Florida students self carrying own otcs

[Flare]

So Broward County High school students can now apparently carry a variety of OTC meds. Thoughts? Do you think other counties and states will follow suit? Do you think that this will cause parents with kids in lower grader to just assume it's ok to have their younger students carry as well?

Broward high school students now can carry select over-the-counter meds - Sun Sentinel

[Jolie, BSN]

Jen-Elizabeth,...Your rationale for why OTC's should not be allowed in schools are completely valid, bottom line. Potential for harm DOES exist in allowing students to self-medicate, my argument is that making policies prohibiting OTC's in schools in the name of providing a safer environment is akin to making everyone remove their shoes at airport security to protect us from terrorists-they are both illusions of safety.

I think that we can all agree that drug abuse is a complicated issue that is not easily remedied, and one with potentially significant and devastating consequences. I greatly appreciate this forum and I felt comfortable voicing a contrary opinion because of the level of respect and knowledge that I have seen here. Thanks for making this day go by quickly!

I can't help but wonder if the reason for the policy is a legal one. How many times have we been warned that it is bad (from a legal perspective) to have a policy in place and NOT follow it. That raises a red flag that may as well be blood in the water to the sharks that are plaintiffs' attorneys. Perhaps the school district attorney feels that it is more of a liability to have a policy against self-medicating that everyone knows is being ignored and regularly violated, versus having no rules at all.

Just a thought.

[djh123]

I'm usually not the kind of person to say this at all, but that's a slippery slope for sure, and as others are saying, how do you know exactly what's IN those bottles? And I like the 'super giant headache' comment... I've never understood how many people ignore whatever the bottle says - or they see what it says, and take 2-3 times that, because THEIR pain is of course much worse than anyone has ever experienced this millenia.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Maybe OTC should be held to Press-Ganey standards. Those that ignore labels are also the ones who will OD their baby on cough medicine and make it impossible to find an infant cough syrup. That being said, I so wish the pharmaceutical companies would weight dose instead of age dose.

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

I, too, feel it is a bad idea. However, if this is what Florida has decided to do, hopefully they'll initiate an education topic during orientation where they can go over the rules and the proper dosing for OTC meds to their students so that they can at least have a fighting chance. A time where they can explain the potential risks of over dosing, s/s of such, and the reasons why you shouldn't share with other students (i.e.: allergies). As the nurse on the campus, I would want to make sure I've at least attempted to educate the kids on proper self administration of OTC meds. I know I won't reach all of them, but I can almost guarantee that I will reach some, if not most, and help a student who didn't know otherwise.

[alimmiller]

I've never heard of anything about this. Was there a rule against this before? I've probably carried advil to school everyday since I was 12. Is there a rule against carrying prescription meds? What if you have to take an antibiotic with lunch or something. I'm in Canada and we don't have school nurses, so that might be different. Do most schools in the states have nurses?

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

When I was in high school I always had Pamprin or other pain reliever in my purse for headaches or cramps. I never thought a thing about it. Same with cough drops and chapstick. I don't think it's a big deal.

[Amethya]

I think it's sort of a bad/good idea. Bad idea because we can't monitor these kids at all, and if they share the meds to their friends and one of them is allergic to one of them? VERY BAD! But it's good because that means that these kids who need constant pain meds can take it when needed instead of having to walk all the way to the nurse's office get the meds and then walk all the way back and are able to take it instead of me having to confiscate them. I wish my school would let the kids who are in need of inhalers to carry them around, especially if they know how to use them.

[grammy1]

I think it's sort of a bad/good idea. Bad idea because we can't monitor these kids at all, and if they share the meds to their friends and one of them is allergic to one of them? VERY BAD! But it's good because that means that these kids who need constant pain meds can take it when needed instead of having to walk all the way to the nurse's office get the meds and then walk all the way back and are able to take it instead of me having to confiscate them. I wish my school would let the kids who are in need of inhalers to carry them around, especially if they know how to use them.

I don't know what state you're in, but MANY have laws that allow students to carry inhalers. Unfortunately, some school districts like to ignore those, we really had to advocate for these kids.

CDC - Asthma - Publications by Topic - Public Health Law

[Amethya]

I live in Texas, but in our school system we aren't allowed. So ALL the inhalers are in my office. The stupid thing I believe is the only way I can give the medication to the child if I have a signed form from both the parent and the physician so I can give OTC and prescription meds as well. I had to confiscate an Amoxicillin 45 mg tablet from a girl because the teacher found her about to take it with her lunch. I had to call her mom and she got very angry at us and even came to the school to argue about it. We explained it was school policy and it's out of our hands.

The same with Inhalers, I get about sharing medications, but if the child has really bad chronic asthma and really needs these medications, they should have it with them, and the same with the Epi-Pens. I thanks god that I haven't had any incidents with any of these chronic bad asthma or any horrible allergic reactions, but I just hate that I have these pens and what if the child needs it and I don't get there on time?

But I do understand of liabilities and such but still...

[coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN]

Geez I can't tell you how many times I've had students tell me they took Advil/Ibuprofen because they have a stomach ache. No I don't mean menstrual cramps either. Some don't even know the the brand names and generic names let alone that Tylenol is in every other thing on the shelf. They took Dayquil that morning plus Tylenol for a headache and they Sudafed Cold+ for the congestion. Nope. Nope. Nope.