Topical without Rx

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

My administrators have decided after a discussion at a staff meeting that ALL agents put on students should go through the nurse. Teachers have been applying essential oils supplied by parents to their students in class. I explained to the teachers that, by my license, I can not administer anything without prescription or Dr's order. Today I had my first instance. I called the mom and explained that I would happily apply the peppermint and lavender oils, which she claimed were dilute. My real concern was allergic reactions by other students. I offered her the option of calling her doctor and faxing an order to apply, which she was reluctant to do. She decided to placed it prior to drop off in the morning, as well as when she volunteers for lunch. I know this was kind of discussed, but has anyone have a definitive policy for this?

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

We had one instance last year with essential oils. Mom wanted them applied around lunch to help with concentration in the afternoon. This was for a student who is with SPED about half the time, and they were on board with trying it. We don't have a specific policy, so it was decided we would treat EO's as any other OTC med given at school (motrin, tums) and have parent sign consent, and it must be given in my office and documented. OTC's don't need a doctors order, and since EO's aren't prescription, only parent consent is needed.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

Thanks. Any Maryland nurses out here? My understanding from a County Nurse administrator, who was invaluable setting up my office, was we needed to have an order for everything we administered. Does that mean sunscreen and bug spray? This could get ridiculous.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I'm in MN. We also must have doctor's orders and parental consent for anything applied, inhaled, ingested etc throughout the school day, even OTC meds. We also do not keep stock OTC meds like Tylenol or ibuprofen. We can hand out mints in lieu of cough drops. Not sure about bug spray and sunscreen though!

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I'm not putting anything on any kids without a order.

I have standing orders for calamine, sunscreen and burn gel.

Other than that, you're on your own, kids.

Don't even get me going down the essential oils rampage again. My Mets lost and I'm in a BAD mood.

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Don't even get me going down the essential oils rampage again. My Mets lost and I'm in a BAD mood.

Some lavender might help with that:blink:

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
I'm not putting anything on any kids without a order.

I have standing orders for calamine, sunscreen and brun gel.

Other than that, you're on your own, kids.

Don't even get me going down the essential oils rampage again. My Mets lost and I'm in a BAD mood.

I hear ya', My O's lost after being in first place most of the year. We BOTH can rejoice the Yankees didn't get to see the post season!

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Some lavender might help with that:blink:

Oh.

No, you DID NOT!!!

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
Some lavender might help with that:blink:

:roflmao::roflmao:

I can't tell you the number of people that have came into my office and asked where my "good smelly thing" was (my EO diffuser I ran all last year)

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:roflmao::roflmao:

I can't tell you the number of people that have came into my office and asked where my "good smelly thing" was (my EO diffuser I ran all last year)

Eau d'Hamster.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

Now there's a stupid essential oils ad on the right hand side of my AN page! It states they can cure everything. I am sure they have one for ED.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I won't put any type of topicals on a student that can be considered medicinal without having any order. Medications in my state do not cover those which are not approved /evaluated /blessed whatever by the fda.

So there are certain things that in my office that I simply get signed off on along with my standing orders like vaseline, a&d, calamine, bactine, cepacol, eye wash, and so forth

there are also things like lip balm and hand sanitizer that i really don't give 2 hoots if I see it hanging from a kid's backpack - even though it technically contains iso alcohol usually or BZK. I don't really mind if the teachers want to keep a big bottle of Lubriderm on their desk. It cuts down on the parade of kids walking out of reading because they have dry hands.

As far as essential oils go - while i may be known to use them myself here and there - i will not oil your kid. I do not want the teacher oiling your kid and i do not want Derek to oil himself. You are free to oil him up in the morning. (the smell won't be any worse than that of my seventh graders that like to bathe in Axe)

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