File: JLCD - Administering Medications to Students File: JLCD - Administering Medications to StudentsSchool personnel shall 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. The administration of medical marijuana shall be in accordance with the Board's policy on administration of medical marijuana to qualified students.
The term "nonprescription medication" includes but is not limited to over-the-counter medications, homeopathic and herbal medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Medication may be administered to students only when the following requirements are met:
1. Medication shall 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 shall be printed on the container.
2. The school shall have received written permission from the student's parent/guardian to administer the medication to the student and either:
a. written permission to administer the mediation from the student's health care practitioner with prescriptive authority under Colorado law; or
b. a standing medical order, if the medication is an over-the-counter medication such as Advil or Tylenol.
3. The parent/guardian shall be responsible for providing all medication to be administered to the student, unless it is an over-the-counter medication such as Advil or Tylenol.
4. The nonprescription medication is a product that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Self-administration of medication for asthma, allergies or anaphylaxis
A student with asthma, a food allergy, other severe allergies, or a related, life-threatening condition may possess and self-administer medication to treat the student's asthma, food or other allergy, anaphylaxis or related, life-threatening condition. 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 shall be in accordance with regulation JLCD-R.
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 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.
Student possession, use, distribution, sale or being under the influence of medication inconsistent with this policy shall be considered a violation of policy JICH, Drug and Alcohol Use by Students and may subject the student to disciplinary consequences, including suspension and/or expulsion, in accordance with policy JICH.
Adopted February 28, 1983
Revised September 11, 1995
Revised October 11, 2004
Revised February 9, 2009
Revised November 8, 2010
Revised September 12, 2016
Revised October 8, 2018
Revised February 10, 2020
LEGAL REFS.: 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. 22-1-119.5 (Colorado Schoolchildren's Asthma, Food Allergy, and Anaphylaxis Health Management Act)
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. 22-2-135 (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 Administration of Colorado School Children's Asthma and Anaphylaxis Act and Colorado School Children's Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act)
6 CCR 1010-6, Rule 6.13 (requirements for health services in schools)
CROSS REFS.: JICH, Drug and Alcohol Use by Students
JKD/JKE, Suspension/Expulsion of Students
JLCDA, Students with Food Allergies
JLCE, First Aid and Emergency Medical Care
JLCDB, Administration of Medical Marijuana to Qualified Students
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE), in collaboration with various school districts and other organizations, updated its guidelines titled "Medication Administration in the School Setting: Guidelines" (revised May 2010). These guidelines are available on CDE's website.