Health Room
Welcome
Hello RHS families! I am honored to be caring for the wonderful students and families of Riverside High and I know this will be a great school year. Below you will find helpful information regarding the health room polices and procedures so you can know what to expect. This information can also be referenced on the Greenville County School District website here GCSD Health Services .
I am more than happy to answer any questions or concerns that may arise so do not hesitate to reach out!
Amanda Pugh, RN
864-355-7807
apugh@greenville.k12.sc.us
Student Emergency Information
At the beginning of each school year an Emergency Information sheet (see below) needs to be completed by a parent and turned in to the health room. This is very important. Please print all information clearly. This lets the health room know about important medical concerns the nurse may need to follow up on as well as a paper copy of emergency contacts. HOWEVER, please note that this form does NOT update your contacts in Backpack. In order to do that, you need to log in to your Parent Backpack account and ensure you submit the proper updates.
Contacting Parents
If your child comes to the Health Room and needs to go home, we must contact a parent or legal guardian. We cannot send a student home with anyone until a parent/guardian has been notified. This is why it is so very important that we have current information about how to contact you at all times. If your child has an emergency situation or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school, those contacts you list in Backpack and/or on the Student Emergency Form will be called if we cannot reach a parent first. Please understand that this is for your child's protection.
State Immunization Requirements
A child will not be allowed to attend any school or child development program without a valid SC Certificate of Immunization or a medical, religious, or special exemption.
If your child does not have a valid certificate, take his/her shot records to your physician or the county Health Department (282-4100). A parent or adult authorized by the parent must accompany a student under 16 who requires shots. For further information, call Medical Health Services at 355-3171.
Reminder:
All 7th through 12th graders are required to have a Tdap vaccine. Follow DHEC guidelines for appropriate Tdap administration.
Changes for the 2023-2024 School Year per DHEC:
9th grade: two (2) doses of varicella. A child with a positive history of the disease is considered immune and is exempt from this requirement.
11th grade: three (3) doses of oral/and/or inactivated polio vaccine with at least one (1) dose received on or after the fourth (4th) birthday.
Medication Policy
All medication must be delivered to the School Nurse or other designated school employee by the student’s parent, legal guardian or a previously designated adult. It is against School District Policy for a student to carry ANY medication on their person without physician permission, parent permission and school district permission to self-administer and self-monitor (SC Law S144). All medication will be maintained in the health room. Medication required for field trips must be given to and administered by an employee of Greenville County Schools designated by the principal. There are separate permission forms for medications on field trips.
Medication Requirements
Prescription Medications
· must have written parental and physician authorization before medication can be administered at school
· must be administered as labeled and label must match the authorization form
· must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel
Over-the-counter Medications
· may be provided by the parent if it is in the original, sealed container
· must be clearly labeled with the student’s name
· must be accompanied by written parental permission on above form
· OTC medications may not exceed package directions for administration
· No medication containing aspirin can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications
PLEASE SEE PRINTABLE PRESCRIPTION AND OTC FORMS UNDER THE "FORMS" TAB AT TOP OF PAGE
Safety Reminders Regarding Medications
Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date.
School Nurses will not administer any medication past the expiration date.
All medication must be in the original container.
School nurses are legally required to administer only medications with FDA approval.
If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.
Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider that are contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled may carry, self-monitor and self-administer these medications only if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian as stated on the appropriate authorization form. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others (ex: stimulants, pain relief medication, anti-depressants), then the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication. Medications that are approved for self-administering are asthma inhalers, insulin for diabetic students, and Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions (forms for this can be provided from the school or sent via e-mail upon request).