Ridiculous things. This is a new one one me.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Have any of you EVER had dr. orders to give Ritalin 3 times a day at school? To be exact--- before breakfast and lunch (7:45 and 11:45) and at 2:30? I am still shaking my head on this one. :no: :sarcastic: Just to explain a little further-- the 2:30 dose is at motherdearests' request so the kids aren't sooooo wild and crazy when they get home!!! pullleeeeez

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Wow....just.....Wow!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Geez - that last dose isn't even 3 hours after the last. I would at the very least be calling the doctor's office and requesting a call back confirming administration times. What time does school start / end?

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Have any of you EVER had dr. orders to give Ritalin 3 times a day at school? To be exact--- before breakfast and lunch (7:45 and 11:45) and at 2:30? I am still shaking my head on this one.

:sarcastic: Just to explain a little further-- the 2:30 dose is at motherdearests' request so the kids aren't sooooo wild and crazy when they get home!!! pullleeeeez

No, I would want to confirm this with the doctor. The last doses are barely 3 hours apart then.

We don't administer these meds based on parent request. How is she dosing at home? If she is dosing off label then surely her insurance will deny the refill when she tried to refill too soon.

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Sounds like a parent who has Dr. under their thumb.. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I'm seeing this more and more. I've been giving one of my students a noon and 3:00 pm dose of Ritalin for going on 2 years now. It's simply for homework and after school activities. I usually don't administer the am dose unless the parents are inconsistent in giving it at home; but, if so, for the teacher and student's benefit I'll volunteer to give the morning dose. Of course this is all according to the prescription/MD.

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I've had a few students that I've administered the AM dose for, mostly because they might attend day care in the morning and the parents don't want to give the medication at 6am when school doesn't start until 8. However, right now I have a student who comes in for his extended release at 8am after mom/dad drop him off at 730. Seems like that could easily be given before he gets to school, but what do I know???

If morning doses are forgotten often, I've recommended to parents that we do a PRN order and have some extra on hand and fax the doctor for the order stating "Ritalin 5mg to be administered at school for AM dose PRN if forgotten at home" and then I always confirm with the parent that it was in fact forgotten before administering.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
Geez - that last dose isn't even 3 hours after the last. I would at the very least be calling the doctor's office and requesting a call back confirming administration times. What time does school start / end?

I am trying to confirm now. One of the 2 little darlings bottle say specifically- breakfast, lunch and 2:30. Ugggh...is it May yet?

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i am hesitant with giving morning medications. I get that there will be student benefit and staff benefit, but I also have some very negligent lazy parents that would abdicate that responsibility to me in a moment and the next thing to know i've got 45 kids lined up for their morning doses of ritalin, vyvanse, adderall or what have you. I feel like if I do for one - unless there is some extenuating circumstance - i'd have to do for all.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
Geez - that last dose isn't even 3 hours after the last. I would at the very least be calling the doctor's office and requesting a call back confirming administration times. What time does school start / end?[

/QUOTE]

School is from 8:10 to 3:30.

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I have twins who get ritalin 3x a day and 2 of them are at school. It was a nightmare for me because they are identical and they have two totally different dosages. Now I can tell them apart and the medication hasn't been an issue at all.

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I have twins who get ritalin 3x a day and 2 of them are at school. It was a nightmare for me because they are identical and they have two totally different dosages. Now I can tell them apart and the medication hasn't been an issue at all.

Yikes! That would make me nervous if they got mischievous!

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