Procedures

Division employees do not generally possess the expertise required to determine the need for or appropriate means of administering medication and/or medical treatment to students. Students who are on medication that they have to take during school hours, or receive medical treatment and/or physical care procedures in order to permit the enrolment of the student in the school, need to be treated with the utmost care.

Parents, school staff, students (as appropriate,) and medical professionals each have a role to ensure student safety and well-being. Parents are the link between their child, the physician and the school. Parents need to ensure that accurate, complete information about their child’s medication management, treatment or personal care procedures is shared with all partners.

To support the health and well-being of students, the following procedures for the administration of medication, medical treatment and/or personal care procedures shall be strictly adhered to by staff.

1. In situations relating to the medical treatment of students, division employees are subject to the responsibilities and limitations inherent in the common law doctrine of in loco parentis. Specifically, in loco parentis requires that:
   1. An employee act as would a reasonable and prudent parent in the same circumstances and conditions;
   2. The employee does not have all of the authority that a parent would have, i.e., employees do not have the authority to provide consent for the medical treatment of a student; and
   3. The employee recognizes the limitations of his/her ability to provide direct assistance.
2. Principals shall obtain from parents annually a statement of their child's physical health and/or medical condition including medication requirements by requesting parents complete the Student Physical or Medical Condition Form, and Release of Information from Health Service Providers form, as necessary. Particular attention should be paid to anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetic, epileptic, or other serious or life-threatening conditions, including allergies such as to bee stings, peanuts, etc. (Refer to treatment care plans following this administrative procedure as appendices, as follows: Appendix 313 – Asthma, Epilepsy, and Diabetes.)
3. Students may require medical treatment and/or personal care procedures including, but not limited to, tube feeding, tracheotomy cleaning and others. Such needs shall be addressed as follows:
   1. The school coordinates a team meeting to include parents, appropriate school staff, medical professionals and health region personnel as necessary; 
   2. The parents and health region personnel document, in writing, the procedures required using the Request for School Assistance to Administer Medical Treatment/Physical Care Procedures form; and 
   3. Parents and/or health region personnel, as recommended at the team meeting, provide appropriate training and practice to staff members who may be in a position of responsibility for implementing the procedures to ensure the needs of the student are adequately addressed.
   4. The parent/guardian is to repeat and update this instruction should:
      1. The student’s medical condition change;
      2. The intervention requires change;
      3. There be a change in school staff assisting the student in the medical intervention; or
      4. The assisting staff request a review or refresher of the medical intervention.
   5. The parent/guardian of the student completes the Release of Information from Health Service Providers form, as necessary.
4. Parents/doctors may request that prescription medication be administered to a child during school hours. Such requests shall:
   1. Be of such a simplistic nature that a layperson (e.g., teacher, assistant, secretary, etc.) could successfully perform the function;
   2. Ensure prescribed medication is provided to the school in the original prescription container;
   3. Be in writing issued by a medical practitioner or pharmacist;
   4. Specify the time(s) at which such medication should be administered;
   5. Specify the exact dosage and method of administration;
   6. Include storage instructions (including the need for security, refrigeration, etc.);
   7. Specify the duration of the treatment;
   8. Outline procedure to be followed in case of suspected adverse reaction;
   9. Include instructions on the use of an Epi-pen (or similar); and
   10. The parent/guardian of the student completes the Release of Information from Health Service Providers form, as necessary. The Request for School Assistance to Administer Medication form shall be used for this purpose.
5. No employee shall administer any prescription medication to any student unless the above conditions have been met. 
6. An Administration of Medication Record will be kept for each child where employees are involved in the administration of medication under a doctor’s direction. This will detail all treatment (time, dosage, etc.).
7. Bus drivers are to be notified of any potential health problems that may occur while the child is being transported. This information shall be updated annually or as circumstances change. It is the responsibility of the principal or designate to provide this information. Use the Notification to Transportation Supervisor Regarding Students with Potential Emergency Medical Conditions form located in the Forms Manual.
8. First aid kits shall be available and kept up to date in all schools, on buses and on all field trips.
9. It is recommended that particular care be exercised on extended field trips. Every effort should be made to determine any medical conditions that may affect the child prior to departure.
10. Parents shall be advised on any medical information forms that persons administering medication in schools are not licensed medical personnel.
11. Staff members who render assistance to a student who is ill, injured or unconscious as a result of accident or emergency will be protected from legal action as outlined in Section 2 of the Emergency Medical Aid Act. Furthermore, all employees are protected by the division’s liability insurance when acting within the scope of their approved duties. Note: These provisions are not intended in any way to prevent an employee from administering Epi-Pen and/or arranging for transfer to the hospital even if a parent or guardian is not available to give consent.

Education Act
Emergency Medical Aid Act, Section 2

Cross Reference: Administrative Procedure 314 – Consent to Medical Treatment

Forms:

Administration of Medication Record
Diabetes Care Plan
Emergency Anaphylactic Allergy Alert Form
Emergency Medical Data Sheet for Students with Asthma
Medical Alert Form
Notification to Transportation Supervisor Regarding Students with Potential Emergency
Permission to Post Student Medical Information
Release of Information from Health Service Providers
Request for School Assistance to Administer Medical Treatment/Physical Care Procedures
Request for School Assistance to Administer Medication
Student Physical or Medical Condition Form