INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Student Medications Policy
Policy S-05
To fulfill the school’s responsibility to provide for the safety of students, it is the policy of the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to implement strict controls to ensure that prescription and non-prescription medications are properly stored, accounted for, and administered. The purpose of this policy is to eliminate the potential risk, danger or harm to a student ingesting an improper or incorrect prescribed or over-the-counter medication or dosage.
All drugs maintained by the Health Center must be listed in the U.S. Pharmacopedia, National Formulary, or Physician’s Desk Reference. All prescription medication ordered by a physician must bear the pharmacy label containing the physician’s and student’s names, specified directions for use, specific name of the drug or a duplicate copy of the prescription. The ISBVI pediatrician or Director of Health Services may reject any medication left by the parent/guardian that is not ordered by a licensed physician. Medications shall be stored and kept under lock and key or in tamper proof containers in the Health Center and shall be administered only by ISBVI Health Center staff. All medications no longer used or needed must be either returned to the parents/guardians or destroyed. No medication shall be administered without the written and dated consent of the parent/guardian. The parent's/guardian’s written consent is valid: only for the period specified on the consent form; and never longer than the current school or program year. If the medication is to be terminated prior to the date on the prescription, the written and dated consent or withdrawal of consent of the parent/guardian is required.
This policy prohibits medications being kept in the dormitories, classrooms, or in any other area on campus unless special approval is granted as specified in ISBVI Administrative Directives and Procedures. This policy prohibits students to maintain, carry, store, or self-administer their own prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Students will be instructed and carefully monitored by the nursing staff in the Health Center to assume as much independence as possible in development of independent and responsible self-medication skills.
In recognition of the emergency medical needs of students requiring immediate access to medications, upon the approval of the parents/guardians, principal, dean of students, head nurse, ISBVI pediatrician and superintendent, an exception may be made in rare, unique situations for a student to carry, as one example, an asthmatic inhaler. In cases when such an exception is made, additional precautions and safeguards will be implemented to ensure student safety during and after the school day.
The ISBVI Health Center staff shall maintain a record system to include date, time, name of medication, and signature of person giving the medication. On field trips when a nurse does not accompany the students needing medications, per I.C. 34-4-16.5-3.5, designated medical aides, who are specially trained and assigned ISBVI houseparents, teachers, instructional assistants, or administrators, acting on special instructions from the ISBVI Health Center staff, shall dispense medications per established procedures.
The ISBVI Board directs the ISBVI Superintendent to ensure ISBVI staff, contractors, and volunteer compliance with this policy by:
3. Affording initial and periodic on-going training to ISBVI staff, contractors and volunteers on the ISBVI Board Policy on Student Medications and accompanying ISBVI Administrative Directives and Procedures.
ISBVI Policy S-05
Revised: 10/17/11
ISBVI Superintendent: ___________________________ ____________
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ISBVI Board Chair: ___________________________ ____________
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