Administrative Procedure 315: Accidents to Students
Injury prevention must be a priority at all times. However, when accidents to students do occur, care must be exercised. Wherever possible, personnel with first aid training should examine the student to determine the nature and extent of the injury before proceeding further. Where no such person is immediately available, the staff member is expected to act in loco parentis or "in the position of a caring parent, as unofficial guardian." Therefore, he/she will act as a reasonable parent in using his/her own judgment in what is best for the child. The following procedures also apply.
- If a child, upon initial examination, is suspected of having a serious injury, he/she shall not be moved except where required by external dangers. Someone with first aid training or a medical practitioner should be called to the scene. The injured person should be made as comfortable as possible and should not normally be left unattended during this period.
- Before treating minor injuries in school, school personnel should check verbally or from the child's record card whether there are any allergies that may affect the child's treatment.
- Where the injury appears to warrant further medical attention, the parent/guardian will be contacted and they should direct the school as to what action they deem appropriate (someone will collect the child, he/she should be taken to the hospital, etc.).
- Unless there are pressing reasons for not doing so, the parent/guardian should assume full responsibility for making appropriate arrangements for the medical treatment of the child from this point forward.
- Injuries that require or might possibly require the service of a doctor, nurse or other trained person shall be recorded on the Accident Report form, forwarded to the Superintendent and retained on file at Central Office.
- Where a parent/guardian authorizes it, or in their absence the principal deems it necessary, the principal may authorize transportation of the student to a doctor or hospital. The driver may be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with division procedures on submission of an expense claim. Both driver and vehicle will be fully insured by the division's insurance policy in such cases.
- Where an employee of the division transports the student or accompanies the student during transport, the employee shall be granted a leave of absence from regular duty with full pay and benefits.
- Where transport occurs by means of a properly certified ambulance service, the employee or his/her designate shall accompany the student, either within the ambulance or by private vehicle. The division will not accept invoices for ambulance service since all parents are offered student accident insurance at the start of each school year.