Communicable Disease Control
In an effort to Control Communicable Disease and in conformance with the Rules and Regulations for School Health programs adopted by the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Department of Education effective February 1, 1979 the West Warwick School Committee believes and states that:
1. Every student upon first entering the public schools under the control of the West Warwick School Committee shall furnish to the school
principal:
a. Evidence that the student has been immunized against:
i. Diphtheria
ii. Tetanus
iii. Polio
iv. Measles (or a physicians statement that student has had natural measles).
v. Rubella or
b. A certificate from a licensed physician stating that the student is not a fit subject for immunization for medical reasons, or
c. A certificate signed by the parent or guardian stating that immunizations are contrary to his or her belief.
2. Acceptable evidence for having completed the specified immunizations shall consist of:
a. Certificate signed by a licensed physician, or An approval record of immunizations which has been kept by the parent or
legal guardian and which has been completed at the time of each immunization by the physician or his or her agent.
3. Where the student cannot supply evidence for one or more of the required immunizations such student shall provide the principal with
evidence of having began to obtain the lacking immunization(s) by the date of school entrance, or by the date of notification of
immunization requirements whichever is later. The principal is herewith given the authority to exclude all students who have not complied
with the above requirements. Such exclusion shall extend until such time as the required immunizations are completed and the
satisfactory evidence of such completion has been submitted. The principal may, on an individual basis, extend the time lines contained
herein. However, in no case shall the-principal extend said-time lines more than twenty (20) school days from the time of evidence or the
time of notification.
4. The aforementioned policy shall apply to:
a. All students entering pre-school, Kindergarten or 1st grade.
b. All students transferring from:
i. Schools in another school district,
ii. Private or parochial schools,
iii. From dropout status.
c. Students presently enrolled whose records do not reflect satisfactory evidence of immunizations.
5. Additionally, the school health program shall provide for the yearly screening or examination for scoliosis of all school children in grades
six through eight and the preservation of records of the screening or examinations of such children.
a. The parent or guardian of any child who is found to have positive signs of symptoms of scoliosis shall be notified of such findings.
b. The screening shall be conducted by a certified nurse teacher.
c. The screening of male and female students shall be conducted separately.
6. The provisions of this policy shall not be required of any student whose parents or guardian objects on the ground that such test conflicts
with their religious belief.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 16-21-7 School health program
RI Gen. Laws § 16-21-10 Scoliosis screening
Policy adopted:
4/23/81
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
The following policy shall be uniformly applied to all West Warwick schools for the protection of all personnel and students who might become involved:
No medication of any type shall be given to any child in school except under the following policy:
1. A certified school nurse-teacher shall administer medication(s) to student(s) within the public school setting except as provided in
sections H, I, or J herein. Such a certified school nurse-teacher shall be licensed in Rhode Island in accordance with the requirements of
Chapter 5-34 of RIGL. He/she shall also be certified in accordance with provisions of chapter 16-21-8 of RIGL.
2. No layperson, other than a parent, shall administer medication to a student in the school setting. Exceptions: As related to the
administration of epinephrine.
Provisions Related to Nurse Administration
Only a certified school nurse-teacher shall furnish medication to a student and always in conformity with the following regulations:
3. Each dose of medication administered by a certified school nurse-teacher shall be documented. Documentation shall include: date, time,
dosage, route of administration and the signature of the certified school nurse-teacher or other registered nurse administering the
medication or supervising the student in self-administration. In the event a dosage is not administered as ordered, the reason(s)
therefore shall be noted.
4. All medications shall be administered by the certified school nurse-teacher as provided herein, shall be kept in a secured cabinet.
5. A licensed provider’s (with prescriptive privileges) order shall be obtained and verified by the certified school nurse-teacher or other
registered nurse for all medications to be administered by the certified school nurse-teacher or registered nurse including school
physician standing orders. Verbal orders to the nurse and facsimile transmissions may be accepted, except for orders of Schedule II
drugs, if followed up by a written order from the licensed prescriber within three (3) working days. Upon receipt, the orders shall be
confirmed with parent by nurse.
a. Written permission by the parent or legal guardian for prescription and/or over the counter drugs stating the reason for the medication.
b. The medication(s) is presented to the school nurse-teacher in its original prescription labeled container(s).
6. For prescription medications, all parent authorizations and licensed provider’s orders shall be renewed no less than annually by the
certified school nurse-teacher or other registered nurse.
Controlled Substances
7. No controlled substance shall be in the possession of or administered by anyone other than a certified school nurse-teacher, licensed
prescriber, or parent of the child for whom the medications have been prescribed. A student may deliver his/her own medication to
school, but may not self-administer the controlled substance while on school property. Exception: See paragraph 10 herein.
Prescription Medications: Self-carried and/or self-administered
Only middle school and high school students are allowed to self-carry or self-administer analgesic medications. However, the following regulations are in effect and govern this matter.
8. No medications of any type shall be self-carried and or self-administered by a student unless the student, parent, certified school nurse-
teacher and licensed prescribing health care provider enter into a written agreement that specifies the conditions under which the
prescription medication must be self-carried and/or self-administered. The school principal shall be informed of the existence of said
agreement.
a. The protocols or procedures related to student self-administration of prescription medication shall include the following:
i. All medications shall be stored in their original prescription-labeled containers.
ii. All licensed health care prescriber’s written order shall be provided.
iii. A written parent authorization shall be obtained and verified by the certified school nurse-teacher on the appropriate
school form.
iv. The school nurse-teacher has inspected the labeled container and reviewed the parent permission form.
b. A student shall be prohibited from sharing, transferring or in any way diverting his/her own medication(s) to another person.
c. No school teacher, school administrator, school health personnel, or any other school personnel shall be liable for civil damages which
may result from acts or omissions which may constitute ordinary negligence when a student self-carries and/or self-administers his/her
own medication(s) in accordance with these rules and regulations. This immunity does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross
negligence or willful or wanton conduct.
Inhalers/Epipens
9. The following procedure shall be uniformly applied to all students who need to carry and or use prescription inhalers or epipens at school
or at off-site school sponsored events
a. Children who need to carry said inhalers shall provide the school nurse-teacher with medical documentation that the
inhaler and/or epipen has been legally prescribed and that the child needs to carry it on his/her person due to a medical
condition.
b. In the event that a parent(s) requests that a child self-carry an inhaler or epipen, the documentation provided in the
preceding paragraph shall state this need.
c. In the event that this documentation is not so provided in advance, no disciplinary action shall be taken against the child if
he/she can produce this documentation forthwith.
Liability
No school teacher, school administrator, or school health personnel, or any other school personnel shall be liable for civil damages which may result from acts or omissions in the use of prescription inhalers by children which may constitute ordinary negligence. This immunity does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton conduct.
Medication Administration at Off-site School-sponsored Activities
10. Students are allowed to self-carry or self-administer a day’s supply of medication(s) including a controlled substance during an off-site
school-sponsored activity (e.g. field trip) provided the following procedure is followed:
a. Said medication shall be supplied by the parent and shall be stored and transported in its original prescription-labeled
container (in the case of a prescription medication) or its manufacturer-labeled container (in the case of a non-prescription
medication). A parent’s written authorization for use of the medication during the off-site school-sponsored activity shall be
furnished.
b. The parent provides written permission for the self-administration of said medication by their child on the appropriate school
department form.
c. The school nurse-teacher has inspected the labeled container and reviewed the parent permission form.
i. In the case of a prescription medication, a licensed health care prescriber’s written order shall be provided, if it is not
already on file in the school. Provided further that said licensed health care prescriber must specify the condition for
which the prescription medication must be self-carried or self-administered.
ii. A student shall be prohibited from sharing, transferring, or in any way diverting his/her own medication(s) to any other
person.
iii. No school teacher , school administrator, or school health personnel, or any other school personnel shall be liable for
civil damages which may result from acts or omissions which may constitute ordinary negligence when a student self-
carries and/or self-administers his/her own medication(s) in accordance with these rules and regulations. This
immunity does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
Policy Adopted:
7/21/2000
Emergency Illnesses and Accidents
In seeking to promote the health, safety and welfare of the students in its schools, the West Warwick School Committee has sort to establish procedures applying to emergency illnesses and accidents as approved by the school physician and set forth in Appendix K.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 16-21-7 School health program
RI Gen. Laws § 16-21-9 Examinations and records
Policy adopted:
4/23/81
Health Services Policy - May 2010
Health and Safety Policy re Student Illness