To help us insure your child’s health, our health nurse, Mrs. Sue Wright,
provides health care to children referred to the health room. If it is deemed
necessary by a physician that a child should receive medication during the
day, either on a daily basis or in case of an emergency, the school must have
complete written instructions from the prescribing physician on the form
provided for this purpose. Most local doctors are aware of this policy and
will have the forms at the office. Cough drops are considered a medication and
must be accompanied by a physician’s order
The parent should deliver all medications to the health nurse in the
“original” container from the pharmacy, unless other arrangements have been
made with the nurse.
One of the most difficult decisions a parent must make in a morning is if a
child should come to school if he/she gets up complaining of not feeling well.
You are encouraged to keep your child at home if he/she is vomiting, has a
temperature, or is obviously not well. Children with minor complaints are
often okay after eating breakfast or arriving at school School Nurse (cont.)
to be with friends. If your child becomes ill at school, the nurse will
contact you. Please do not tell your child that he/she should report to the
health room if they do not feel well. That statement usually insures that the
child will come immediately upon arrival at school to request to go home. The
school staff monitors the children closely each day and can generally
determine if a child is ill and needs attention.
Medicines should be safeguarded by being kept in a locked space in a
designated area of the school (health room), but must be readily available to
school personnel. It is important and required that all medications brought to
school be labeled with the student’s name, the kind of medicine, amount to be
given and the schedule to be followed. In the event of theft, the school is
not held responsible for replacing the medications. School personnel will
contact physicians’ offices and pharmacies to inform them of the situation, if
it occurs. If you have any questions about medication and the policies, our
nurse can assist you. She also has other information for parents regarding
common illnesses and diseases.