Medication at School

In Mesquite ISD, medication orders must be submitted with a parent request for medication administration at school. 

• Medication orders are written by health-care professionals (MD, DO, DDS, Advanced Practice Nurse, or Physician Assistant) who are licensed by the State of Texas and who have the authority to write prescriptions. 
• Orders may be presented in various forms such as a prescription label, a Diabetes Management Plan signed by a physician, an Asthma Action Plan signed by a health-care professional with prescriptive authority, or a written medication order.
  • Physician orders or prescription labels that appear to be altered in any way may not be accepted.

Student medication and supplies necessary for administration at school are provided by a student's parent or guardian with the exception of emergency stock epinephrine auto-injectors.  It is highly recommended that any student with a known allergy and anaphylaxis have their own prescribed epinephrine auto-injector at school.

Parent requests for non-prescription or over-the-counter medication, including sample medicine from the physician's office, cough drops and over-the-counter pain medication, must be accompanied by a signed physician's order.  Non-prescription or over-the-counter medication may not be administered at school without a parent request form and a physician order.

A Parent Request for Medication Administration at School form submitted annually must be on file for each medication considered for administration at school, including insulin. The form is available from your school nurse and includes a signature line for the student's physician to sign for sample or over-the-counter medication and will suffice as an order when: 

• Submitted with the physician signature,
• The physician's printed name or stamp, and
• The date signed by a physician.  

The prescription label instructions or medication orders shall be followed by school employees. 

Changes to medication administration instructions must be accompanied by an updated physician order or prescription label and an updated Parent Request form.

When a parent's request differs from the physician orders or a prescription label, the school nurse may, to ensure student safety, contact the prescribing physician for written clarification of the order.  

Students enrolled in MISD may possess and self-administer prescription asthma or anaphylaxis medication during school and school-related activities when the following criteria are met:

Self Administration Authorization Form

1. The prescription label must be intact and legible;
2. The student has demonstrated to their healthcare provider and school nurse that they can competently self-administer their prescription medication, including any device required to administer the medication as indicated by:
   • Written authorization from the physician or other licensed healthcare provider, and,
   • Assessment and documentation of the student's skill level by the school nurse.
3. Self-administration is in compliance with the prescription or written instructions from the student's physician or other licensed healthcare provider;
4. The parent/legal guardian provides the school with the following:
   • Written authorization signed by the parent for the student to self-administer the prescription medicine while on school property and at school-related or school- sponsored activities and events.
   • A written statement by the physician or other licensed healthcare provider, signed by the physician or other licensed healthcare provider, that states:
     • The student has asthma or anaphylaxis and is capable of self-administering the prescription medicine;
     • The name and purpose of the medicine;
     • The prescribed dosage for the medicine;
     • The times at which or circumstances under which the medicine may be administered;
     • The period of time for which the medicine is prescribed.
5. The medication with the prescription label must be kept in the student's possession throughout the school day and during any school-related activities. 
6. A student may choose not to carry the medicine on their person and may deliver the medicine for safekeeping in the school clinic.
7. Students having authorization to carry and self-administer asthma medication are encouraged to notify the school nurse when they experience little or no relief of symptoms, when they use their medicine more than once in a school day, or when they use their medicine more than three times in one week.
8. Students having authorization to carry and self-administer anaphylaxis medicine during the school day must notify the nearest MISD employee or adult volunteer of any allergic reaction leading to the need for self-administration.  Emergency Medical Services (911) is activated whenever anaphylaxis is suspected and whenever emergency epinephrine is administered at a Mesquite ISD campus or school-sponsored event or activity.

Should a student be found unable to administer their asthma or anaphylaxis emergency medicine due to limited developmental ability or physical strength, the parent/guardian and the physician or other licensed healthcare provider will be notified and an alternate emergency action plan shall be implemented.

Students diagnosed with Type I diabetes may carry their diabetes supplies during the school day and at school sponsored events when self-management is afforded by the student’s diabetes management plan and their individualized healthcare plan. 

The individualized healthcare plan is developed by the school nurse in collaboration with the student, the parent, the healthcare provider, teachers, cafeteria staff, campus counselor, and campus principal.

Students meeting the criteria who choose to self-manage at school are encouraged to seek assistance from the school nurse for:

• Abnormal blood glucose;
• Abnormal urine ketone levels; and,
• Any health concerns related to diabetes self-management. 

Herbal substances or dietary supplements, including essential oils, may be administered by at school: 

• By Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) trained to administer medication by the school nurse
• Only when administration is required by a student's individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan. 
• When submitted with written parent request for administration of the substance and corresponding physician orders.