Emergency Use of District Stock Medications
EMERGENCY USE OF DISTRICT STOCK MEDICATIONS
The Board of Education and Oklahoma Law has authorized a licensed physician with prescriptive authority to provide a prescription for Epinephrine injectors and inhalers in the name of the school district. This prescription will be of a quantity sufficient to provide two (2) Epinephrine injectors and two (2) inhalers with spacers or holding chambers at each district site. Title 70 O.S. § 1-116.3
Students shall be able to receive an emergency dose of district stock Epinephrine injection or inhaler under the following conditions:
- The student’s parent/guardian has provided the required annual written permission for their student to be given the stock Epinephrine and have waived liability to the district for any injury arising from the administration of stock emergency medications.
- Only the school nurse or designated school employee who has completed appropriate training shall administer the stock emergency medications.
- School employees are required to call 911 in the event of any emergency use of an Epinephrine injector or inhaler.
- Parents/guardians will be notified immediately in the event of any emergency use of an Epinephrine injector or inhaler.
The Superintendent will designate personnel at each school site to:
- Be responsible for obtaining and maintaining an adequate supply of Epinephrine injectors and inhalers at each site;
- Ensure appropriate training on the administration of emergency use Epinephrine injectors or inhalers for designated staff members;
- Distribute and maintain annual parent/guardian consent forms.
DISTRICT-WIDE USE OF STOCK EPINEPHRINE INJECTORS
Annual written notice will be provided to all parents/guardians that trained employees are authorized to administer Epinephrine injections to any student who in good faith appears to be having an anaphylactic reaction.
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Stock Epinephrine Authorization: Oklahoma schools are authorized to keep and administer stock epinephrine (not prescribed for a specific student) under 70 O.S. § 1-116.3.
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Emergency Use: Trained school personnel may administer epinephrine to any student (or other individual at school) who is believed in good faith to be experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, regardless of whether the person has a known allergy or prescription.
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Liability Protection: The law provides immunity from liability for school staff who administer epinephrine in good faith.
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Parental Consent for Individual Prescriptions: If a student has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, parents usually submit medical forms authorizing the school nurse or staff to administer it. But for stock epinephrine, no parental consent is required at the time of emergency use.
DISTRICT-WIDE USE OF STOCK INHALER
Annual written notice will be provided to all parents/guardians that trained employees are authorized to administer inhaler to any student who in good faith appears to be having respiratory distress Title 70 O.S. § 1-116.3
- “Respiratory distress” means the perceived or actual presence of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath.
- "Inhaler" means a device that delivers a bronchodilator to alleviate symptoms of respiratory distress that is manufactured in the form of a metered-dose inhaler or dry-powder inhaler and that may include a spacer or holding chamber that attaches to the inhaler to improve the delivery of the bronchodilator.