Welcome to School Year 2011-2012. I look forward to caring for your child/children while they are at school.
Lexington City Schools maintain a clinic at each school for limited medical services for our students. I am on duty at from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. daily and rotate between the two schools. The purpose of the clinic is to provide first aid for school-related illness or injuries. It is neither equipped nor designed to care for out-of-school illnesses or injuries, and is not intended to take the place of parent directed medical care. I will follow your doctor’s written instructions for treatment of your child which may be needed during the school day. Clinic visits are recorded. Some students develop a frequent visit pattern to the clinic. This causes multiple class absences. If this is occurring with your child, I and/or the classroom teacher will notify you.
Below are some guidelines to use to decide if your child needs to stay at home due to illness. A child should STAY AT HOME:
v If he/she has a fever of 100 degrees or more AND they should stay home until they have been fever free for 24 hours.
v If they have vomiting or diarrhea they should stay home until it has been 24 hours since the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.
v With an unidentified rash or skin condition;
v With colored mucous which indicates infection;
v With presence or suspicion of communicable disease
Contact your child’s doctor regarding treatment for the above conditions. Your child may return to school upon the permission of your child’s doctor. Your child must be fever free for 24 hours without Acetominiphen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin).
ILLNESS/INJURY PROCEDURES
All accidents involving staff or students are reported to the office/school nurse immediately. In the case of injuries involving back or head trauma, serious bleeding, or unconsciousness, the injured party is kept still while help is being acquired. A staff member in addition to the school nurse has been trained in the administration of First Aid and CPR. A student or staff member with minor injuries is brought immediately to the clinic/office for first aid. The nurse/school secretary is responsible for seeing that accident reports are completed. There is a log kept in the clinic to record all visits to the clinic.
If a child becomes ill during school hours or is injured to the degree that class work cannot be resumed, parents will be notified by phone and their desires acknowledged. Quick parental response is important for the well being of the children.
It is important to keep the office informed of changes in phone numbers or changes in your preferred emergency procedures.
School insurance is available for school time injuries or for 24-hour coverage.
MEDICATION
Many children require medication during the school day, either routinely or episodically. Medications must be delivered under the safest possible conditions. Whenever possible, it is recommended that medications be given at home. A Medication Permission Form must accompany any medication to be given at school. This permission is valid for the current school year and must be renewed annually.
Asthmatic and Diabetic student may self administer medication IF both the parent and the student complete the appropriate form. It is available in the office.
ADMINSTERING MEDICINES TO STUDENTS
Prescription medications
Lexington City School Personnel may give prescription medication to students only with a physician’s written order and written permission from the student’s parent or guardian. Such medicine must be in the original container with a pharmacy label attached and delivered to the principal, school nurse, or school division designee by the parent/guardian of the student. Any changes in the original medication authorization require a new written authorization.
Nonprescription Medications
Lexington City School personnel may give nonprescription medication to students only with the written permission of the parent or guardian. Such permission shall include the name of the medication, the required dosage of the medication, and the time the medicine is to be given. Such medicine must be in an unopened original container and delivered to the principal, school nurse or school division designee by the parent/guardian of the student. It is highly encouraged that a physician directs the dosing of over the counter medication and using the prescription medication form. The school does not provide any over the counter medications.
All medication forms must be renewed annually for medication administration.
Self-Administration of Medication, Generally
Self-administration of any medication with the exception of asthma or diabetic medications which are discussed below, is prohibited for students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
Self-Administration of Asthma or Diabetic Medication
Students with a diagnosis of asthma are permitted to possess and self-administer inhaled asthma medications in accordance with this policy during the school day, at school-sponsored activities, or while on a school bus or other school property. The same is true for students diagnosed with Diabetes. In order for a student to possess and self-administer medications, a completed “Annual Contract for Self-administration” must be on file. This includes the physician’s order for medication, the parent/guardian signature, a signature from the school nurse or building administrator, and demonstration by the student of safe practices for inhaler use. A copy of this form is available in the school office.
Permission granted to a student to possess and self-administer medications will be effective for a period of one school year, and must be renewed annually. However, a student’s right to possess and self-administer asthma medication may be limited or revoked after appropriate school personnel consult with the student’s parents.
Beth Jewell, BSN, RN, NCSN