PROPOSED SCHOOL MEDICATION POICY

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION

The Board of Education disclaims any and all responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of an illness of any student.  However, in order for many students with chronic health conditions and disabilities to remain in school, medication may have to be administered during school hours.  Parents are encouraged to administer medications to children at home whenever possible as medication should be administered in school only when necessary for the health and safety of students.  The Board will permit the administration of medication in school in accordance with applicable law.
 
Medication will only be administered to students in school by the school physician, a certified or noncertified school nurse, a substitute school nurse employed by the district, the student’s parent, a student who is approved to self-administer in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.3 and 12.4, and school employees who have been trained and designated by the certified school nurse to administer epinephrine in an emergency pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.5 and 12.6.

  

Self-administration of medication by a student for asthma or other potentially life-threatening illness or a life threatening allergic reaction is permitted in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.3.

  

Medication no longer required must be promptly removed by the parent.

  

The school nurse shall have the primary responsibility for the administration of epinephrine.  However, the certified school nurse may designate, in consultation with the Board or the Superintendent, additional employees of the district who volunteer to be trained in the administration of epinephrine via a pre-filled auto-injector mechanism using standardized training protocols established by the Department of Education in consultation with the Department of Health and Senior Services when the school nurse is not physically present at the scene.

  

In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.6.d, no school employee, including a school nurse or any other officer or agent of a Board of Education or a physician providing a prescription under a standing protocol for school epinephrine pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.5, shall be held liable for any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.5, nor shall any action before the New Jersey State Board of Nursing lie against a school nurse for any such action taken by a person designated in good faith by the school nurse pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:4012.6.  Good faith shall not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.

  

The school nurse or designee shall be promptly available on site at the school and at schoolsponsored functions in the event of an allergic reaction.  In addition, the parent must be informed that the school district, its employees and agents shall have no liability as a result of any injury arising from the administration of epinephrine to the student.

  

The parent of the student must sign a statement acknowledging their understanding the district shall have no liability as a result of any injury arising from the administration of the epinephrine via a prefilled auto-injector mechanism to the student and the parent shall indemnify and hold harmless the district and its employees or agents against any claims arising out of the administration of the epinephrine via a pre-filled auto-injector mechanism to the student.

  

The permission for the emergency administration of epinephrine via a pre-filled auto-injector mechanism containing epinephrine to students for anaphylaxis is effective for the school year it is granted and must be renewed for each subsequent school year.

  

Each school in the district shall have and maintain for the use of students at least one nebulizer in the office of the school nurse or a similar accessible location.  Each certified school nurse or other persons authorized to administer asthma medication will receive training in airway management and in the use of nebulizers and inhalers consistent with State Department of Education regulations.  Every student that is authorized to use self-administered asthma medication pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.3 or a nebulizer must have an asthma treatment plan prepared by the student’s physician which shall identify, at a minimum, asthma triggers, the treatment plan, and other such elements as required by the State Board of Education.

  

All student medications shall be appropriately maintained and secured by the school nurse, except those medications to be self-administered by students.  In those instances the medication may be retained by the student with the prior knowledge of the school nurse.  The school nurse may provide the Principal and other teaching staff members concerned with the student’s educational progress with such information about the medication and its administration as may be in the student’s best educational interests.  The school nurse may report to the school physician any student who appears to be affected adversely by the administration of medication and may recommend to the Principal the student’s exclusion pursuant to law.

  

The school nurse shall document each instance of the administration of medication to a student.  Students self-administering medication shall report each incident to a teacher, coach, or other individual designated by the school nurse who is supervising the student during the school activity when the student self-administers.  These designated individuals shall report such incidents to the school nurse within twenty-four hours of the self-administration of medication.  The school nurse shall preserve records and documentation regarding the self-administration of medication in the student’s health file.