Health Services

Studies have clearly documented that healthy students perform better in school. Pike Road Schools will have ongoing activities that help prevent the spread of communicable diseases and help our students stay healthy. We encourage you to contact the school nurse with questions to help your child stay healthy. 

 

INDIVIDUALIZED HEALTH PLANS

Annually, you should inform your building level nurse of any medical history/diagnosis as it pertains to your child’s schooling. Please make an appointment with your school’s clinic nurse every year prior to the first day of school to discuss any significant health information (diabetes, epilepsy, anaphylaxis, catheterization, and daily medications for example) to decide if an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP) is needed.  This plan should be made, agreed upon and signed prior to the beginning of each school year.  This plan is created to inform those who have educational contact with your child about his/her health needs in the day to day, and provides school employees with much needed information in an emergency. 

 

ILLNESS  

If a student becomes ill at school, the lead learner will send the student to the school nurse, at which time his/her temperature will be checked and his or her parents will be notified if necessary. Students who present with no exclusion criteria are given the option to call home on their own, together you and your child can decide if you feel they should come home.  If you check out your child, and they have no exclusion criteria you will need to provide an excuse note for them as per usual protocol. We recommend you encourage your child to remain at school if you know they have a tendency to malinger, if on the other hand your child rarely complains please feel free to keep them at home when ill even if they are not febrile.  In light of the recent pandemic please keep in mind any respiratory symptoms should be treated as potential COVID-19 and proper precautions should be taken to prevent the spread.  

 

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Students will be required to check out and may not return to school (excluded) for at least 24 hours for:

  • Vomiting as the only symptom (24 hours past the last episode of vomiting)
  • Acute diarrhea as the only symptom (24 hours past the last episode of diarrhea)
  • Other suspected contagious infection/rash as identified by the school nurse

 

COVID symptom specific exclusion is as follows for any fever as well as any child presenting with two or more COVID symptoms as listed on the CDC website.

 

Your child should not return to school until:

 

1.    A doctor has diagnosed an illness other than COVID and provides written clearance for school

OR

2.    It has been 10 days since the onset or diagnosis of COVID like symptoms

            AND

a.    It has been at least 24 hours since your child’s last fever without fever reducing medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.  

            AND

b.    Your child’s symptoms are improving

 

 

 

INJURY

Small scrapes and cuts will be cleaned and bandaged by a lead learner, paraprofessional or school nurse, and notification about the situation will be made by the lead learner, paraprofessional, nurse or administrator.

 

In the event of a significant injury to a student, every effort will be made to contact a parent as quickly as possible. It is essential that current phone numbers and contact information be on file with the registrar’s office (not just updated with your lead learner) so that parents/guardians can be contacted in a timely manner.

 

If a serious injury occurs, emergency services will be called and the child will be transported if it is determined to be in the best interest of the child. If costs are associated with transporting the child, the parent/guardian will be responsible for the expense.

 

 

LICE

Head lice is not specifically a 24-hour exclusion, rather the child will need to remain home until all nits are removed from the hair.  We have adopted this policy due to the likelihood of head to head contact in our specific school setting (we do not sit at individual desks; project work is a team effort, and as such lends itself to working in close proximity to one another).  

 

MEDICATION GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Medications of any kind (prescription or over the counter) should not be carried by any learner without the proper paperwork on file with the school nurse (this includes field trips).  Daily prescription medications, non-emergent OTC medications, and controlled substances are not allowed to be carried on person (self-carry), and should be stored in the locked medication cabinet in the nurse’s office.  Please read the information below very carefully concerning medications in the school setting.

 

The Alabama Board of Nursing, Alabama State Department of Education, and Pike Road Board of Education have strict guidelines regarding medications in the school setting. A School Medication Prescriber Parent Authorization (PPA) form must be completed for both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medication. These forms must be signed by your doctor and by a parent/guardian; please read the form carefully and completely before returning it to the nurse’s office.  These forms are available on the PRS website, in the main office, and in the school clinic.

 

Initial drop offs and refills of daily medications to be administered by the school nurse must be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent/guardian during school hours after an appointment has been made; no medications will be accepted the first day of school.  You should be prepared to drop off daily medications prior to the first day of school; our nurses have a very busy day on the first day and do not have the time to properly take in prescriptions that day.  The paper/computer work involved in keeping medication at school is extensive, and requires some prep work, please be prepared to provide the name, and dose of the medication while making the appointment. Upon drop of at the appointed time the medication will be counted by the nurse with the expectation that the parent/guardian will provide a witness signature for all controlled substances.  

 

Medications must be picked up prior to the last work day of the school year.  Parents should understand that if they do not pick up the medication it will be destroyed.  We do not store medications or medical devices over the summer. 

 

REFILLS

Learners should under no circumstance bring a refill of medication in their backpack or on their person (repeat offense of this will result I an office referral for disciplinary action).  Some of these medications can be misappropriated for profit or abuse. In addition, if one of these medications were accidentally or intentionally shared with another learner it could be deadly. These regulations are in place to protect our learners, the school district and the parent/guardian.  We can never be too vigilant when it comes to narcotic medications in a school setting (Ritalin, Focalin, Vyvanse, Quillivent, Adderal etc.)  Additionally, no narcotic (opioids such as Percocet, oxycodone, Vicodin, tramadol etc.) pain medication will be administered or allowed in the school setting; if a learner is in enough pain to require opioid medications they should stay home.

 

PERSCRIPTION LABELS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

All prescription medication must have a valid prescription label, with the correct dosage instructions that is not expired (this includes Epi-pens and asthma inhalers).  This can be a copy of the box, or an extra label from the pharmacy, but we must have a pharmacy label for EVERY prescription medication.  

 

OTC medications must be in an unopened container from the manufacture and appropriate for age. For example, do not bring adult Tylenol or Advil to be administered to your elementary learner. The package must have an age-appropriate label.   

 

SELF CARRY MEDICATIONS

No medication of any kind should be carried and/or self-administered by a student without the proper paperwork filled out in the school nurse’s office.    Controlled substances will never be allowed as self-carry at PRS.  All controlled substances must be locked under double lock and key for safety.  

 

If a student is approved by a physician to self-carry a medication such as an inhaler, epi pen or insulin, please complete the self-carry contract in the nurse’s office to ensure the child is aware of his/her responsibilities when it comes to having a medication on their person.