OTCs in School

[Waverly]

I am looking for information from schools that allow students to carry OTCs. If your school allows that, will you share with me the process? Do you keep permission slips on file? Do you limit the number of pills they are allowed to carry? Is it limited to certain ages? Thanks in advance!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Don't allow students to carry them but we do stock a large number of them and have standing orders from the school MD for the typical stuff- tylenol, motrin, allergy meds, mucinex, cough syrup, tums, midol.

[Jolie, BSN]

Our district limits self-carry meds to those deemed necessary for life-threatening conditions (asthma, anaphylaxis) or for the self-care of chronic conditions (diabetes, CF). We require physician and parent authorization, as well as a behavior contract with the student, which clearly spells out circumstances that will invalidate the students' self carry privileges, such as sharing of medication, misuse of syringes, carelessness with lancets, etc.

With the possible exception of Benadryl for allergies, I can't think of any OTC's that fall into this category.

Otherwise, OTC's are treated the same as any medication, and require physician and parental approval. They are kept in the office and administered by the nurse, or a med-certified staff member.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

OTC's are kept in the health office as stock.

Given with written parental permission and that is ok per state law before people get all worked up.

Studetns are not supposed to carry meds (except Epi, MDI's and pancreatic enzymes). But as I am in a HS I'm sure they do.....

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

We don't allow otcs to be carried. but i'll be honest with you about one thing. I've stopped caring so much about students carrying a few Halls cough drops in their pockets. I've sent the policy out, i've informed the parents and the students and i've got waaay too many things on my plate to be the cough drop police.