Each school in the Olathe Public Schools has a full-time nurse on hand. School nurses provide valuable services, including emergency care, medication dispensation, and health screenings. School nurses solicit cooperation with parents to uphold the following policies and procedures, which are for the protection of each and every student in the school.

Medication Policy for Elementary Students:

• All elementary student medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, vitamins or essential oils, must be administered through the health room under the supervision of the school nurse, and are to be sent to school in the original container labeled with the student's name and dosing information per age/weight.
• All medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, vitamins or essential oils, require an order written by a healthcare provider (MD, DO, DDS, APRN, or PA) and parent's authorization. A new medication order is required each school year.
• District school nurses will not administer any product that contains a natural or synthetic form of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol) unless it has been approved for use by the FDA and is accompanied by a medication order from a healthcare provider (MD, DO, DDS, APRN or PA).
• Two exceptions exist to the above policy (see school nurse for applicable forms):
  • Parents provide permission during online enrollment (as desired) for over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Tums, and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), saline eye drops, cough drops and topical medications including antibiotic ointment/calamine lotion to be given by the school nurse. The nurse will attempt to contact the parent whenever the health room stock medication is administered.
    • No healthcare provider order is needed for the health room stock when needed occasionally.
  • And, students in kindergarten through fifth grade with asthma or allergies may carry and self-administer emergency medication. The self-administration policy requires
    • written parent and physician signature specifying name and purpose of medication,
    • prescribed dosage,
    • conditions under which the medication is to be self-administered,
    • and verification that the student has been instructed in self-administration. (download the Authorization Form for Self – Administration of Emergency Asthma/Allergy Medication in PDF format — English PDF or Spanish PDF)

Middle School and High School Medication Policy:

The middle school and high school medication policy varies slightly from the elementary school policy and encourages increased responsibility.

1. All prescribed medications should be brought to the school nurse’s attention.
2. Many medications prescribed for attention deficit disorder and mental health disorders are controlled substances. Controlled substances require an annual order from a healthcare provider. Healthcare providers include physicians (MD or DO), physician assistants (PA), advanced practiced nurses (APRN) and dentists (DDS). All controlled substances must be dispensed from the health room by the school nurse or trained staff member. Students may not carry or self-administer controlled substances. (download Medication Authorization Form in PDF format — English or Spanish) The physician/dentist signature may be on this form or be received by the school on another form including a fax from the physician/dentist office. The doctor's note should not be dated earlier than May 1 preceding the school year for which it is applicable.
3. District nurses will not administer any product that contains a natural or synthetic form of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol) unless it has been approved for use by the FDA and is accompanied by a medication order from a healthcare provider (MD, DO, DDS, APRN or PA).
4. Students in sixth through 12th grades with diagnosis of asthma or severe allergies may carry and self-administer emergency medication. Kansas law states that this self-administration policy require written parent and physician signature specifying the name and purpose of medication, prescribed dosage, conditions under which the medication is to be self-administered and verification that the student has been instructed in self-administration, etc. (download the Authorization Form for Self – Administration of Emergency Asthma/Allergy Medication in PDF format — English PDF or Spanish PDF)
5. Antibiotics and other non-controlled prescription medications can be carried and self-administered by the student at the nurse's discretion. Medication must be in the original prescription bottle.
6. Over-the-counter medications (Tylenol, ibuprofen, cough drops, etc.) may be carried and self-administered by students without written parent and/or physician signature. A limited supply of over-the-counter medications is available from the health room. Parents provide permission during online enrollment for the school nurse to administer stocked over-the-counter medications.
7. In addition, these general rules apply:
   • All medication is to be carried in its original container.
   • At no time should a student give medication to another student.
   • The principal may revoke the self-medication privilege of any student found to be in violation of the policy.

Important

1. The carrying of permissible medication by a student is a privilege. Students and parents need to be aware that it is an Olathe Student Code of Conduct violation (Class III, #7) to distribute or attempt to sell prescribed medications or over-the-counter medications.
2. It is also an Olathe Student Code of Conduct violation (Class IV, #2) to possess or distribute a controlled substance (see item 2 above) such as certain ADD/ADHD medications (e.g. Ritalin, Adderall), anti-anxiety medications (e.g. Valium, Xanax, Ativan), sleeping aids (e.g. Ambien, Lunesta), narcotics (e.g. Codeine, Oxycodone, Fentanyl), anabolic steroid medications (e.g. testosterone), and psychoactive substances (e.g. marijuana, THC) or hallucinogens (e.g. LSD, PCP, ketamine). If you are uncertain whether your student's medication is a controlled substance, please contact the school nurse or your healthcare provider for clarification. All controlled substances must be administered by the school nurse with a doctor's order.