Prescription medications (controlled substance) in school

[Masta]

This is an email I wrote to my 12yr difficult children middle schools front office admin assistant today. I bcc the principal, assistant principal and the SD SPED Director.

Mrs. Admin assistant,

It has come to my attention that when difficult child gets his medication everyday he leaves the office to go take his medications.

I have to show ID to get the prescription and then sign the medications into the school as well as provide a doctors note so difficult child can take these medications at school. difficult child should not be able to walk around the school with the medications in his pocket.

I would like for difficult child to be able to go into the nurses station there and take his medications in front of you daily.

difficult child’s medications (Adderall) are a controlled substance for A.D.H.D, this drug could be sold. Please keep this in mind when giving other kids on similar medications the freedom to wonder through the school with medications in their pocket.

Thank you,

Masta


Isn’t there some policy or guideline a school has to follow to protect themselves?

Have any of you had this sort of problem?

 

[FlowerGarden]

Glad that you are making the school aware of the situation. Our SD requires the nurse to hand the medication to the child, in her office, and watch. If the nurse is absent and the substitute is not a nurse, we have a nurse from another school in our district go over to give the medications.

Our SD was so strict, at one point, that 2 of my sons were taking Advil for pain (easy child 1 braces/jaw pain & easy child 2 sports injury). I had to send a dr's note and a note from me saying that they could have Advil in school. I had to provide a separate bottle for each of them. easy child 1 was on an overnight school trip and the nurse brought the Advil on the trip. BUT I got a call from the school about easy child 2. He needed Advil and the nurse had accidently taken his bottle of Advil on the trip! The school would not give easy child 2 easy child 1's Advil that was left behind. I had to go to the school, sign a paper saying that it was ok and then I had to give him the Advil from easy child 1's bottle! Now, the SD provides their own Advil as long as you have a note from the doctor and parent.

Luckily easy child 1 didn't need the Advil on the trip. Thank goodness it wasn't a mix up with a more serious medication. I believe that's one reason they switched to the school being able to provide the Advil instead. The nurse had so many bottles of over the counter pain medications from the students that it was overhelming to try to handle.

 

[Sheila]

Your sd should have a policy on this.

It may also be addressed by your State Education Agency -- check their website.

Kids in our district can't even take asprin to school. Last year I had to get a written prescription for Tylenol so difficult child could take the it at school when he had a headache. The Tylenol was kept under lock and key in the nurse's medication cabinet.

When difficult child took Adderall and Ritalin at school, it had to be dispensed by the nurse. The medication had to be taken under the nurse's observation.

 

[Masta]

No nurse here, the lady at the front office hands out the medications. she just gives the kids the medications she doesnt watch them take it they leave the office room and go to the water fountain to take their medications.

a nurse wwrites up the 504 plan and we dont see her again till next year. she may pop in for like 15 minutes once or twice a week but thats about it.

my email to the front office lady and the principal and Spesh ED director helped today difficult child was made to take his pil in front of her.

what annoys me more than anything is why doesnt the school ever follow procedure?

why does a parent have to look like the meanie by telling them to do their job properly to get things done. im sick of holding their hands.

when crap hits the fan and a kid hides his pills for 3 weeks in his locker then decides to take an overdose whos fault will it be then?

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I think you are right on. My easy child told me the other day that she overheard two kids talking in their geo class about some kid selling his daily adderall for $5. Parent tells kid to take medication, kid palms it, takes it to high school and sells it for $5.

It happens.

The sd my son is in states that nurse must administer all medications in the infirmary.

Sharon

 

[Masta]

i just got done talking the with SD Co-Ordinator who is over the 504 plans and the school nurses etc.

There is no Utah state law or District Policy that covers anyone when it comes to medications.

The law is: a non medical person can give out drugs.

I have informed the SD Co-Ordinator and the school nurse about the problem. The SD co-ordinator will pay the school a visit this afternoon.

I am now concerned about getting side looks when i deliver the medications each month an im also concerned that my difficult child is going to get treated differently now that the office lady has to do her job correctly. I have mentioned my concerns to the SD Co-Ordinator.

Our school nurse has 6 schools to look after so she only attends my difficult children school for 1/2 a day once a week. I am sure glad my kid isnt a diabetic!!!!