Nurse & Medication Information

We are fortunate that every school in our district has a registered nurse. Students may obtain a pass from their teacher to visit the nurse during school hours. The health room is to help students with diagnosed chronic health conditions and for care of minor injuries and illnesses that occur during the school day. Injuries or illness that occur outside the school environment should be treated at home or by a health care provider prior to returning back to school, as our nurses cannot diagnose illnesses.

The health and well-being of all students is of utmost importance.  Our nurses follow SC DPH School Exclusion List to determine if it is safe for students to remain in the classroom. If it is deemed necessary that your student needs to go home or for follow-up medical treatment, we must contact a parent or legal guardian. We cannot send a student home with anyone until a parent has been notified. This is why it is so important that we have current contact information, at all times. If your child has an emergency situation or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school, the emergency contacts you list in Final Forms will be called IF we cannot reach a parent first. Please understand that this is for your child's protection.

Our Health Offices do not stock over-the counter (OTC) medication to be administered at school. A nurse cannot administer any medications without a medication consent form completed by a health care provider and/or parent or guardian. 

For your child’s safety please remember:

• ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must have written parental and physician authorization before medication can be administered at school. 
• All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be administered as labeled and OTC medications may not exceed package directions.
• ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel.
• OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS may be provided by the parent if it is in a new - unopened  container, clearly labeled with the student’s name and is accompanied by written parental permission. 
• Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date. School Nurses will not administer any medication pass the expiration date.
• ALL MEDICATION MUST BE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER.
• The first dose of any medication cannot be given in the school setting (with the exception of emergency medications). The student should be monitored for adverse reactions outside of the school setting.
• If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.
• Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider, contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled; may carry these medications, may self-monitor and may self-administer these medications only if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others, the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication. Examples of medications that are approved for self-administering are asthma inhalers, insulin for diabetic students, and Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions.
• Herbal/Alternative Medicinal Products are not regulated by the FDA, thus the quality and effectiveness of these products vary. Because of this, we will not administer Herbal/Alternative Medicinal products. A Physician Authorization form as well as a Parent-Student Agreement form must be completed and turned into your school nurse prior to allowing your student to self-administer an herbal/alternative product in the school setting. See your school nurse for required forms and additional information.