Student Medication Administration Policy
Lauderdale County School System Medication Administration
- All medications to be administered at school will be brought to the appropriate office by the parent and safeguarded in a locked area.
- The State Department of Education School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization Form must be used for all medication administered in the school setting including over-the-counter medications.
Click here for the Parent Authorization Form.
- The Lauderdale County Lead School Nurses work with our schools to set up safe and effective guidelines in medication administration.
Other medication administration policy details and restrictions:
Click here to download or print the Medication Administration Policy Fact Sheet.
- The parent/guardian or a designated responsible adult shall deliver all medication to be administered during the school day to the school nurse or personnel designated by the school nurse. Medications should never be brought to school by the student or be on the student's person unless they are emergency medications and the proper forms have been completed. This is to ensure the safety of all students.
- The parent/guardian must provide the school with medication that is in a correctly labeled prescription bottle/container.
- The parent/guardian must provide the school with a new signed State Department of Education School Medication Form (PPA) each year and anytime medication orders are changed during the school year.
- The physician shall provide a list of side effects for prescription medications and over-the-counter medications administered in excess of the manufacturer's recommendations.
- The parent/guardian shall pick up the student's medication at the end of the school year. Medications left at school at the end of the school year will be destroyed by school personnel if not picked up by a parent within 14 days.
- Expired medications will need to be picked up as soon as possible or will be disposed of by school personnel.
- The parent/guardian shall give the first dose of a new medication at home in case of a possible allergic reaction.
- Over-the-counter medications administered according to the manufacturer's recommendations will require completion of the Alabama State Department of Education School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization form signed by the Parent/guardian. All over the counter medication must be provided by the parent in the original sealed container identifying the medication name, dosage, and manufacturer's labeling.
- Over-the-counter medication prescribed in excess of the manufacturer's recommended dosage will require completion of the Alabama State Department of Education School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization form signed by the parent/guardian and physician.
- No aspirin or aspirin-containing medication (salicylate) will be given to children or teenagers under the age of 18 years of age unless prescribed by a physician.
- Natural remedies, herbs, and nutritional supplements may not be administered by school personnel without an explicit order from an authorized prescriber that includes parent authorization and verification that the product is safe to administer to children in the prescribed dosage with reasonable information regarding therapeutic and untoward effects.
- Student self-administration of medication for a documented chronic health condition will be authorized if conducted in compliance with the State Department of Education, Alabama Board of Nursing, and Lauderdale County Board of Education guidelines. Student self-administration of medication will be determined on an individual basis.