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Medication Administration Refresher

Jamie Smith RN, BSN

District Nurse

Jefferson County School District 509J

Madras, Oregon

(Thanks to Sue Morgan RN for her technical expertise in the development of this PowerPoint)

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Medication Administration Refresher

  • A refresher course is required annually for all who have been trained in medication administration.

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Medication Administration Refresher

  • A refresher course is required annually for all who have been trained in medication administration.

  • Prerequisite: You must have taken the initial medication administration training prior to this refresher. The initial training is offered periodically throughout the school year by the school district nurse. (Check with the district office if you are not sure if you have had the full training).

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All medication taken in school must have written instructions

Documentation required for:

Non Prescription Medication: Requires written instructions from the parent that includes the name of the student, name of the medication, route of administration, dosage, frequency and time of administration, and special instructions.

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All medication taken in school must have written instructions

Documentation required for:

Prescription Medication: Requires parental written instructions as stated above AND written instructions from the physician (the prescription label meets this criteria).

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All medication taken in school must have written instructions

Documentation required for:

Prescription Medication: Requires parental written instructions as stated above AND written instructions from the physician (the prescription label meets this criteria).

The Physician instructions and the parent instructions MUST match. (Otherwise, how do you know which instructions are correct?)

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All medication taken in school must have written instructions

Documentation required for:

Prescription Medication: Requires parental written instructions as stated above AND written instructions from the physician (the prescription label meets this criteria).

  • The Physician instructions and the parent instructions MUST match. (Otherwise, how do you know which instructions are correct?)
  • If changes are ordered to the medication dose, you must have new (updated) written instructions from the parent and new written instructions from the physician (a new prescription label meets this requirement.)

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What is considered medication?

*Non Prescription: Commercially prepared, non-alcohol based medication necessary for the student to remain in school. This includes medication for the eyes, nose, cough drops, cough suppressants, analgesics (pain relievers), decongestants, antihistamines, topical antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, and antacids.

*Per OAR 581-021-0037

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What is considered medication?

*Prescription: Any non-injectable drugs, chemical compounds, suspensions or preparations which are taken either internally or externally by a student under the instructions of a physician, prepared and labeled by a pharmacist at the discretion of a physician. It is only given at school if the prescribed frequency requires it to be given during school hours.

*Per OAR 581-021-0037

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Check for Understanding:

Which of the following are not included in the definition of a medication (thus they may be given to a student without written authorization from the parent?)

  1. Cough drops
  2. Antacids
  3. Eye drops
  4. Cough Syrup
  5. Antibiotic Ointment
  6. None of the above

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Check for Understanding:

Which of the following are not considered to be a medication (thus they may be given to a student without written authorization from the parent?)

None of the above

Absolutely everything is considered a medication according to the law, and must have written authorization from the parent before we may administer it to a student.

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What about �Self-Administered Medication?

K-8: No medication may be self-administered unless it is required for immediate emergency access such as insulin and asthma inhalers.

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What about �Self-Administered Medication?

K-8: No medication may be self-administered unless it is required for immediate emergency access such as insulin and asthma inhalers.

9-12: Medication may be staff or self-administered.

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What about �Self-Administered Medication?

All Students K-12

Before ANY medication may be self-administered, a medication authorization and self-administration agreement must be signed by the parent, student, administrator and the physician.*

*Physician authorization required for prescription medications only.

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5 “Rights” of �Medication Administration

Right Student

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5 “Rights” of �Medication Administration

Right Student

Right Medication

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5 “Rights” of �Medication Administration

Right Student

Right Medication

Right Dose

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5 “Rights” of �Medication Administration

Right Student

Right Medication

Right Dose

Right Time

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5 “Rights” of �Medication Administration

Right Student

Right Medication

Right Dose

Right Time

Right Route

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Student/Right Medication/Right Dose

Tips:

Double and Triple-check the prescription label with the parent instructions, the name of the medication, the correct student, and the correct dosage prior to administering the medication.

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Student/Right Medication/Right Dose

Tips:

Double and Triple-check the prescription label with the parent instructions, the name of the medication, the correct student, and the correct dosage prior to administering the medication.

Do not administer medication while being distracted. Keep your focus solely on medication administration while in the process. Attend to other issues once the medication has been given.

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Dose, continued

  • Do not give any medication if the written instructions from the physician does not match the written instructions from the parent. (Which instructions would be considered correct?)

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Dose, continued

  • Do not give any medication if the written instructions from the physician does not match the written instructions from the parent. (Which instructions would be considered correct?)

  • Do NOT act on verbal requests to change the medication amount, frequency, or time. (All instructions must be in writing).

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Time

  • The Right Time is considered to be 30 minutes before or after the prescribed time.

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Time

  • The Right Time is considered to be 30 minutes before or after the prescribed time.

  • If the student doesn’t show, it is your responsibility to track them down.

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Right Route….

… means the route that was ordered, such as:

  • By Mouth
  • Ear Drop
  • Eye Drop
  • Skin (ointment)
  • Inhaler

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Any violation of these 5 “rights” is a medication error. (Right student, medication, dose, time and route)

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5 Rights of �Medication Administration

Any violation of these 5 “rights” is a medication error. (Right student, medication, dose, time and route)

If an error occurs, complete a Medication Incident Report, which you may receive from your building secretary or health assistant. Notify the parent and the school nurse.

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Check for Understanding:

It is 9:30 and Johnny is bouncing off the walls. You ask Johnny if he had his morning dose of Ritalin before he left for school and he says no. Since he receives Ritalin at school, you ask the secretary or health assistant to give his morning dose that he missed.

Is this an appropriate request? Why or why not?

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Answer:

No. Giving a dose that was forgotten at home is a “verbal change” to our written instructions. (The dose is a home dose, not a school dose).

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Answer:

No. Giving a dose that was forgotten at home is a “verbal change” to our written instructions. (The dose is a home dose, not a school dose).

All medication given at school must have instructions and authorization provided in writing. (Our written instructions are for the later dose only).

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Answer:

No. Giving a dose that was forgotten at home is a “verbal change” to our written instructions. (The dose is a home dose, not a school dose).

All medication given at school must have instructions and authorization provided in writing. (Our written instructions are for the later dose only).

The parent may come to school and give the medication, or they may fax a written request for the school to give the dose in question, but we may NOT give the extra dose without written instructions to do so.

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling:

  • Medications are to be kept in the original, labeled container at all times.

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling:

We may not put medication into a plastic bag and label the bag. (Only a pharmacist may “dispense” medication, which means moving it from one container to another and then re-labeling it).

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling:

  • We may not administer medication from an unlabeled container (violation of these principles jeopardizes student safety and increases our liability.)

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling - continued:

  • Some medications may require refrigeration. (In this case, a small cooler would be necessary for your field trip).

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling - continued:

  • Some medications may require refrigeration. (In this case, a small cooler would be necessary for your field trip).
  • Medications are kept in a secure location during a field trip.

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling - continued:

  • Some medications may require refrigeration (a small cooler would be necessary in this case).
  • Medications are kept in a secure location during a field trip.
    • The best choice is on your person (in a pocket or fanny-pack.)

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Field Trips

Storage and Handling - continued:

  • Some medications may require refrigeration (a small cooler would be necessary in this case).
  • Medications are kept in a secure location during a field trip.
    • The best choice is on your person (in a pocket or fanny-pack.)
    • The medication may be locked up somewhere, but may not be kept in extreme hot or cold temperatures such as a car or a bus.

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Documentation

Sign out medication in the office.

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Documentation

Sign out medication in the office.

All sedatives, stimulants, anti-convulsants, narcotic analgesics, or psychotropic medications

must be counted in the presence

of a witness, and both people must

sign the medication record to

document the count. (Your building

Health Assistant or Secretary will know

which medications need to be counted.)

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Documentation

When you return:

  • Sign in the medication

(count again as you did

when you signed it out.)

  • Initial that the medication

was given on the medication

documentation form.

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Documentation

  • Write in ink, as this is a legal document.

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Documentation

  • Write in ink, as this is a legal document.
  • Write in pertinent comments as necessary.

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Documentation

  • Write in ink, as this is a legal document.
  • Write in pertinent comments as necessary.
  • If you make a mistake – do not use white-out, line through it so the original writing can still be read. Write “ME” for mistaken entry, initial, then write the correct information.

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Documentation

Something must be documented in each square where medication is to be recorded. If a student did not receive a medication, use the proper code as to why (absent, no medication available, etc.)

*Note: The line is drawn through the square on non-school days. Codes used in the picture are: A=Absent, N=No Med, initials mean the med was given. Other codes are listed at the top of the medication form. There are no blank squares.

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Documentation

Remember…..

“If it wasn’t documented…it wasn’t done.”

This is how a court would view it.

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Overnight Field Trips

  • Provide a 30 day notice to the School District Nurse and your building’s health assistant or secretary.

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Overnight Field Trips

  • Provide a 30 day notice to the School District Nurse and your building’s health assistant or secretary.
  • Send home a parent letter about medications during the field trip, get this letter from the School District Nurse. (Students are probably on more doses or additional medications than what we already have authorization to give during the school day.)

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Overnight Field Trips

  • Provide a 30 day notice to the School District Nurse and your building’s health assistant or secretary.
  • Send home a parent letter about medications during the field trip, get this letter from the School District Nurse. (Students are probably on more doses or additional medications than what we already have authorization to give during the school day.)
  • A separate parent authorization form must be filled out for each medication. (If more than one medication is listed on a form, it becomes confusing which instructions are for which medication.)

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Overnight Field Trips, continued

  • Return signed medication authorization forms to the school district nurse or your building’s health assistant. (At least one week notice please).

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Overnight Field Trips, continued

  • Return signed medication authorization forms to the school district nurse or your building’s health assistant. (At least one week notice please).
  • Special documentation forms will be created for you to use while on the overnight field trip.

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Overnight Field Trips, continued

  • Return signed medication authorization forms to the school district nurse or your building’s health assistant. (At least one week notice please).
  • Special documentation forms will be created for you to use while on the overnight field trip.
  • Blank documentation forms will be available to write in medications that come in at the last minute. Please allow the building health assistant to do this.

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Overnight Field Trips, continued

  • When you return, send the completed documentation forms and signed medication authorization forms to the School District Nurse to be filed.

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Overnight Field Trips, continued

  • When you return, send the completed documentation forms and signed medication authorization forms to the School District Nurse to be filed.
  • Send any left over medications home with the PARENT, not the student.

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Confidentiality

  • All information pertaining to health and medications is confidential.

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Confidentiality

  • All information pertaining to health and medications is confidential.
  • Only discuss information with the parent and others that have a need to know (are directly involved with the student’s health/medication needs).

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Confidentiality

  • All information pertaining to health and medications is confidential.
  • Only discuss information with the parent and others that have a need to know (are directly involved with the student’s health/medication needs).
  • Be careful of your surroundings, and consider who may be able to hear you while discussing confidential issues.

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Check for understanding

1. T F The correct time to give a medication is 30 minutes before or after the scheduled time.

2. T F It is ok to take the pills needed for a field trip, place them in a baggie, and label the baggie with the name of the medication and time it is to be given.

3. T F I can keep the medication in the first aid bag and

keep the bag in a handy location during the field trip.

4. T F When I return from the field trip, I must count the medication with a witness, sign it back in, and document that the medication was given.

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Answer 1

Correct

Medication must be given within 30 minutes before or after the scheduled time.

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Answer 2

False

Only a pharmacist may legally move medication from a labeled container to an unlabeled container and then re-label it. This is called “dispensing.” We don’t “dispense,” we administer medication (from a container labeled by a pharmacist.)

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Answer 3

False

The first aid bag is likely to be unsecured and unattended. Medication must be stored in a secure location for student safety and your protection from liability.

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Answer 4

Correct

After returning from a field trip, medication must be counted in the presence of a witness, signed back in, and documented that it was given.

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Final Steps

Congratulations, you have completed the annual medication refresher course!

Print the form on the next screen to document your completion of this presentation. Turn in the signed form to the District Office.

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