If you are NOT allowed to dispense OTC meds

[MHDNURSE]

Do you wish you could? I have a form that parents sign that authorizes the following at my discretion: Tylenol, Advil, HC 1% ointment, TUMS, neosporin, and Benadryl. They can check all or be specific about what I can and cannot give to their kid. On the one hand it is nice to be able to give a kid with a headache medicine and send them back to class, but sometimes I feel like it is more trouble than it is worth. Sometimes the kid tells me they were given "something purple before school" and I am then calling to find out if they had a fever, if they got motrin or tylenol, etc. Should I be counting my blessings that I am allowed to dispense meds?

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

If I could hand out Tums for these kids who come to me with indigestion after eating a few bags of Flaming Hot Cheetos/Takkis and a Mt Dew...that would be awesome

My most dispensed by far.

[kidzcare]

If I could hand out Tums for these kids who come to me with indigestion after eating a few bags of Flaming Hot Cheetos/Takkis and a Mt Dew...that would be awesome

Have them drink milk to neutralize.

[WineRN]

We just have it that way for emergencies (can't think of the exact wording at the moment). 95% of the time I call and say fever, the parents come without questions and I don't medicate. The other 5% want me to give the Tylenol and send their little one back to class lol

[DEgalRN]

I'm between a rock and a hard place. I'm allowed to give medication including tums, Advil, and Tylenol, and I certainly enjoy that I can help with a headache or cramps. But, I also have a lot of entitled kids who feel that any pain requires meds and their parents back them up. It's easier to give Advil for a headache that started 2 minutes ago, then to have the kid calling mom to either pick them up or complain about the school. Those times I'd rather have nothing.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I have OTCs available - basically Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cough drops, benadryl (for allergic skin reactions only), antacid/Tums, cough syrup (for 12+ only), hydrocortisone, oral gel.

It is a love/hate relationship. I deal with the older kids and acetaminophen/ibuprofen for menstrual cramps is an awesome tool to have. But students do get into the habit of asking me to medicate something first vs. trying something else, especially, for example, a headache that may be dehydration-related. I also am never 100% sure a student hasn't taken any other OTC medication prior to arriving at school; some kids are very honest, others not. Some or like "I took something this morning...it was a white pill." I use my discretion and have called home to verify in those cases if I feel the student does need another OTC. I do a lot of education with HS students about proper OTC doses, some of which scare me a bit (i.e. "I took 4 Motrin last night and another 4 this morning because my headache was super bad").

But, as another person said up thread, if the parent signed off and it keeps the kid in school vs. sneaking around me to call home, well, small victory.

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

I'm glad we have rules in place where we do not have standing orders for OTC medication. Although, I do wish we could have a standing order for Neosporin/hydrocortisone cream and that's it.

I work in a high school and without a shadow of doubt these kids will take advantage if they knew we had stock Tylenol/Advil, or even cough drops.

OTC medication parents can bring in and fill out a health history form but, I tell the parents unless your child has a chronic condition we would strongly prefer they do not send any OTC medication. In a school of 1100 students there simply is not enough space if a lot of parents was to do that.

I tell them unless your child's DR specifically say to take during school hours just keep it at home.

[GdBSN, RN]

If I have a student who comes to my clinic before noon, I always call the parent to verify that they did not take something in the morning.

[Amethya]

I wish I could then I could make things easier for the kids and myself, especially if they have fevers and they have to wait a long time for their parents to come get them.

[FloridaBeagle]

There's no way I'd have time for OTC meds without hiring more staff. I'm at schools with multiple special ed programs, so I have diabetics, tube feeds, ADHD meds etc. that eat up 2 hours of the 6 hour school day as it is. Then add in all the first aid bumps at recess and gym, asthma (both regular visits pre-gym and pre-recess and flare up visits), over a hundred IEP's that I'm involved in and random sickness, oh no. No time to be a pill mill in addition to all that! We already have about a dozen kids who have orders for tylenol et al. for their migraines/orthodontic pain.