MEDICATION USE AT SCHOOL

"Please Read"

It is the policy of the Mat-Su Borough District to administer prescription medications under tightly controlled conditions. The following guidelines are for parents to use in understanding how and when medications can be administered to their children during school hours:

"Medications that need to be administered throughout the school year will require paperwork that needs to be completed by the prescribing physician. These forms are required on an annual basis, and are generally completed at the beginning of the school year."

" Short-term medications such as antibiotics often need to be given two, three or four times day. A rule of thumb is that any medication that is ordered two or three times a day can be given to a child before going to school, on their return home and if three times a day, bedtime. Medications that are ordered four times a day may require a school time dose by the nurse. For this medication to be administered, a parent will need to complete the necessary paperwork and provide the medication in its original container from the pharmacy."

" Children may not bring medication in a backpack or in their pocket while riding the bus (Matanuska Susitna Borough District Department of Transportation Policy Manual, 107.0) The potential exists for a tragic outcome if that medication was lost and/or accidentally ingested by another child. Carrying medication also places a child in violation of district policy. While this policy may not always make life easy, please help us in protecting the safety of our children by hand delivering all medications to the school nurse.

Medications which can be purchased without a prescription are often termed over-the-counter (OTC). These medications cannot be administered by the school nurse, unless there is a physician's prescription detailing information on its use for a specific child with a current health concern. (School Board Policy Manual, A.R. 5141.21) While this may seem unreasonable initially, the reasoning behind this policy is sound. 

First, OTC medications can mask a child's symptoms, which can cause a child to become seriously ill due to lack of physician involvement. 

Second, the Nurse Practice Act, in Alaska, which governs a nurse's practice, does not allow nurses to practice "Medicine", i.e., diagnose and treat a patient's condition with medications.  By not allowing the school nurse to administer OTC medications without a physician's prescription, this policy prevents school nurses from potentially treating a child's condition incorrectly and keeps the school nurse in compliance with Alaska law.