Health Services at School
Health Services at School
A school nurse is assigned to each Healthy Kids Clinic and is able to provide basic screenings as well as assess students who may be ill and administer first aid when needed. The school nurse may administer over-the-counter medications (OTC’s), if the parent has completed appropriate authorizations. Additionally, the school nurse will collaborate with a Healthy Kids Clinic Nurse Practitioner to assess your child for a virus or other more complex medical complaint if your child has more severe symptoms and parent permission is given. For emergencies, the school nurse, HKC Nurse Practitioner or school staff may deem it necessary to call 9-1-1 for emergency medical services to be dispatched.
More intensive health services are available, if needed, with written authorization/order from a student’s healthcare provider. Parent/guardian should notify the school nurse of any health concern(s) that could require emergency services, interfere with the student’s education process or require interventions throughout the school day.
Students requiring medical accommodations throughout the school day (including, but not limited to, physical education, dietary conditions, physical limitations and medical interventions) must provide to the school nurse proper authorization form(s) that are completed by the student’s healthcare provider & signed by the parents stating the need for such accommodations each school year. Examples of this include catheterization, blood sugar checking, seizure precautions, and other medical needs. The school nurse will provide specific forms for the healthcare provider and parents to complete in order for the student to have further interventions/accommodations while at school. Many of these authorization forms can be found on the HCS Website at https://www.hardin.kyschools.us/administration/health-family-services
With parent permission, additional services which can be provided by a Healthy Kids Clinic healthcare provider include Well Child Examinations, dental services, immunizations, and behavioral health services.
Medication at School
If a student has a need for medications during the school day (either over-the-counter or prescription), the child’s healthcare provider must complete and sign the “Administration of Medication” form, parents must also sign this form as well as provide the medication in its original container and make arrangements for the medication to be delivered to/picked up from school by an adult (not the student).
Students are not allowed to transport medication to or from school, unless emergency medications are specifically ordered by a healthcare provider to be available during bus transport. All prescription medication requires the label from the pharmacy to be written in English and be on the container/box. No expired medication will be accepted !
In the school nurse’s absence, only students with specific forms (Authorization to Give Medication) on file will be able to receive prescribed medication from trained school staff. All medicine must be picked up by a parent/guardian at the end of the school year. Medicine not picked up will be disposed.
Emergency Medication at School
Students with known health conditions which require emergency medication may have their medications brought to school to be stored in the nurse’s office for administration as needed. The medication must be provided by the parent and must include the label written from the pharmacy written in English and on the box/container.
Parents will need to speak with the school nurse to ensure that the correct authorization forms are completed by the student’s healthcare provider and returned to the school nurse.
Self-Administration of Medication at School
Students will only be permitted to carry medication (emergency or otherwise) with them or in their personal belongings with an authorization to self-carry/self-administer medication from their healthcare provider. The school nurse will provide this form to the parents/guardians. These completed forms should be returned to the school nurse before the student begins carrying the medication at school.
Illness and Injury
A student should not be in attendance and will be sent home with any of the following:
· Temperature 100.4 degrees or greater, or with incidents of vomiting and/or diarrhea indicative of a communicable disease. Student may return to school when free of above symptom(s) for 24 hours without any fever-reducing medication or other medication to relieve symptom(s).
· Symptoms related to possible communicable diseases.
· Live lice bugs (not nits per HCS Board Policy 09.213 AP.11)