Medication Administration

The Upper St. Clair School District understands that some students have health situations requiring them to take medication during the school day. As much as possible, parents/guardians are encouraged to schedule medication administration so they can be taken at home, before and after school. But some health situations require medications to be taken more often, necessitating administration at school (Board Policy 210 - Medications).

For medications to be safely administered to students district-wide, the following protocols must be followed:

• Administration of medication during the school day must be ordered by the child’s physician and authorized by a parent/guardian. This document, known as the “medication order,” must be provided to the school nurse. The order must contain the name of the medication, the dosage, the route in which it is to be administered, the timing (specific time of day, intervals), the diagnosis/reason, and any other important information. The physician’s signature and date must be on the order. An order is not the same as a copy of the prescription. A prescription is instructions for a pharmacist to follow in filling the prescription, where an order is the physician’s instructions for administration. 
  • A physician’s order is necessary for any medication, prescription or over the counter.
  • A separate order is required for each medication to be administered.
  • An updated order is required for any change in the medication administration (change in dose, time, etc.)
  • The medication order and parent authorization must be renewed at the beginning of every school year. 
  • It is against district policy to administer or allow homeopathic or herbal medication substitutes, including ointments and oils.
  • The medication (prescription or over the counter) must be transported to and from the school nurse by the parent/guardian.
  • Some medications (such as inhalers, epi-pens) may be transported to the high school by the student, please contact the high school nurse for information.
  • K-8th grade students are never to transport any medications to the school health office.
  • Prescription medications must be in a pharmacy-labeled container, with a label that contains the following information: Pharmacy name and phone number, student’s name, physician’s name, name of the medication, prescribed dosage, interval of distribution, prescription number and date of the prescription.
  • Over the counter medications must be in their original packaging with accompanying instructions, matching the physician’s order.
  • Please limit the medication supply to a 30-day supply, to be stored in the health office.
  • It is the responsibility of the student to report to the nurse for medication administration at the proper time.
  • The school nurses will attempt to reach K-8th grade students who miss their medication administration.
  • High school students will be given reminders at the beginning of a new medication administration, but then will have to come on their own or miss their dose.
• SELF-ADMINISTERED MEDICATIONS
  • According to the PA Public School Code, only the following emergency medications may be carried and self-administered by students:
    • Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (such as Epi-Pen or Auvi-Q)
    • Inhalers for emergency asthmatic situations. 
  • Students who request to carry/self-administer these emergency medications must follow the protocol as listed above, and also these requirements:
  • The physician’s order must provide permission for the student to carry and self-administer.
  • The student must have a proven ability to responsibly carry and self-administer their medication.  This may be documented on the physician’s order or demonstrated to the school nurse. 
  • Violation of these protocols will result in confiscation of the self-carry emergency medication, loss of self-carry abilities, and possible disciplinary actions.
• DIABETIC MEDICATION/SUPPLIES
  • Diabetic students must follow the same guidelines outlined above. 
  • Physician’s orders must detail insulin type, administration route, parameters and calculations, interventions for hyper- or hypoglycemia, and any other pertinent information, and must be provided to the school nurse.  Any dosage adjustments must be communicated to the school nurse in the form of a new order. 
  • Diabetic students K-8, as well as those at the high school deemed to need additional support, will come to the health office daily before lunch for blood sugar testing and insulin administration (by injection or by pump).
  • Diabetic supplies will be stored in the school health office.  Older diabetic students may self-carry minimal diabetic supplies if approved.
  • Diabetic students should report to the health office immediately, accompanied by a friend, if feeling hyper- or hypoglycemic.
• MEDICATIONS AND FIELD TRIPS
  • Emergency medications (Epinephrine and inhalers) will be sent along on field trips for students of all grades. 
  • If non-emergency medications are necessary on a field trip, parents must contact their school nurse to make arrangements for a nurse to accompany their child on the field trip to carry and administer the medications.
  • High school students who carry their own emergency medications must be responsible to bring these on any high school field trip.  

Carrying any type of medications, other than emergency medications listed above, is against school policy and subject to disciplinary action. This includes such things as herbal supplements, vitamins, antacids, over-the-counter pain relief medications, allergy medications, or daily prescriptions.  ALL medications must be provided to the school health office, with an accompanying order, and are stored there in a locked cabinet. 

If your child needs medication during the day, and does not have medications ordered and kept in the health office (for example, if your child has a headache and would like Motrin, but doesn’t have them ordered for use during the school day), you may bring a dose to your child at the school. Parents can administer medications to their child, either in the school’s main office or in the health office, depending on the building. The school nurse can help facilitate this process.  If you would like this medication to stay in the health office and the nursing staff administer it, the above protocol must be followed.

If you have any questions about medication administration policies, please contact your school nurse.