Medications

State mandated change. Effective August 2024. Administration of OVER-THE-COUNTER medications during the school day REQUIRE a medical provider AND parent/guardian signature. This includes but is not limited to: Ibuprofen or acetaminophen, oral or topical allergy medication, cough suppressant, insect bite or first aid ointment.*

There may be times when your student needs to receive medication during school hours. Whether being asked to administer prescription or non-prescription medication, the school nurse and other designated staff must strictly adhere to the law and to school district policy/procedures.

Why is it necessary to be so strict?? The answer is simple--your student's safety is a priority! Serious harm can be done if medication is not taken correctly and/or if medication is shared between students.

Please review the detailed Request to Administer Medication and Medication Procedures** documents immediately below prior to completing any permission form or sending in any medication. Forms must be completed/signed and medication brought in accordance with policy before the nurse or designated staff will accept any medication. Physician orders that have been that have been signed by the provider and the parent may be substituted for the RRISD form as long as all criteria for medication administration are met. Medication forms must be completed each school year.

MEDICATION PROCEDURES
Prescription and over the counter medication may be administered at school if the following apply:
1. Approved authorization forms are on file for medication to be administered. A new completed form is requiredeach school year.
2. Medication must be provided by the parent or guardian. No medication is provided by the school except for thoseon the standing orders along with naloxone for suspected opioid overdose, and/or epinephrine in case of apossible anaphylactic reaction.
3. Medication must be kept in the school clinic or in a locked cabinet in a self-contained classroom, and administeredby the school nurse, health assistant, or trained school employee.
4. No medication will be sent home with a student. Parents/Guardians must pick up all medications whetherprescription or over-the-counter.
5. All prescription medication must be properly labeled in English in a prescription bottle/box with the student’sname, medication name, directions for dispensing the drug and written and signed by a physician licensed topractice in the United States. Over-the-counter medication (including cough drops) must be in the originalcontainer with the label intact and non-expired. All medications need a physician signature and a parent/guardiansignature. Any change in dosing will require a new order accompanied by physician signature andparent/guardian signature. NO MEDICATION WILL BE GIVEN WITHOUT A PARENT/GUARDIAN ANDPHYSICIAN SIGNATURE.
6. Controlled medication will be counted by the school nurse or the health assistant upon arrival at school anddocumented as to the number of pills received. Medication must be delivered by the parents/guardians.
7. Medication prescribed or requested to be given three times a day or less will not be given at school unless aspecific time of administration during school hours is prescribed by a physician.
8. A student may be allowed to self-administer inhaled asthma medication, an Epi-pen, pancreatic enzymes, ordiabetes treatment ONLY if the following conditions have been complied with:a. Written permission from the physician allowing the student to self-medicate or treatb. The nurse has counseled the parent and the student on the school’s inability to monitor the student’shealth condition during the school day while self-medicating or treating.c. The student complies with all campus safety policies.
9. No district employee will administer herbal substances, anabolic steroids or dietary supplements except asprovided in RRISD Policy: FFAC (local). Herbal substances or dietary supplements may be administered asprescribed by a physician if it is required by the IEP or Section 504 plan of a student with a disability. Medicationmust be provided by the student's parent or guardian.
***In accordance with the Nurse Practice Act; Texas Administrative Code, Section 217.11, the Registered Nurseand the Licensed Vocational Nurse have the responsibility and authority to refuse to administer medications that,in the nurse’s judgment, are contra-indicated for administration to the student.***

Asthma/Anaphylaxis/Seizures

You do not need to fill-out the "Request to Administer Medication" form for emergency medications (e.g. inhalers, Epi-pens, Diastat). Instead, we need to have the applicable documents completed and signed:

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan (Spanish form)
Asthma Action Plan (Spanish) (may be physician provided or may choose from attached samples)
Seizure Action Plan (Spanish)

Please click on the "Emergency Medications" tab at the top of the page for sample action plans and further information, including criteria for students who seek to self-carry emergency medication.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No es necesario que complete el formulario "Solicitud de administración de medicamentos" para medicamentos de emergencia (por ejemplo, inhaladores, Epi-pens, Diastat). En cambio, necesitamos tener los documentos aplicables completados y firmados:

Plan de atención de emergencia para alergias y anafilaxia (Spanish)
Plan de acción para el asma (Spanish) (puede ser proporcionado por un médico o puede elegir entre muestras adjuntas)
Plan de acción para convulsiones (Spanish)

Haga clic en la pestaña "Medicamentos de emergencia" en la parte superior de la página para ver ejemplos de planes de acción e información adicional, incluidos los criterios para los estudiantes que buscan llevar medicamentos de emergencia.

Report abuse

Medications

For additional information please see: