...because their teachers can't!!!!!! I had a teacher approach me weeks ago about a field trip during which one of her kids will need his meds. I told her I will get the paperwork together and she can stop by and I will train her to administer meds. Well, the field trip was cancelled due to weather, and I find out this morning that it was rescheduled for TODAY with no warning to me! No problem, I drop everything and get the paperwork ready to document that I trained this teacher, got the meds ready, and walked them to her classroom. I was explicit with the instructions and reiterated everything at least twice. She was distracted due to an issue with another student who did not want to go on the field trip because "his feet hurt", but he was cleared medically by myself and a note from a physician stating no physical activity restrictions AND his mother wanted him to go. She still did not want him to go because she did not want to deal with him. Needless to say he did go on the trip.
Because of that mess, I made sure to have her verbalize understanding to the instructions and sign the documents stating I trained her. They were to leave at 10:30 and have lunch on the field trip (it is a lunchtime med). The student came to me at 10:20 with the empty pill bottle and the MAR, which was signed at the top but not dated and initialed that she gave the med. I asked him what happened, who gave him the med, etc. because I was confused about why he got it early. Apparently she did not want to deal with it on the field trip so she gave him an apple and his pill Now, he usually gets it at 11:20, so 10:20 is not a disaster, but still I was seriously miffed. I sent him back with the paperwork with a sticky note that she needs to initial and put the time she gave it. He came back minutes later and said she would not do it and that she already signed it (inidicating the top where you sign your full name). At this point I am fuming. I put another sticky note on top of the other one stating THIS IS REQUIRED and an arrow pointing to the box that you initial and time (which I had already highlighted and explained in the first place). She finally initialed and wrote the time after all that.
I mean, seriously! We expect these kids to follow basic and sometimes complex instructions all the time, and yet some of the teachers cannot do it themselves or else they refuse to! How hard is it to initial and write the time on a little box when you have had written and verbal instructions on what to do??? For that matter, how hard is it to give the med ON TIME and as ordered, when the improtance of this has been stressed to you??? AAAARGHHH!
Now, he usually gets it at 11:20, so 10:20 is not a disaster, but still I was seriously miffed. I sent him back with the paperwork with a sticky note that she needs to initial and put the time she gave it. He came back minutes later and said she would not do it and that she already signed it (inidicating the top where you sign your full name). At this point I am fuming. I put another sticky note on top of the other one stating THIS IS REQUIRED and an arrow pointing to the box that you initial and time (which I had already highlighted and explained in the first place). She finally initialed and wrote the time after all that.