C. Code of Laws, 1976, as amended:

Section 40-33-70 - Amends law relating to on-site supervision of a nurse.

Sections 59-63-80 and 90 - Policy for individual healthcare plan for certain students.

Section 15-78-60 - Immunity from liability for districts and employees.

Section 44-53-360 - Prescriptions.

The School District of Aiken County