Medication

Whenever possible, medication should be given at home. If a medication must be given during the school day, New York State law requires the following before school staff can administer it:

• Written permission from the doctor, including dosage and times of administration.
• Written permission from the parent or guardian.

Parents must bring the medication to school along with both written permissions. Children are not allowed to bring medication to school on the bus.

Medication must be in its original, pharmacy-labeled container, with only the amount needed for school use. Medication in an unlabeled container cannot be given.

Once these requirements are met, the nurse will safely administer the medication during school hours. All medication is kept under lock and key to protect your child.

Any unused medication must be picked up by the last day of school, or it will be disposed of.

Field Trips

If your child needs medication during a field trip, you have a few options:

• Accompany your child on the trip and administer the medication yourself.
• Send a designee. Provide a note naming the person and confirming they're trained to administer your child's medication.
• Request a medication schedule change from your child's physician for field trip days, with a note confirming the change.
• If no one is available to accompany your child, the school nurse will arrange for a nurse to administer the medication during the trip.