5141.21 - Administration of Medication at School - Procedure

The administration of medication at school shall be carried out by school personnel in the following manner.

1. The administration of medication to pupils by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' (SBCSS) employees shall be accomplished only in exceptional circumstances wherein the student's health may be jeopardized without it.
2. Pupils requiring medication at school shall be identified by parents and/or physician to the principal, teachers, and other certificated personnel. Students observed by school personnel self-administering unauthorized medications should be reported to their parents.
3. After identification, the principal or properly appointed representative shall make a home contact to identify the type, dosage, and purpose of said medication.
4. Written statements shall be required of:
   1. The family physician, who shall indicate the necessity of said medication being given to the student during school hours.
   2. The parents shall request and authorize the designated personnel to give said medication in the dosage so prescribed by the physician and thereby releasing personnel from liability should reactions result from the medications.
5. The physician or pharmacist shall then be requested by the parents to prescribe duplicate bottles of said medication, if it is necessary that it be given during school hours. One bottle will be kept at home and the other at school under the care of school authorities. Both bottles shall contain the name of the physician, and dosage shall be supervised by the principal or other designated school personnel at the time, conforming with the physician's indicated dosage schedule.
6. The principal may authorize school staff to administer medication when medication is needed for a short period of time or special circumstances exist. Verbal or written approval must be obtained from the parent or guardian. If verbal approval is obtained the principal will email the parent to document the verbal approval and a record of this approval should be put in the health folder. Written approval from the parent is preferred.
7. The principal's or nurse's office shall have a list of pupils' medication needs during school hours, including type of medication, when given, and dose. This list should be reviewed periodically from information receive via parents.
8. Under no circumstances should school personnel provide aspirin or any other patent
   medicine to students.
9. The Superintendent or designee shall provide epinephrine auto-injectors to school nurses or other employees who have volunteered to administer them in an emergency and have received training. The school nurse, or a trained volunteer employee when a school nurse or physician is unavailable, may administer an epinephrine auto-injector to provide emergency medical aid to any person suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from potentially life-threatening symptoms of anaphylaxis at school or a school activity. (Education Code 49414)
   1. At least once per school year, the Superintendent or designee shall distribute to all staff a notice requesting volunteers to be trained to administer an epinephrine auto-injector and describing the training that the volunteer will receive. (Education Code 49414)
   2. The principal or designee at each school may designate one or more volunteers to receive initial and annual refresher training, which shall be provided by a school nurse or other qualified person designated by a physician or surgeon authorized pursuant to Education Code 49414 and shall be based on the standards developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI). Written materials covering the required topics for training shall be retained by the school for reference. (Education Code 49414)
   3. A school nurse or other qualified supervisor of health, or a district administrator if the district does not have a qualified supervisor of health, shall obtain a prescription for epinephrine auto-injectors for each school from an authorized physician and surgeon. Such prescription may be filled by local or mail order pharmacies or epinephrine auto-injector manufacturers. Elementary schools shall, at a minimum, be provided one adult (regular) and one junior epinephrine auto? injector. Secondary schools shall be provided at least one adult (regular) epinephrine auto-injector, unless there are any students at the school who require a junior epinephrine auto-injector. (Education Code 49414)
   4. If an epinephrine auto-injector is used, the school nurse or other qualified supervisor of health shall restock the epinephrine auto-injector as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than two weeks after it is used. In addition, epinephrine auto-injectors shall be restocked before their expiration date. (Education Code 49414)
   5. Information regarding defense and indemnification provided by SBCSS for any and all civil liability for volunteers administering epinephrine auto-injectors shall be provided to each volunteer and retained in the employee's personnel file. (Education Code 49414)
   6. A school may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the support of the school in carrying out the requirements of Education Code 49414, including, but not limited to, the acceptance of epinephrine auto-injectors from a manufacturer or wholesaler. (Education Code 49414)
   7. The Superintendent or designee shall maintain records regarding the acquisition and disposition of epinephrine auto-injectors for a period of three years from the date the records were created. (Business and Professions Code 4119.2)

The administration of medication to pupils with allergy to bee stings exists, or where shots must be provided, will be processed as follows:

1. After identification, the parent will be informed that the County Superintendent of Schools' staff as a practice does not administer shots. The following are alternative solutions:
   1. The school staff will call the parent, and the parent will come to school and administer the medication.
   2. The school will notify emergency paramedics, and they will administer the medication and/or take the student to the hospital (all expenses will be paid by the parent).
2. Life threatening circumstances:

In life threatening emergency for which the above alternative methods are not appropriate, injections may be administered by trained certificated staff. All of the items listed below must be completed in order to allow staff involvement in the administration of shots.

Parents must provide the school with the following:

1. 1. Parent's Consent to Administer Medication to student at school and specific staff authorized to administer medication
   2. Physician's Consent to Administer Medication to student at school.
   3. Authorization to Consent for Treatment of Minor by paramedics, hospital, and specific school staff.

The County Superintendent of Schools Office will provide training sessions for staff involved in an emergency plan.