Taking Medicine in School

For the safety of students, it is recommended that medication be given at home whenever possible. For example, medication prescribed three times a day can be given before school, after school and at bedtime. If medication must be given during school hours, we want you to be aware of the following school medication policy:

1. School personnel can only give medication with the written order of a health care provider that is licensed to prescribe and the written consent of a parent/guardian. Click on the link for a copy of the medication consent form which is also available in Spanish.


2. Medication must be brought to school in a container labeled by the pharmacy. The following information must be on the label:
   • Child's full name
   • Name and dosage of medication
   • Time and directions for administration
   • Licensed Prescriber's  name
   • Current date
      
3. Medications should be brought to school by a parent/guardian or a responsible adult. If there is medication remaining after treatment or at the end of the school year, please make arrangements for it to be picked up.


4. Ask the pharmacist to put the medication in two containers, one for school and one for home.


5. Mixed dosages in a single container will not be accepted for use at school (for example, 5 mg and 10 mg tablets in the same bottle).


6. All medication administered at school will be kept in a locked drawer, cabinet or file (except when a student has permission to carry their medicine with them. See #11 below).


7. A new medication consent form is required:
   • When the dosage or time of administration is changed
   • At the beginning of each school year
   • If discontinued medication is restarted
      
8. Parent/guardian must notify the school in writing when the medication is discontinued.


9. No Tylenol or over-the-counter medication can be given to children in grades K-6 unless the above procedures are followed. Over-the-counter medications must be in the original container with dosing recommendations visible. Secondary students may self-administer non-prescription pain medication that does NOT contain ephedrine if the parent submits written authorization annually and the medication is brought to school in a properly labeled bottle. Click on the link for a copy of the self-carry pain med consent form. This form is also available in Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.


10. It is the joint responsibility of the parent/guardian, student, and school personnel to see that the medication is given at the right time.


11. Students can carry medicine with them (for example, an asthma rescue inhaler) if they have written consent from parent/guardian and health care provider (including the request for the student to self-carry) and the school nurse has met with the student and checked that they can safely and successfully carry their own medicine.


12. School nurses will write a plan for giving emergency medicines (Epipen, Diastat, glucagon, etc.) after assessing the student's needs, consulting with the parent/guardian and health care provider, and providing appropriate training.


13. When medications are returned to parents, health services staff should encourage parents to dispose of unwanted medications at one of the area collection sites found here. More information is available on the MN Pollution Control Website.


14. Medications that remain unclaimed or cannot be returned to a parent/guardian will be kept in a secure locked location until disposed of through MPS Environmental Health & Safety department.