The Board of Education shall not be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of student illness. The administration of prescribed medication and/or medically-prescribed treatments to a student during school hours will be permitted only when failure to do so would jeopardize the health of the student, the student would not be able to attend school if the medication or treatment were not made available during school hours, or the child is disabled and requires medication to benefit from his/her educational program.

For purposes of this policy, "medication" shall include all medicines including those prescribed by a physician and any nonprescribed (over-the-counter) drugs, preparations, and/or remedies. "Treatment" refers both to the manner in which a medication is administered and to health-care procedures which require special training, such as catheterization.

Before any medication or treatment may be administered to any student during school hours, the Board shall require the written prescription from the child's physician accompanied by the written authorization of the parent. This document shall be kept on file in the office of the school nurse/principal. No student is allowed to provide or sell any type of over-the-counter medication to another student. Violations of this rule will be considered violations of Policy 5330 - Drug Prevention and of the Student Discipline Code/Code of Conduct.

The total responsibility for dispensing or administering any medication or treatment shall rest solely with the parent(s) or legal guardian, and that student.

Only medication in its original container; labeled with the date, if a prescription; the student's name; and exact dosage will be administered. Parents, or students authorized in writing by their physician and parents, may administer medication or treatment.

Staff members are to administer medication or treatment only in the presence of another adult, except in the case of an emergency that threatens the life or health of the student. Staff licensed as professional registered nurses are exempt from this requirement.

All medications shall be kept in a locked storage case.

The Board shall permit the administration of any medication requiring intravenous or intramuscular injection or the insertion of a device into the body when both the medication and the procedure are prescribed by a physician and the staff member has completed any necessary training.

Students who may require administration of an emergency medication may have such medication, identified as aforenoted, stored in the school nurses/principals office and administered in accord with this policy.

Students may possess and self-administer a metered dose or dry powder inhaler for relief of asthma, or before exercise to prevent onset of asthma symptoms, while at school, on school-sponsored transportation, or at any school-sponsored activity in accord with the Superintendent’s guidelines, if the following conditions are met:

1. There is written approval from the student’s physician or other health care provider and the student or parent/guardian (if student is under eighteen (18)) to possess and use the inhaler (Form 5330 F1c)

Students who are prescribed epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis shall be allowed to self possess and administer the medication if they meet the conditions stated above.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines to ensure the proper implementation of this policy.

M.C.L.A. 380.1178, 380.1178a, 380.1179
Michigan Department of Education, Model Policy and Guidelines for Administering Medications to Pupils at School, Policy on Management of Asthma in Schools

Revised 3/13/96
Revised 12/6/00
Revised 6/7/06