ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION POLICY

Help for non-English speakers

If you need help to understand the information in this policy, please contact Dandenong Valley SDS on 9704 4800.

Purpose

To explain to parents/carers, students and staff the processes Dandenong Valley SDS will follow to safely manage the provision of medication to students while at school or school activities, including camps and excursions.

Scope

This policy applies to the administration of medication to all students. It does not apply to:

• the provision of medication for anaphylaxis which is provided for in our school’s Anaphylaxis Policy
• the provision of medication for asthma which is provided for in our school’s Asthma Policy
• specialised procedures which may be required for complex medical care needs.

Policy

If a student requires medication, Dandenong Valley SDS encourages parents to arrange for the medication to be taken outside of school hours. However, Dandenong Valley SDS understands that students may need to take medication at school or school activities. To support students to do so safely, Dandenong Valley SDS will follow the procedures set out in this policy.

Authority to administer

If a student needs to take medication while at school or at a school activity:

• Parents/carers will need to arrange for the student’s treating medical/health practitioner to provide written advice to the school which details:
  • the name of the medication required
  • the dosage amount
  • the time the medication is to be taken
  • how the medication is to be taken
  • the dates the medication is required, or whether it is an ongoing medication
  • how the medication should be stored.
• In most cases, parents/carers should arrange for written advice to be provided in a Medication Authority Form which a student’s treating medical/health practitioner should complete
• If advice cannot be provided by a student’s medical/health practitioner, the Principal (or their nominee) may agree that written authority can be provided by, or the Medication Authority Form can be completed by a student’s parents/carers.
• The Principal may need to consult with parents/carers to clarify written advice and consider student’s individual preferences regarding medication administration (which may also be provided for in a student’s Student Health Support Plan).

Parents/carers can contact the front office for a Medication Authority Form.

Administering medication

Any medication brought to school by a student needs to be clearly labelled with:

• the student’s name
• the dosage required
• the time the medication needs to be administered.

Parents/carers need to ensure that the medication a student has at school is within its expiry date. If school staff become aware that the medication a student has at school has expired, they will promptly contact the student’s parents/carers who will need to arrange for medication within the expiry date to be provided.

If a student needs to take medication at school or a school activity, the Principal (or their nominee) will ensure that:

1. Medication is administered to the student in accordance with the Medication Authority Form so that:

• the student receives their correct medication
• in the proper dose
• via the correct method (for example, inhaled or orally)
• at the correct time of day.

2. A log is kept of medicine administered to a student in the Sickbay and a secondary log in classrooms.
3. Where possible, two staff members will supervise the administration of medication either in the classroom or Sickbay.
4. The staff member in charge of a student at the time their medication is required:
   • is informed that the student needs to receive their medication
   • if necessary, release the student from class to obtain their medication or bring the student to the Sickbay to have it administered or collect the medication and administer it in the classroom.

Self-administration

In some cases it may be appropriate for students to self-administer their medication. The Principal may consult with parents/carers and consider advice from the student’s medical/health practitioner to determine whether to allow a student to self-administer their medication.

If the Principal decides to allow a student to self-administer their medication, the Principal may require written acknowledgement from the student’s medical/health practitioner, or the student’s parents/carers that the student will self-administer their medication.

Storing medication

The Principal (School Nurse) will put in place arrangements so that medication is stored:

• securely to minimise risk to others
• in a place only accessible by staff who are responsible for administering the medication
• away from a classroom (unless quick access is required)
• away from first aid kits
• according to packet instructions, particularly in relation to temperature.

For most students, Dandenong Valley SDS will store student medication in the sick bay in a locked cupboard.

The Principal may decide, in consultation with parents/carers and/or on the advice of a student’s treating medical/health practitioner:

• that the student’s medication should be stored securely in the student’s classroom if quick access might be required
• to allow the student to carry their own medication with them, preferably in the original packaging if:
  • the medication does not have special storage requirements, such as refrigeration
  • doing so does not create potentially unsafe access to the medication by other students.

Warning

Dandenong Valley SDS will not:

• in accordance with Department of Education policy, store or administer analgesics such as aspirin and paracetamol as a standard first aid strategy as they can mask signs and symptoms of serious illness or injury
• allow a student to take their first dose of a new medication at school in case of an allergic reaction. This should be done under the supervision of the student’s parents, carers or health practitioner
• allow use of medication by anyone other than the prescribed student except in a life threatening emergency, for example if a student is having an asthma attack and their own puffer is not readily available.

Medication error

If a student takes medication incorrectly, staff will endeavour to:

In the case of an emergency, school staff may call Triple Zero “000” for an ambulance at any time.

COMMUNICATION

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways Included in staff induction processes

• Available publicly on our school’s website
• Discussed at staff briefings/meetings as required
• Discussed at parent information transition sessions
• Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request

Further information and resources

The Department’s Policy and Advisory Library (PAL):

• Medication Policy
• First Aid for Students and Staff Policy

School Related Policies:

• First Aid
• Health Care Needs

All our policies can be found on the Dandenong Valley SDS school website

Policy review and approval

Click here to view the Administration of Medication Policy Document (PDF)