ABSTRACTThe administration and storage of prescribed medication in the schools is an area in which parents, physicians and school personnel need a close working relationship. Two hundred local school superintendents, randomly selected from throughout the United States, were requested to identify if their school district had a formal written policy regarding the storage and administration of prescribed drugs and, if so, to send a copy of this policy for analysis. The recommendations derived from the policies received were readily divisible into 12 categories: (1) physician's approval/request for the administration of medication, (2) parental or guardian's request and authorization to give medication, (3) functions of the school nurse, (4) container holding medication, (5) storage of medication, (6) person responsible for administration, (7) supply of medication kept at school, (8) log or written record of medication given, (9) unused medication, (10) delivery of medication to the school, (11) recording of information in student's cumulative folder, and (12) other. The large percentage of school districts responding that they do not have formal written policies to regulate the storage and administration of prescribed drugs in the schools, coupled with the few school districts which sent policies for analysis, provide clear evidence that a greater amount of attention is needed in this area.
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