Med admin window

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Hey all! Got myself a "situation" that I'd love some guidance on :)

I have a student who has medication scheduled for 1130 and 2. Mom is a teacher and works on campus (yay!). We've been back to school for a grand total of 5 days and everyday mom has tried to "tweak" his med schedule so that it lines up better for what she wants it to. Long story short, she doesn't want his med to wear off before football practice is over in the evening :cautious:

My questions are...

1) what is your med admin window? In the hospital we had 1.5 hours on either side of a med before it was considered late or early. Realistically, that can't be applied in a school setting so I tend to stick to 15-30 mins on either side. Lately he's tried to come as early at 10:45 for his 11:30 med. I'll send him back to class and then his mom will send him back to me within 10 mins. :banghead:

2) how close to dismissal do you administer scheduled meds? My school releases at 2:15 and the student goes to the afterschool program that we have. It's kind of a different situation as we have teachers that work for our school who run it, but the program itself is not technically part of the school so training the afterschool staff to administer the med isn't an option. I've told mom this. This student's meds are scheduled for 2 pm per MD orders. Mom wants me to give them at 2:30 but school dismisses at 2:15 so...

Poor kid is super confused on when he's supposed to take his meds. I'm telling him one thing. Mom is telling him another. And I can't seem to get her to understand that I can't just give meds whenever she wants me to....

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Have mom get you a note from his MD with the times she wants the med given or let her give the med whenever she wants to and leave you out of it.

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Specializes in NCSN.
Have mom get you a note from his MD with the times she wants the med given or let her give the med whenever she wants to and leave you out of it.

I like this option best. If mom wants to play games AND she's on campus, then she can administer it herself until she is set on a time.

We go an hour each way (i usually am calling after 15 mins though). I can administer all the way until dismissal technically since we host an afterschool program here. My last one is 30 mins prior for a little one who's parents don't get here for another 2 hours.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.

We have a 1 hour window on either side of scheduled time. I wouldn't want to give a med at 2:00 unless they really needed it because we get out at 3:00 and sometimes we go to meetings, cover for other schools ect. Just like I wouldn't want to give an 8 AM med.

Just like I am not responsible to admin medication after school if a kid is here getting tutored, you shoudnt have to give meds at 2:30, what does your head nurse say about this? I would set my foot down and tell mom to give it. Also, tell her that it takes 30-45 min anyway for a med to get into the blood stream.

2:00pm or nada mama.

BUT if you do have an 1 hour window between meds. Give his 11:00am med at 10 am and his 2pm med at 1 pm.

Just a suggestion

But I do like the other suggestion about the mom leaving you out of it. lol

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Either new med orders with exact times to be given or mom can give them to the student. I have a 30 min before or 30 min after window to give the medications in my district.

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We have a 1 hour window on either side of scheduled time. I wouldn't want to give a med at 2:00 unless they really needed it because we get out at 3:00 and sometimes we go to meetings, cover for other schools ect. Just like I wouldn't want to give an 8 AM med.

Just like I am not responsible to admin medication after school if a kid is here getting tutored, you shoudnt have to give meds at 2:30, what does your head nurse say about this? I would set my foot down and tell mom to give it. Also, tell her that it takes 30-45 min anyway for a med to get into the blood stream.

2:00pm or nada mama.

BUT if you do have an 1 hour window between meds. Give his 11:00am med at 10 am and his 2pm med at 1 pm.

Just a suggestion

But I do like the other suggestion about the mom leaving you out of it. lol

Man I would love to do the 10 am/1 pm routine but the mom would flip because in her mind, 2 pm is too early to give it because it would be worn off by the time he got to football practice. She is legitimately being a stickler about this because of football practice that isn't even related to the school. :sarcastic: As far as the head nurse goes, you're lookin' at her! Its just me for my whole district so sometimes I overthink things and I get stumped on what to do and just need some options from my virtual nurse pals :) As far as a district policy, I'm almost positive we don't have one that pertains to medication administration timing.....definitely something I'm going to look into and get implemented if its not there! Thanks!

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Have mom get you a note from his MD with the times she wants the med given or let her give the med whenever she wants to and leave you out of it.

I like this OD. Thanks for the help! Honestly, it would be better for her to just do it so she can adjust it whenever she feels she needs to and then its not on me. I have a feeling it'll get to that point when she realizes I mean what I say when I tell her I can't just do what she wants!

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Have mom get you a note from his MD with the times she wants the med given or let her give the med whenever she wants to and leave you out of it.

Old Dude- just a question. What would you do if a Doctor Note specifically specified that "med to be given at 2:30 pm EXACTLY. NO DEVIATION."

Like I could see Mama twisting her provider's arm to acquiesce to her demands just to placate her.

She'd be thinking she pulled 'a fast one' on you that you 'have to follow'.

Best wishes to you school folk as your new year starts again. "May the Force be with you."

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Give it 5 minutes before your workday ends, which it 1430 right?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Old Dude- just a question. What would you do if a Doctor Note specifically specified that "med to be given at 2:30 pm EXACTLY. NO DEVIATION."

Like I could see Mama twisting her provider's arm to acquiesce to her demands just to placate her.

She'd be thinking she pulled 'a fast one' on you that you 'have to follow'.

Best wishes to you school folk as your new year starts again. "May the Force be with you."

Thank you for your support! I'm not sure how I would react to such an order. I guess my first question would be to clarify what time to use...Greenwich Mean Time, Time.gov, or the same time as the MD's Cell provider uses or maybe a sundial.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

The 2:30 one is kind of tricky. If school gets out at 2 you really shouldn't be responsible for giving it, but if he's still on campus every day for after school activities and you are still on the clock I guess if it were me I wouldn't have a problem with it.

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agreed with AVVILL

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