Student Health Needs (Procedure)

PROCEDURE:

1. Nursing staff will provide medical care and medication administration according to orders provided by licensed medical providers.  When nursing staff is unable to provide direct care, nursing staff will train, and delegate medications and medical treatment as allowed per RCW 18.79.260.  Nursing staff will provide instructions and confirm ability and consent of any non-medical staff providing any delegated task. Nursing staff will document information in student’s health records. Non-medical staff will follow instructions provided by the nurse or physician and document care provided, along with progress. This information should be charted according to residential documentation procedures and needs to be communicated to the nurse verbally or in written format.

2. Nursing staff, or school staff at the request of nurse or supervisor, will contact the parent/guardian if:

a)    the student requires a medical or dental appointment

b)    a new medication is prescribed

c)    a change in medication or medication dosing is made

d)    changes in health status/stability occur, or

e)    information or consent for non-emergent care is needed.

3. If it has been determined a student needs to be sent home, nursing staff or designee will:

1. Contact the parent(s)/guardian(s) to coordinate transportation;
2. Inform respective cottage staff and Associate Director-Transition and Residential Programs; and
3. Inform Irwin office.

Note: To keep students and families safe, judgement should be used when determining when the student can be safely picked up, e.g., it is 6pm and the family lives more than two (2) hours away.  It may be safest for the student to be picked up the following day as long as the school can temporarily meet the needs of the student while keeping WSSB students and staff safe.

4. To ensure medical information is shared in a timely manner and with appropriate staff, the responsibilities and expectations of staff are:

Nurses:       

1. Inform appropriate staff of medications, medication changes, medical conditions and any pertinent information as deemed necessary by the school nurse.

Non-Medical Staff:

1. Non-medical staff (Residential Life Counselor’s, Teachers, Teachers’ Aides, etc.) must share all pertinent information with the Health Center.  This information can be shared verbally or in an email as is appropriate with the content of the information being shared.  The information must be shared in a timely way, making sure the Health Center is informed either before or at the time of the incident or concern, not after a significant amount of time has passed after the event.

2. Non-medical staff should direct, forward, or transfer parent(s)/guardian(s) to the Health Center when medical information is being shared or questions about medical care are being asked. Non-medical staff should avoid being the initial recipient of any medical information.

3. Non-medical staff should not share their opinion about the student’s diagnosis to the parent(s)/guardian(s).

Legal Reference:              RCW 18.79.620