1. Administering medication at school
If your child requires staff to administer any medication at school, medical authorisation is required (this includes over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, Ventolin, alternative medicines and even skin creams and ointments).
School staff will only administer medication that:
- has been prescribed by a qualified health practitioner (e.g. doctor, dentist) and outlines the dosage required,
- is in its original container,
- has an attached pharmacy label with the student's name.
Office staff will ask you to complete the relevant forms listed as well as ask you to provide either an Action Plan (if your child has anaphylaxis or asthma) or an Emergency Health Plan (if they have another health condition e.g. diabetes, epilepsy).
N.B. If your child requires more than one medication, you will need to complete a form for each medication. You will also need to provide a device to administer any medication such as a syringe or a pill-cutter where the dosage of a medication requires tablets to be halved.
Our staff are bound by these regulations set out by Education Queensland. For more information, please refer to the Education Queensland website.
Routine
- medication to be taken regularly for short-term or long-term use
| - antibiotics
- ointments
- eye drops
- Ritalin
- enzyme tablets
- anti-epileptic medications
- asthma prevent
| The pharmacy label should have the required information and usually nothing extra is necessary.
|
Consent to administer medication form
|
- additional requirements for diabetes management
| | Letter from the prescribing health practitioner authorising insulin
AND
a diabetes management plan.
|
As needed (non-emergency)
- medication to treat symptoms 'as-needed', but not in an emergency
| - antihistamines
- topical creams/ointments for allergies
- risperidone
| Medication order to administer 'as-needed' medication at school.
|
As needed (emergency)
- medication to treat symptoms 'as-needed' in an emergency
| - adrenaline auto-injector
- blue asthma reliever
| Action plan (for asthma or anaphylaxis)
OR
Medication order to administer 'as-needed' medication at school
OR
Other written instructions from the prescribing health practitioner.
|
2. Requirements for students at risk of anaphylaxis
If your child is at risk of anaphylaxis, it is important for you to provide the school with your child's recent ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan (including a photograph of your child), completed by your doctor.
3. Requirements for students at risk of asthma
If your child has asthma, it is important for you to provide the school with your child's Asthma Action Plan, completed by your doctor.
We recognise that some students are capable of managing their asthma without adult assistance. If you are confident that your child can confidently, competently and safely self-administer their asthma medication, complete the relevant section on the Consent to administer medication form. The Principal (or delegate) will consider your request and if approved, we will not require your child's Asthma Action Plan, unless the first aid response varies from the standard asthma first aid response. Please note that if your child requires assistance in an asthma emergency, staff will provide Asthma First Aid.