École Boundary Elementary
North Vancouver School District
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Health & Medication

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Sick Children

Dispensing Medication at School


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When to Keep Sick Children at Home

 
We are currently in the midst of the flu and cold season, and it is important that everyone observe general precautions to curb the transmission of viruses. Please review the protocols mentioned below about when to keep a sick child at home. These guidelines have been provided by Vancouver Coastal Health.
 
Keep your child at home if she/he has any of the following symptoms:
  • fever
  • cough, sore throat
  • body aches
  • headaches
  • chills and fatigue
  • vomiting or diarrhea
  • constant runny nose
  • a suspected or known communicable disease
Consider the following:
  • The illness can spread to other children, their families and school staff.
  • Recovery can be delayed without adequate rest.
  • The school’s inability to care for a child when he/she is sick.
For more information call: Public Health at 604-983-6700, your family Doctor, or Health Link BC, 24 hours a day at 811.
 
Parents sometimes ask whether students should go outdoors during recess on wet weather days. North Shore Health has provided us with the following information:
 
Flu viruses are droplet infections that can survive up to five days on hard surfaces, though usually around 48 hours. They also live in the bodies of people incubating the illness and suffering from the symptoms.
        
Unless a person is sneezed or coughed upon, individuals do not catch the flu by going outdoors and becoming chilled, which nonetheless should not be an issue in our climate when a person is properly dressed.
 
Healthy children benefit from being outdoors in the fresh air and remaining active. Enjoying an outside break is likely a better choice than remaining in the classroom. As with past practice, students may stay indoors during lunch times on rainy days. If a child cannot go outdoors at all, but is deemed healthy enough to attend school, then we would appreciate a doctor’s note supporting this approach.​

What to do when Medication needs to be dispensed at School

The Board of Education created Policy 303: Student Health Services and Medication Management to help foster the good health and well-being of students. Here is a link to the full policy: Policy 303: Student Health Services & Medication Management

The part of the policy that applies to dispensing medication is summarized here along with necessary documents to complete and share with the school (at the bottom):

Administration of Medication
The Board recognizes that the parent is the primary care giver to their child and is responsible to administer or supervise the self-administration of medication.  The Board recognizes that there may be situations where it is necessary that medication must be administered during school hours and where a parent is not available.  Therefore, with explicit written direction and authority from the parent, the principal or designate will administer physician-prescribed medication in accordance with the procedures set out in this policy.
 
It is the belief that the safe management of medication with children should lead to the following outcomes:  
    • Promote the maximum learning potential for the student
    • Provide the framework to support school staff in their medication management role
    • Promote self-management in the student when it is developmentally appropriate
    • Lead to medication compliance.
All physician-prescribed medications to be given by a staff member at school must be managed in accordance with the procedures for Student-Focused Medication Management Plan.  These procedures apply to short and long term medications.  Over the counter or herbal medications do not apply to these guidelines.
 
Definitions
“Student-Focused Medication Plan” – Clear details of physician-prescribed medications to be given or monitored for a specific student are written out and agreed upon by the parent and school staff.
“Medication Management” – Administration and monitoring of physician-prescribed medication.
“Administration of Medication” – Direct involvement in preparing and giving medication.
“Monitoring of Medication” – Observing a student who is self-medicated and/or ensuring medication is taken.
“Therapeutic Effect of Medication” – Desired outcome of taking medication.
“Side Effect of Medication” – Undesirable effect of medication.
 
Guidelines for Administration of Medication
Staff designated by the principal or vice-principal should administer (or supervise the self-administration of medication) to students only if the following conditions are met:
    • The medication is required while the student is attending school
    • A parent requested the school’s assistance and has given their written authorization on the Student-Focused Medication Management Parental Consent Form
    • The staff has received adequate instruction from the parent and/or medically trained personnel, as outlined in the Student-Focused Medication Management Plan.  Assistance from the Public Health Nurse, where necessary, concerning the administration can be accessed by using the Individual Service Request Form.
    • Adequate records are kept on the Student-Focused Medication Management Form
    • More than one employee at a school shall be adequately instructed in the administration of the medication in order to provide an alternative person in cases of absence or unavailability.
Student-Focused Medication Management
Student-Focused Medication Management falls into six categories:
    • Developing a Student-Focused Medication Management Plan
    • Safety considerations
    • Location of medication
    • Preparation of medication
    • Medication administration or monitoring
    • Record keeping.
For success in each category and to ensure student safety, the partnership between the parents, student, school staff, and the public health nurse is critical.  Parents are the link between their child, the physician, and the school.  As such, they need to ensure that accurate, complete information about their child’s medication is shared with all partners.  Students are partners in managing their medication needs as developmentally appropriate.  The student’s role can vary from being aware for the need for medication to self-managing their medications.  School staff plays a critical role in the implementation of a medication management plan for a student.  The school staff needs to make sure they are following the procedures of the Student-Focused Medication Management Plan.  Public Health Nurses are available, upon request, to assist with the development and implementation of a medication management plan for a student.
 
All students requiring medication management for physician-prescribed medications should have a Student-Focused Medication Management Plan to ensure that their medication information is complete and accurate.  A copy of the plan should be provided to the parent.  The Medication Management Plan should be updated on a regular basis as needed, minimally on an annual basis.