Mailing Medication

[Csn2016, BSN]

Quick question! We had a student transfer out of our district and move an hour and a half way (as usual the nurses are never informed until they are physically gone). The parent just called and requested that the students inhaler be mailed to their new address. I told her I'd have to check school policy first (not that we have one on this) so I could look further into it and talk to our principal--of course mom is mad, (yet it would be way faster to contact the old pediatrician and have a new script sent to a local pharmacy) and I dont think we can mail medication right? I mean if it were Adderall or any other med I'd of course say absolutely not but its an inhaler so before I say 100% no wanted to see other nursing input on this. This is probably a really dumb question but one of those things that makes me second guess myself.

[AdobeRN]

I would probably run it by admin/nurse coordinator first to see if it is ok then have parent request it in writing. I would not have a problem mailing it if admin/nurse coordinator is ok with it - I wouldn't use my own pocket money to do it though.

But I agree with you - seems like it would be easier to just get a new RX, at least that would be what I would do as a parent ?

[tining, BSN, RN]

I have met a parent to hand off medication. Did they move far away?

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

29 minutes ago, tining said:

I have met a parent to hand off medication. Did they move far away?

YOU ARE AWESOME.

I agree about not mailing meds with street value. I am on the fence about this. If you're told absolutely no, don't. If your boss is on the fence...maybe it's OK?

I dislike it when parents put me in the middle like this. We have a clear policy - you pick the medication up or it's destroyed by June 1. No exceptions. And yet...in a sob story, my baby needs her inhaler...my resolve crumbles a little.

[BeckyESRN]

19 minutes ago, ruby_jane said:

YOU ARE AWESOME.

I agree about not mailing meds with street value. I am on the fence about this. If you're told absolutely no, don't. If your boss is on the fence...maybe it's OK?

I dislike it when parents put me in the middle like this. We have a clear policy - you pick the medication up or it's destroyed by June 1. No exceptions. And yet...in a sob story, my baby needs her inhaler...my resolve crumbles a little.

That and knowing how ridiculously expensive inhalers can be!

[AdobeRN]

1 minute ago, BeckyESRN said:

That and knowing how ridiculously expensive inhalers can be!

No kidding! Kills me every June when I end up disposing 3-6 inhalers, along with Epipens and OTC meds - some of OTC meds that have never been opened - such a waste.

On the other hand - it is clearly written out in our student handbook, on our medication consent forms, school newsletter (at end of year), I send out a mass email at end of year and email each parent of kiddo that has medication in my clinic the disposing policy twice before the end of the year - really my parents have no excuse of leaving any medication in my office after June 1st.

[Csn2016, BSN]

Thanks for the replies! I did email the school health coordinator RN for our area in the state for guidance. I just dont want anything coming back on me if something happens with it. They moved an hour and a half away and I'm not about driving 40 min the opposite direction of my house to meet a parent when I live 30 min from work as it is lol

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

36 minutes ago, Csn2016 said:

Thanks for the replies! I did email the school health coordinator RN for our area in the state for guidance. I just dont want anything coming back on me if something happens with it. They moved an hour and a half away and I'm not about driving 40 min the opposite direction of my house to meet a parent when I live 30 min from work as it is lol

Technically they abandoned the inhaler when they moved.

And I never got in trouble by following the rules all the way. When my heart strings got tugged and I bent rules I ended up regretting that...

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Maybe I'd mail an inhaler that required signature upon delivery. I don't want to get myself into a situation of "but it never arrived...."

But that's a maybe.

Side note: I do give parents an option for me to hold Epi-pens/inhalers over the summer for the next school year if they will still be valid into the next school year and they have another one at home. But I do ask for a new order for the new school year. I started doing this when it was so hard to get them to bring back in an inhaler and having a student tell me "I have like 4 at home."

Move out of district and don't pick up? I dispose after about a month.

[scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

Can you mail it to the nurse at the new school? I would get the school info and call the nurse there and tell them you will mail it there, That way at least the student would have it at school.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

7 minutes ago, scuba nurse said:

Can you mail it to the nurse at the new school? I would get the school info and call the nurse there and tell them you will mail it there, That way at least the student would have it at school.

See- six heads are better than one. I would never have thought of that.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Many insurance companies mail meds, that part is OK. Now whether you are willing to take the risk, well... I'd be afraid it gets lost and the parents go postal. If it is that important, 90 minutes isn't that far, or they could designate someone to pick it up for them and they mail it.