Our school nurse wants the PTO to purchase over the counter medications like tylenol and antacids and be able to dispurse them with a blanket written note from the parent giving permission to administer as needed throughout the school year. I thought that the parent had to send the medication with a written note for use at specific times. Please clarify. The TEC medication policy is not clear enough.
In the DSHS manual, Chap 5, Pg 209, it states that "No school district employee or volunteer, licensed or unlicensed, may provide any original medication to a student."
The DSHS manual cites from School Nurse Handbook for the School Health Program, Section E-3.2 (Sept 1989, TEA, Austin TX): "School Districts should not provide any medication for students or personnel. Only medication provided by and requested by a parent/guardian should be dispensed. If medication is provided, school districts and school nurses will be in the position of not only "diagnosing and prescribing," but also in "dispensing" medication for which they are not licensed. "Medication" is recognized as prescription as well as nonprescription drugs and includes, but is not limited to: analgesics, antacids, antibiotic ointments, antihistamines, decongestants and cough/cold preparations."
It also contains more information on medications and gives sample forms for required documentation.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Cathy Harris RN BSN
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