Storing medications

[WineRN]

I have a lot of little ones of inhalers... around 15 that come daily to use before PE, plus the PRNS. The previous nurse just had them all piled into a basket with the spacers in another basket (everything properly labeled). Is there a better way to store these so I'm not digging through the pile every day?

[LessValuableNinja]

Most schools that I've seen have little baskets in a locked cabinet. Each is labeled with the student's name. It contains things like inhalers, medication containers, oral syringes, and so on. Inhalers are stored in a plastic bag in the mini basket.

[shark_nurse14, BSN, RN]

I use a shoe organizer! Each kid gets there own little cubby, and I keep it in my lockable closet so they are safe and sound. Each compartment, as well as each inhaler/spacer, is labeled with the students name and grade. I also keep an extra copy of all paperwork in with it so it's an easy grab-and-go for field trips, and makes it easier for substitutes!

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I use a shoe organizer! Each kid gets there own little cubby, and I keep it in my lockable closet so they are safe and sound. Each compartment, as well as each inhaler/spacer, is labeled with the students name and grade. I also keep an extra copy of all paperwork in with it so it's an easy grab-and-go for field trips, and makes it easier for substitutes!

I also use a shoe organizer. It works very well. I also put Epi-pens in one - super easy if I am called to an emergency that might require one for a certain student; quick scan and grab to throw into my to-go emergency kit. Also makes field trip planning a breeze as mentioned above. It hangs on the back of my in office bathroom door.

I have a folder on my desk next to all the students emergency health forms that has all current medication orders, asthma, and allergy actions plans if needed. (I enter them all into the computer as well for easy look up).

Though I do work with the older kids (7th-12th), so most self carry inhalers and/or Epi-pens and I just hold on to the back-up. I don't put them in a locked cabinet - my office locks automatically if I close the door (I work after school as well, so I'm usually here when students are, but it has a keypad entry that my trained admins can access if I'm not) and students need easy access to these meds if needed in an emergency. My daily meds/PRNS (i.e. Ritalin) do stay in a locked cabinet.

[verdeacres]

Organizers are a great idea, I have been in clinics without locked doors and the meds have been in a locked desk drawer or filing cabinet after school hours if need be.

[Eleven011]

I don't have that many, so I keep them in my locked desk drawer, each child has a labeled zip lock baggie that holds their inhaler/spacer chamber/etc.

[BeckyESRN]

Luckily, I have a good bit of locked cabinet space. I keep daily meds in on cabinet, each in a small bin, labeled with first name and time of dose-inside the bin is the student's full name and photo. My PRNs in are a double door cabinet in bins labeled with first name, photo, expiration date, and grade/teacher. I have a shelf for each grade, which makes it easy to keep organized.

[grammy1]

We keep ours in a file cabinet. Dailys and epi pens in the top drawer, prns below. Each student has their own (half size) brown manila envelope with their name on it. The prns have alphabetical dividers so they're sorted alphabetically. Just lock the file cabinet at the end of the day and we're done.

[scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

I keep epipens and diastat in a clear plastic shoe storage thing that is on my wall. I keep inhalers in a file cabinet, each child has their own "file" space and I keep them in a labeled plastic bag. It is alphabetical so I can grab what I need quickly and it can be locked at night.

[rn4kiddos]

I keep clear shoe bags with a pic of each child for the spacers/tubing and masks on the outside of my cabinet. Inside the cabinet I have original box of that meds came in with a label, and box also has pic of student. trying to post a pic of it, but it is not working.

[Windchaser22]

All daily and prn meds are in a locked cabinet. I have a rolling cart with the emergency meds. The drawers are broken down by glucagon, epi, and inhalers. Each child has a marked baggy with their meds and orders with their picture on it. I keep it alphabetized by drawer.

[scrubsrn24]

Do you keep your EpiPens in a locked cabinet? I currently have my daily meds and most inhalers locked, but I have Epipens in an unlocked cabinet