JLCD, Administering Medicine to Students
JLCD, Administering Medicine to Students
School personnel may not administer prescription or nonprescription medications to students unless appropriate administration cannot reasonably be accomplished outside of school hours. Medication may be administered to students by school personnel whom a registered nurse has trained and delegated the task of administering such medication. For purposes of this policy, the term “medication” includes both prescription medication and nonprescription medication, but does not include medical marijuana.
Student possession, use, distribution, sale or being under the influence of medication inconsistent with this policy will be considered a violation of Board policy concerning drug and alcohol involvement by students and may subject the student to disciplinary consequences, including suspension and/or expulsion, in accordance with applicable Board policy.
The administration of medical marijuana must be in accordance with the Board's policy on administration of medical marijuana to qualified students (Policy JLCDB).
The term "nonprescription medication" includes but is not limited to over-the-counter medications, homeopathic and herbal medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and topical applications.
Medication may be administered to students by the school nurse or other school designee only when the following requirements are met:
Medication must be in the original properly labeled container. If it is a prescription medication, the student's name, name of the medication, dosage, how often it is to be administered, and name of the prescribing health care practitioner must be printed on the container.
The school must have received written permission to administer the medication from the student's health care practitioner with prescriptive authority under Colorado law.
The school must have received written permission from the student's parent/guardian to administer the medication to the student.
The parent/guardian will be responsible for providing all medication to be administered to the student.
The nonprescription medication is a product that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the District will consider certain experimental or other nonprescription medications on a case-by-case basis with parent/guardian permission and health care practitioner recommendation.
For Nonprescription Medications (not administered by school personnel)
For nonprescription medications, the school must receive written permission from the student’s parent/guardian allowing the student to take the medication at school.
The student may not possess more than one day's dosage of any such medication.
The medication shall be in the original, properly labeled container or other container approved by the school.
Self-administration of medication for asthma, allergies, anaphylaxis, or other prescription medications
A student with asthma, a food allergy, severe allergies, a related, life-threatening condition, or who is prescribed medication by a licensed health care practitioner may possess and self-administer medication to treat the student's asthma, food or other allergy, anaphylaxis or related, life-threatening condition, or other condition for which the mediation is prescribed. Self-administration of such medication may occur during school hours, at school-sponsored activities, or while in transit to and from school or a school-sponsored activity. Student possession and self-administration of such medication must be in accordance with the regulation accompanying this policy.
Authorization for a student to possess and self-administer medication to treat the student's asthma, food or other allergy, anaphylaxis or other related, life-threatening condition, or other condition for which the medication is prescribed may be limited or revoked by the school principal after consultation with the school nurse and the student's parent/guardian if the student demonstrates an inability to responsibly possess and self-administer such medication.
The district will have a stock supply of opiate antagonists to assist a student who is at risk of experiencing an opiate-related drug overdose event. For purposes of this policy, an opiate antagonist means naloxone hydrochloride or any similarly acting drug that is not a controlled substance and that is approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of a drug overdose.
The stock supply of opiate antagonists may also be used to assist a district employee or any other person who is at risk of experiencing an opiate-related drug overdose event.
Administration of an opiate antagonist by a district employee to a student or any other person must be in accordance with applicable state law.
Adopted prior to 1985
Revised February 18, 1986
Revised July 15, 1992
Revised December 6, 1995
Revised October 1997
Revised January 21, 2004
Revised April 5, 2006
Reviewed May 5, 2010
Revised August 17, 2016
Revised December 6, 2017
Revised September 22, 2021
Revised May 4, 2022
Legal References
C.R.S. 12-38-132 (delegation of nursing tasks)
C.R.S. 12-38-132.3 (school nurses - over-the-counter medication)
C.R.S. 22-1-119 (no liability for adverse drug reactions/side effects)
C.R.S. 22-1-119.3 (3)(c), (d) (no student possession or self-administration of medical marijuana, but school districts must permit the student's primary caregiver to administer medical marijuana to the student on school grounds, on a school bus or at a school-sponsored event)
C.R.S. 22-1-119.5 (Colorado Schoolchildren’s Asthma & Anaphylaxis Health Management Act)
C.R.S. 22-2-135 (Colorado School Children’s Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act)
C.R.S. 24-10-101 et seq. (Colorado Governmental Immunity Act)
1 CCR 301-68 (State Board of Education rules regarding student possession and administration of asthma, allergy and anaphylaxis management medications or other prescription medications)
6 CCR 1010-6, Rule 6.13 (requirements for health services in schools)
Cross References
GBG, Liability of School Personnel/Staff Protection
JICH, Drug and Alcohol Involvement by Students
JKD/JKE, Classroom Removal/Suspension/Expulsion/Denial of Admission
JLCDA, Student with Food Allergies
JLCDB, Administration of Medical Marijuana, Hemp Oil and Cannabinoid Products to Qualified Students
JLCDB-E, Administration of Medical Marijuana to Qualified Students
JLCE, First Aid
Note: see “School Nurse Protocols” for procedures for administration.