Asthma Action question

[Anagrammom]

Does an asthma action plan signed by an MD also act as a medication auth form? (I.e. says to give neb treatment, I have med in pharmacy box clearly ordered by MD, but I dont have the MD prescription school specific form for med)

Trying to find a definitive answer on this and cannot.

Thank you in advance!

[Amethya]

I usually require both, just to be on the safe side.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

We use those as orders; just because it's a different format from the school order form doesn't invalidate it. Bugging practitioners for what would amount to duplicate orders would not be good for school/pcp relationships...

[Anagrammom]

So from a legal standpoint is there any actual law or policy that governs which is the right wayt to deal with this? Im new to school nursing and thought the action plan could be used as an order but my admin thinks otherwise.....

[OldDude]

Regarding your original post...yes

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

So from a legal standpoint is there any actual law or policy that governs which is the right wayt to deal with this? Im new to school nursing and thought the action plan could be used as an order but my admin thinks otherwise.....

Policy is set at both a state and school district level, so that's on you to discover. Re: is an action plan a legal order, the answer is 'yes'.

[UrbanHealthRN, BSN, RN]

My workflow is determined by state and federal policies, so when it comes to asthma, I take both documentation from the provider, plus a medication form for the inhaler that is signed by the parent.

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

In a short answer, yes. A signed Asthma Action plan is a legal MD order.

However, you might consider checking your school policy, as that is what your admin will fall back on, to make sure you don't need anything else. If your policy doesn't allow it, you might suggest trying to get it updated so that you're not requiring MD's to sign 5000 sheets (we all know its not that much, but they feel like it is!) of paper for the same thing.

I personally take a signed Asthma Action Plans as MD orders and med auth., but my school policy states I can accept it as that. I think its worded something like "...or other form of documentation such as, but not limited to, a physician's personal letterhead or prescription pad..."

[Supernrse01, BSN]

Not here in our schools. The medication release is a completely different form.

[stephrooth]

This is kinda off topic. Should I accept an inhaler without a box and label?

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

This is kinda off topic. Should I accept an inhaler without a box and label?

No. You have no way of knowing if that is the child's inhaler or Pawpaw's who passed away last year. Also, would you accept any other medication without the packaging or a label? Same concept. I don't accept random meds in a bottle/baggie and I don't accept inhalers without a box and label. Plus, you have no way of verifying your MD orders on your med form off of an inhaler without a label.

[grammy1]

Different school districts=different rules. Our district considers a pharmacy label a physician's order, but we do still require a parental authorization.