RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE:

The Cobb County School District (District) recognizes concerns for the welfare of students from their entry on a school bus or school property to their return to the bus stop or when they leave school property as well as during all school-related activities. Therefore, the District takes measures to provide monitoring, storage and administration of medication to students with medical conditions. Medication is dispensed by a licensed nurse (School Nurse) or other employee who has successfully completed clinic orientation training provided by the District’s Consulting Nurses or school employees trained and authorized by the District’s county-wide Special Education Nurses (Trained Personnel).

RULE:

Medication shall be maintained and dispensed in accordance with the following provisions and Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures):

I. TRANSPORTATION OF MEDICATION:
    A. Controlled substances may not be transported to school or returned home by U.S.    

        mail or other delivery service.
    B. A parent, guardian, or designated adult is responsible for transporting prescription

        medication to and from school in the original container and completing appropriate

        School Clinic (clinic) Forms except as provided in Section IV below.
    C. School employees and/or bus drivers should not assume liability for transporting
        medication except during school sponsored activities, such as field trips.
    D. A parent/guardian is responsible for transporting medications and completed
        authorization forms to alternative learning sites, such Alternative Education Program.

     E. See Section VIII for consideration for special education students.

II. LABELING/IDENTIFICATION:
    A. Medication sent in an unlabeled container will not be given.
    B. Prescription Medication shall be sent to school in the original pharmacy container

        labeled as required in Form JLCD-1.

     C. Over-the Counter (OTC) Medication shall be sent to school in the original

        manufacturer’s container. The manufacturer’s label must include information as

        required in Form JLCD-1.

        1. Elementary and Middle School:

              The original container must be stored in the clinic, unless the OTC medication is

            specifically allowed to be carried on the student’s person as provided in Section III,

            below.

        2. High School:

            High school students may carry OTC medication on their persons for their personal

            use.     

     D. Enzymes shall be sent to school in the original pharmacy container or

        manufacturer’s container with information as required in Form JLCD-1.

III. MEDICATION STORAGE:
      All medications are required to be stored in the clinic and should be kept in a locked

      cabinet within a secured area with access limited to authorized personnel at all times.

      Exceptions are:
      A. Prescribed asthma medication;
      B. Prescribed epinephrine auto injectors;
      C. Prescribed diabetic medication;
      D. Elementary and Middle School Students:

          The following are (OTC) medications which elementary/middle school students may

          transport and carry with parent permission for their own personal use Form JLCD-7

          (Authorization to Carry Over-the-Counter Medication):

         1. Elementary School Students:

              Cough and throat lozenges.
         2. Middle School Students:
            a. Acetaminophen (generic) and it’s various brand names, i.e., Tylenol;
            b. Antacids;

            c. Aspirin;

            d. Cough and throat lozenges;

            e. Ibuprofen (generic) and it’s various brand names, i.e., Motrin, Advil;
            f.  Midol; and

            g. Oral antihistamines.
        3. All other (OTC) medications not listed must be stored in the clinic and administered

            by Trained Personnel. (See Section IV and Form JLCD-2 (Authorization to Give

            Medication). This includes nicotine replacement therapies as identified in

            Form JLCD-1.
    E. High School Students:

        High school students may transport and carry any (OTC) medications.         

IV. MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION DURING THE SCHOOL DAY:

      A. Expired medication will not be administered.
      A. Written permission from the parent/guardian is required in order for Trained

        Personnel to administer each medication to the student (Form JLCD-2).
    B. General Provisions:
        1. Medications, including OTC medications (i.e. Tylenol, Advil, antibiotic ointments,

            calamine lotion, cough drops, etc.) will not be supplied by the school or school

            employees.
        2. It is suggested that the first dose of a new medication should be administered at
            home prior to the child coming to school.
        3. Only medications that have a required dose or that may be required during school
            hours will be stored and administered.
        4. Changes in dosage or time of assistance with the administration of medication are
            only permitted with written authorization from:
            a. Over-the-Counter: The parent/legal guardian.
            b. Prescription: Both the parent/legal guardian and the licensed health care
                provider.
        5. Parents/legal guardians shall be notified when medication is running low.
    C. Prescription Medication:

        A prescription from a health care provider legally authorized to prescribe medication in

        Georgia is required for all prescription medication. A health care

        provider can be any person, agency, department, or other entity that is legally

        authorized to provide health care services (Legal Prescriber).

        1. The pharmacy label may be used as the Legal Prescriber’s written directions.
        2. Students who are new to the District and bring in prescription medications ordered
            by legal prescribers from states other than Georgia will be allowed thirty days to
            obtain new prescriptions from a health care provider licensed to prescribe
            medication in Georgia.
        3. Medication samples must have a written prescription or Legal Prescriber’s written

            order or note bearing the student’s name.
    D. Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications:
        1. May not be administered in doses that exceed established amounts for age or
            weight as printed on the manufacturer’s label.
        2. OTC medications will only be given for a maximum of ten consecutive school days.
        3. Switching to another variation of an OTC medication for treatment of the same

            symptom will not extend the ten day limit.
    E. Administration of Medication:

        Only Trained Personnel should provide medication administration or assistance

        with administration of medication, except as provided in Section V below.
        1. Students should not assist in the administration of any medication nor assist in the

            clinic under any circumstances. See Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic

            Procedures) for specific prohibitions.

        2. A student, with the approval of their Legal Prescriber and parent/guardian

            (Form JLCD-10 [Authorization to Carry Prescription Medication]), may carry and

            self-administer the following prescription medications:
            a. Asthma medication;
            b. Epinephrine auto injector; or
            c. Diabetic medication.
        3. Elementary/Middle School students may transport and carry certain specified OTC

            medication with parent/guardian permission. (See Section III and Form JLCD-7

            (Authorization to Carry Over-the-Counter Medication) All other OTC medications not

            listed in Section III must be stored in the clinic and administered by Trained

            Personnel.
        4. Only nursing personnel are permitted to administer injectable medication, with the

            exception of epinephrine auto injector(s).
    F. Off-Label Medication: Requests to administer off-label medication to students will be
        reviewed on a case by case basis.
    G. Experimental Medication: Requests to administer experimental medication to

        students will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
    H. Herbals: Over-the-counter diet pills, vitamins, and dietary supplements, including but
        not limited to minerals and herbs, will not be given.

     I. Enzymes:

        Enzymes will be administered during the school day upon receipt of a physician’s

        order.

V. MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION OUTSIDE REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS AND/OR    

    OFF CAMPUS:
    A. All medications must, unless there is a specific exception noted in this Rule, comply

        with all other District Rules concerning medication.
    B. After School Program (ASP):
        1. The Principal, with input from the School Nurse, and the After School Program

            Director, will determine by whom and how medication will be secured and

            administered.
        2. The parent/guardian shall supply the school with a separate labeled prescription

            bottle specifically for ASP.
        3. All medication is to be brought to ASP directly by a parent/guardian or a school staff

            member except for those medications listed in Section IV above. The ASP Director

            must be notified if a student is allowed to carry and self-administer medication.

            Appropriate paperwork must be completed. Refer to Form JLCD-1 (School

            Nursing/Clinic Procedures) for specifics.
    C. School Sponsored Activities, such as Field Trips:
        1. Restrictions:

            The Office of the Secretary of State has advised the District that:
            a. Only Registered Nurses (RNs) may serve in their professional role as a nurse

                when accompanying field trips traveling to a destination outside Cobb County;

                and

            b. RN’s accompanying trips traveling outside the State of Georgia must adhere to

                the laws governing nursing in the state(s) traveled through and to.

        2. The Principal, with input from the School Nurse, and the teacher sponsoring the

            field trip will designate the school employee (Principal’s Designee) who will

            administer medication during the field trip.
        3. Student information shall be provided by the teacher and Trained Personnel as

            required in Form JLCD-1.

VI. MEDICATION DISTRIBUTION PROHIBITIONS:
    Students may not share, sell, distribute, or possess with the intent to distribute any

    medication. Students allowing another person to use their medications:
    1. Will be subject to the consequences specified in the District Codes of Conduct.
    2. May have the privilege of carrying their medication revoked.

VII. SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR MEDICATIONS:
       Required paperwork for each exception listed below must be completed by the  
       parent/guardian. Refer to Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures) for specifics.
       A. Diabetic medication;

       B. Epinephrine Auto Injector (i.e., Epipens)/Oral Antihistamines;

       C. Asthma Medication;

       D. Diastat/Diazepam Rectal Gel/Emergency Seizure Medication.

VIII. MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION FOR STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION:
    A. Medication Administration for students who are classified as severely or profoundly    

        intellectually disabled, lower functioning moderately intellectually disabled,

        orthopedically impaired, severely behavior disordered or severely emotionally

        disabled; and/or are not able to administer their own medication should adhere

        to the procedures contained in Section VIII of Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic

        Procedures).
    B. Special Education students may require additional consideration with respect to the

        requirements of this Rule. This consideration may be made with the written

        permission of special education administrators.

IX. MEDICATION DISPOSAL:
    A. Any unused portion of a medication shall be destroyed if not personally collected by
        the parent/guardian:

        1. Within one week after:
            a. Expiration of the Legal Prescriber’s order; or
            b. Discontinuation of the medication.

        2. By the end of the last day of school prior to summer vacation.
    B. The school should not be responsible for storing any medication or health care
        equipment over summer vacation.

    C. Trained Personnel shall dispose of the medication and keep a record of all disposed
         medication as required in Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures).

X. MEDICATION ERRORS:
    See Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures).

XI. MISSING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES GUIDELINES:

     See Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures).

XII. DEFINITIONS:
    See Form JLCD-1 (School Nursing/Clinic Procedures).

Adopted: 9/23/04
Revised: 6/1/05; 7/1/06; 12/14/06; 3/14/07; 8/13/08