School Dispensary

[Rangat]

How does it work at your schools?

If a kid has a headache, does he get a pill?

Here, pain pills are handed out like sweets by the reception ladies.

And today, they handed out ASPIRIN to a 13yo girl, who had a headache and Hx of asthma, and allergic to aspirin, and then of course she got an astma attack.

By the time the PARENTS get the kid to the hospital, she is centrally cyanosed.
B-2's sorted it out.

Is it just me or was there almost 3 contra-indications in place to avoid this?

1 Sensetivity:excl: :excl: :excl:
2 <12yo (almost)
3 previous intake of similar drug
4 asthma:excl: :excl: :excl:
5 active ulcer
6 kidney problems
7 pregnancy
8 bleeding tendancy


So, do all of your schools have nurses-on-site? what else?




BTW, in case someone didn't know, Aspirin does not "thin your blood" (horrible term), it does not change blood viscousity.

EVERY layman thinks that for some reason.:sad:

 

[ffemt8978]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Aspirin does not thin your blood, as previously stated, but doesn't it interact with the platlets and their clotting factor?

 

[gradygirl]

Our Health Center is a licensed Outpatient Clinic (and is the first all APRN staffed clinic in the nation). We also have a physician and a 24 hr. nurse on-call for the Clinic. As soon as the Clinic closes, TCERT comes online.

And you're correct about asprin interacting with the platelets. It is an anticoagulant, which prevents the platelets from sticking together and clotting. In fact, aspirin taken within 5 min. of the symptoms of a heart attack has the same effectiveness as thrombolytics in a hospital.

 

[Jon]

In Elementary/Middle/High school, there was ALWAYS a school nurse. We had "substitute nurses" and when the nurse had a meeting, no one got meds or help unless it was an emergency.

When the nurse was there.. she handed out pepto, advil, APAP,

"she" also had benadryl for bad allergic reactions.

 

[lfsvr0114]

My son's school will not give any meds to a child without first calling a parent for permission. Then it is only Tylenol. Anything else has to be sent in by the parent with a note as to dosage and times to give meds. All meds are kept in the nurses office, whether there is a prescription for it or OTC. Even prescription meds have to have a written note stating the times and dosage of the meds.

 

[Jon]

Great point... all parents had to sign a slip authorizing anything... if the kid has anything more than a headache/stomachache... then mom/dad get called.

 

[gradygirl]

In middle and high school we had to fill out a form and have our parents sign it if we wanted to be given Ibuprofen. And any time we had some sort of other ailment requiring any other OTC meds, we had to call our parents and ask for permission.

 

[akflightmedic]

Here in Florida, you have to have a prescription from a doctor, a slip from the parents for ANY med to be given(including over the counter)

For example, the other day...my daughter forgot to take her claritin before school. I took the pill down there and since I had no prescription for it(over the counter) we had to sign her out, walk outside and give it to her so she could not be seen by school staff and then sign her back in 2 mins later. Very ridiculous in my opinion. Sometimes the red tape BS just kills me....

 

[Rangat]

Hey, thx for the replies. There definately has to be some rules put in place here.

I did say that ASA doesn't affect blood viscousity. And you guys are right about the anti-thrombotic effect among others.

But research has shown that if you give an MI pt ASA, and not combine it with thrombolytics at hospital, that it does not show much effect on it's own in the long run. Well thats what the university taught us anywayh34r:

Thx again guys

regards

 

[MMiz]

In Michigan it was my experience and understanding that most schools do not have nurses. Medicine can be given out only if a parent fills out a form and provides the medication. Tylenol and other OTC drugs are not provided.

I once had a student go into a severe asthma attack. The school didn't want to call EMS, and the mom didn't want to drive to the school to provide the inhaler. This girl was literally on the floor hunched over. I thought it was "girl problems" until I heard the story. I really can't believe they wouldn't have called 911.

Oh well.

 

[rescuecpt]

In NY the school nurse can only give you your prescribed meds, at least, that's how it was back in the stone age when I went to school. I remember she would make you gargle with salt water anytime you had a sore throat - too bad I can't gargle. LOL.

 

[aline]

Here there is no school nurse, they have an MA. They can only give medication, prescribed or OTC, with a note from the doctor and a note from the parent, and the kids can't have anything on their person. When I asked what about the kids that have to carry an epi-pen or inhaler because of severe, lifethreatening reactions, I was told, "The health aid would give it when she got to the child. This policy is for the safety of your child." They would not budge on medications for a lifethreatening condition. Not even on a case by case basis.

Since I can't even send throat lozenges to school with them when they have a cough, I send peppermint candies. Works just as well and it's not a medication so the school can't say anything. I just send a note telling their teachers that they are not to take the candy away from the kids and why. The teachers in the past have thought it was a cool idea. They had no idea that peppermint was a natural cough suppressant.

They also have a policy that if the child is seriously hurt/ill, they will call the parents or the other emergency contacts to see what they want to do. I'll have the schools head on a platter if either of my kids is seriously injured/ill and they wait to call an ambulance until they can get a hold of me. The first call should be to 911, the second to me.

Take Care and Stay Safe.

 

[Jon]

Aline... I'm with you 100% - if there isn't an RN on site... they should be calling 911 for anything serious...

however... When I was in 1st grade, I got "pushed" into a basketball pole and needed 3 stitches to close a laceration over my eye.... This was "urgent" but not emergent... so the RN called my parents and my dad came and took me over to the ED.

Anyway - I didn't realize how lucky my school district is to have RN's in every school and a parent who is a licensed School RN and is willing to help cover Nurses' days off.

 

[MMiz]

Aline... I'm with you 100% - if there isn't an RN on site... they should be calling 911 for anything serious...

however... When I was in 1st grade, I got "pushed" into a basketball pole and needed 3 stitches to close a laceration over my eye.... This was "urgent" but not emergent... so the RN called my parents and my dad came and took me over to the ED.

Anyway - I didn't realize how lucky my school district is to have RN's in every school and a parent who is a licensed School RN and is willing to help cover Nurses' days off.

I once student taught in a very wealthy area, and they had students' parents, who were MDs, volunteer to rotate in and out of the position, but only during lunch time. Sounds impressive, but what happened to the other seven hours of the day?

 

[doc5242]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Aspirin does not thin your blood, as previously stated, but doesn't it interact with the platlets and their clotting factor?

you are correct sir, aspirin is not a blood thinner, but an anti-coagulation agent, it keeps the platlets from binding the red blood cells.

 

[Puahala]

hmmm

Anyway besides the whole How does asa work thing.. for one asa shouldnt be given to kids under the age of 16. Reyes syndrome is fatal and can be caused by giving kids asa especially with flu symptoms.

Just thought I would add that cause I wasnt able to take asa until I was 18 cause my mom scarred me till the point where I thought I was going to die.. still dont take it till this day... think it could be an example of a freudian idea?? just playin.. just a tidbit of information to keep in mind.. Have a good day!