Does your district allow narcotics in the clinic?

grammy1 · Apr 17, 2017

Our students are allowed, by district policy. Grammy's policy....really try to talk parents out of it. We've only had it here once, made the student so groggy mom had to come back to pick up snowflake. She took it home with her that day.

cooties_are_real · Apr 17, 2017

We will, but try to talk parents out of it due to side effects. Have had one student take Tylenol 3 one time and was fine, but took it a 2nd time and it made her really sleepy. So when she came in again for the issue, we called mom to bring IBU. The difference in the 2 days she took it was the 2nd time, we had testing day and she had to sit in a room for an extended period of time, so she got sleepy.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Apr 17, 2017

I certainly discourage it. Often I will encourage them to take hald of a pain pill instead of the whole, (with approval from MD), if the benefit is they get a enough pain relief and not be snowed. I have HS kids who have orthopedic stuff from MVAs and sporting events that need to be here.

It really is a case by case scenario.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2017

Hi! Long-time lurker, first time poster. We have an administration of medication form that generally requires a signature for all Rx medication. So, it's possible that a narcotic pain (or any other) medication could be in the clinic. Having said that, unless the kid has sickle cell or another chronic disease where we know that ibuprofen won't work...I discourage it, as previous posters have said. And in that rate event I do accept the medication, I count it in with my aide and document the heck out of how many they started with (I encourage the minimum number of pills, just like for ADHD medication).

Farawyn · Apr 18, 2017

We don't have policy, but I discourage it. I did have a student last year I had benzos for. She took one like...once a month.

AdobeRN · Apr 18, 2017

We are allowed but I encourage parents to leave me tylenol or Motrin and give the narcotics at home.

Nurse in MT · Apr 18, 2017

Yes. We have to have a doctor signed form on file for all medications, including OTC meds. (We do not provide ANY oral medications. If pumpkin needs tylenol or ibuprofen, guardian must provide and pediatrician must approve.)

I'd rather a Tylenol 3 in my office than all the Adderall, Ritalin, and Focalin that we give daily.

SassyTachyRN · Apr 18, 2017

My medication cabinet only LOOKS secure. Sure it has locks on the front, but it's just a wood cabinet you could buy from any store and then had locks installed. The back is just a piece of cardboard backing stapled on. All you'd have to do is basically rip that off and you'd have access to anything you want.

Nurse in MT · Apr 18, 2017

Yuck!! Will the district upgrade??

I'm thankful we have a legit med cart in our nursing office. What freaks me out is all the windows in our office, which was converted from a classroom. If the wrong people knew what windows are ours... :wideyed:

foggnm · Apr 18, 2017

Yes we allow it and I would rather have a kid with side effects then sitting at home missing class!

JustbeRN · Apr 18, 2017

I look at it like my post op days- narcotics are for home use..

Too many liability issues at school, side effects and than there is the daily count that should be done by two RNs. That's what we had to do every day in recovery. anyhow- I would never advise an adult post op to drive under the influence so why would I think its okay for a pediatric post op at school? Its come up like once in my school nursing career so far