MEDICATION POLICY

 

Whenever possible, it is best that medication be given at home. Dosing of medication can frequently be done so that the child receives medication prior to going to child care, and again when returning home and/or at bedtime. The parent/guardian is encouraged to discuss this possibility with the child’s health care provider.

​

​

​

​

PURPOSE:

This policy was written to encourage communication between the parent, the child’s health care provider and the preschool to assure maximum safety in the giving of medication to the child who requires medication to be provided during the time the child is in preschool.

 

INTENT:

Assuring the health and safety of all children in Smarty Pants Preschool is a team effort by the program, family, and health care provider. This is particularly true when medication is necessary to the child’s participation in preschool. Therefore, an understanding of each of our  responsibilities, policies and procedures concerning medication administration is critical to meeting that goal.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES and PROCEDURES:

The first dose of any medication should always be given at home and with sufficient time before the child returns to child care to observe the child’s response to the medication given. When a child is ill due to a communicable disease that requires medication as treatment, we require that the child be on a particular medication for 24 hours before returning to child care. This is for the protection of the child who is ill as well as the other children in child care.

Medication will only be given when ordered by the child’s health care provider and with written consent of the child’s parent/legal guardian. A “Permission to Give Medication in Child Care” form must be completed. All information on the Permission Form must be completed before the medication can be given. Copies of this form can be duplicated or requested from the program.

Medications given in the center will be administered by a staff member designated by the Center Director and will have been informed of the child’s health needs related to the medication and will have had training in the safe administration of medication.

Any prescription medication brought to the center must be specific to the child who is to receive the medication, in its original container, have a child resistant safety cap, and be labeled with the appropriate information as follows:

Prescription medication must have the original pharmacist label that includes the pharmacists phone number, the child’s full name, name of the health care provider prescribing the medication, name and expiration date of the medication, the date it was prescribed or updated, and dosage, route, frequency, and any special instructions for its administration and/or storage. It is suggested that the parent/guardian ask the pharmacist to provide the medication in two containers, one for home and one for use in school.

 

Over-the-counter (OTC) medication will NOT be administered at Smarty Pants.

 

All medications will be stored:

Inaccessible to children
Separate from staff medications
Under proper temperature control
 

For the child who receives a particular medication on a long-term daily basis, the staff will advise the parent/guardian one week prior to the medication needing to be refilled so that needed doses of medication are not missed.

 

Unused or expired medication will be returned to the parent/guardian when it is no longer needed or be able to be used by the child.

 

Records of all medication given to a child are completed in ink and are signed by the staff designated to give the medication. These records are maintained in the Center.

 

Information exchange between the parent/guardian and center bout medication that a child is receiving should be shared when the child is brought to and pick-up from the Center. Parents/guardians should share with the staff any problems, observations, or suggestions that they may have in giving medication to their child at home, and likewise with the staff from the center to the parent/guardian. 

 

Confidentiality related to medications and their administration will be safeguarded by the Center Director and staff. Parents/guardians may request to see/review their child’s medication records maintained at the Center at any time.

 

Parent/guardian will sign all necessary medication related forms that require their signature, and particularly in the case of the emergency contact form, will update the information as necessary to safeguard the health and safety of their child.

Parent/guardian will authorize the Director or Director Designee to contact the pharmacist or health care provider for more information about the medication the child is receiving, and will also authorize the health care provider to speak with the Director or Director’s designee in the event that a situation arises that requires immediate attention to the child’s health and safety particularly is the parent/guardian cannot be reached.