Medications at School
Please take note of the following important information about the administration of medication during school hours:
- Only those medications that are necessary for a student’s medical care and that cannot be given outside school hours will be administered. Even medications that are scheduled for three times a day can usually be given outside school hours.
- Medication must be in its original, properly labeled container (no baggies, please). Please request your pharmacist to provide two labeled bottles of medication: one for home and one for school. Also, if a dosage is changed (Ritalin, for example), a new label must be made - medications can only be given as per label instructions.
- Please provide written consent and specific instructions for each medication. There are medication forms available for this purpose in the school clinic.
- The school nurse cannot dispense over-the-counter (non-prescription) medication such as Tylenol, cough syrups, antihistamines, etc. These medications must be provided from home (along with fully filled out Medication Administration Form).
- Only medications that are up-to-date may be administered. Please check the expiration date before sending medications to school.
- Injectable medications may only be administered by the nurse or a trained designee, and only in life-threatening/urgent situations (for example, adrenaline for severe allergic reactions). There must be written authorization on file and instructions from the physician (a special form for this is available in the school clinic.)
- Students who have parent and physician authorization and written consent and instructions on file in the school clinic may carry asthma inhalers during the school day. We urge you to keep an extra inhaler in the clinic as a back-up.
- Prescription and non-prescription medication requests and parent/physician requests are to be renewed at the beginning of each new school year.
- At the end of each school year, all students will be notified that medications will need to be taken home. Any medications that are not picked up will be discarded.
- Prescription medications may only be given if prescribed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in the United States.
- Herbal substances or dietary supplements provided by the parent may be administered only if 1) the child's personal physician has ordered that such product(s) be provided; 2) the order specifies that the product(s) must be provided during school hours, and 3) the Individual Education Plan or 504 Plan for the student requires that the product(s) are necessary for the provision of a free appropriate public education for a student with a disability.
Please contact Nurse Rather via email or at 214.780.3320 with any questions