Coughs, snuffles, headaches, diabetes, asthma, bee stings: the list of ailments that children in your school may encounter is virtually endless.

This endless list of ailments means many of the children in your care will require medication either temporarily or permanently. Your procedures for handling the medication can make all the difference between a good outcome and a disaster for both the child and your school.

When preparing a standard medication procedure you should consider many aspects.

*medication transfer *the container *instructions *documenting administration *storage

Mom or Dad must bring the medicine to your school in its original container. Part of accepting the medication is the parent completing an authorization form which must include instructions regarding dosage and schedule for administration. If the parent’s instructions don’t match those on the bottle you should require the doctor to fax instructions.

I strongly recommend that medications be kept in a locked cabinet. This prevents children accessing the medications without supervision. Each medication should also be prominently labeled with the child’s name.

Your staff must document the date, time, amount and initials of the individual administering the medication each and every time.

Remember, I suggested the Rx bottle be prominently labeled with the child’s name? This procedure will help your staff select the proper bottle when it is time to administer the medicine and when it is time to return the medicine to Mom or Dad. The medicine will, in all likelihood make many trips to and from your school and it is vital you send the right medication home and get the right medicine back each morning.

Did you know that many insurers will not pay a claim related to medication if you do not have the parent’s written authorization on file? This applies to both prescription and non-prescription medications. You can save yourself from an uninsured claim by establishing procedures and making sure everyone follows the procedures. Even more important, you can make sure the kids in your care stay safe.

Call Block Insurance 800-225-0863.