Administration of medication
Direction and guidance to assist schools in administering medication to ensure all children and young people can participate in education and training, regardless of their health support needs.
Audience
NSW public schools, NSW public preschools, parents and carers, and school communities
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| V01.0.0 | 21/06/2024 | Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, new policy document which has consolidated existing information and instructions for administering medication. | Executive Director, Inclusion and Wellbeing |
About the policy
Schools must assist with administering medication during school activities where the dosing schedule is time sensitive.
All staff identified to administer medication are required to complete the Administration of medication in schools (staff only) course on MyPL.
These procedures relate to the Student health and wellbeing policy.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Medication | Prescribed medication – can only be made available to a patient on written instruction from an authorised health professional. Non-prescribed medication – may be purchased without a prescription. |
| Non-emergency | Not an immediate life-threatening situation. |
Principals:
- coordinate and implement systems to support staff when administering medication
- assess and determine how the school will meet the health support needs of students. This includes determining which staff will be responsible for administering medication
- assess parental request for students to carry and administer own medication.
Staff members:
- follow the Student health and wellbeing policy and related procedures when supporting student health needs and administering medication
- maintain current training requirement.
Parents and carers:
- notify the school of students’ health needs and provide up to date information as required
- complete a written request when students require medication to be administered at school using the Student Health Condition Support (DOCX 82 KB) form
- supply the medication, in the original packaging and/or Webster pack prepared by a pharmacist, and any consumables necessary for its administration.
Students:
- take medication for the purpose for which and as is intended
- cooperate with staff when they are assisting in managing their health requirements.
What needs to be done
1. Gather information for administering medication
When the school needs to administer medication for a student, either temporarily or as part of an individual health support plan based on medical practitioner or authorised health professional advice, during the school day (including school coordinated activities), the principal or delegated staff:
- asks the parent or carer to complete Student Health Condition Support (DOCX 82 KB). The completed form should detail information such as the student’s health condition, medication requirements, health support needs and relevant supporting documentation
- consults with the student, parents or carers when determining arrangements for administering medication
- provides a letter of confirmation to the parents or carers outlining the arrangements for administering medication at school, Confirmation of prescribed medication administration arrangements (DOCX 60 KB)
- stores all copies of the written medical advice and any other relevant documentation, requests and confirmation letters in a secure and confidential manner
- where it is necessary to provide information to staff, other parents or students, the parent and where applicable, the student, should be informed of this beforehand and consulted about the information to be provided
- principals should ensure that the persons who are provided with this information are aware of the need to deal with such information sensitively and confidentially
- ensures processes are in place to manage the supply and storage of medication, the administration of medication and the recording of its administration
- coordinates the administration of medication.
2. Nominate staff to administer medication
Principals:
- determine how many staff will be required to administer medication, based on current student need
- nominate specific members of staff to administer medication.
Staff employed in School Administrative Manager, School Administrative Officer, School Learning Support Officer and Aboriginal Education Officer classifications are required to perform duties and complete relevant training associated with the administration of medication, as directed by the principal.
3. Complete mandatory training
Principals are responsible for ensuring the appropriate staff complete and maintain the relevant professional learning to health support needs of their students:
- any staff required to administer medication must complete Administration of medication in schools (staff only) on MyPL
- any staff required to administer medication through specific administration methods including buccal, injection and tube must complete Health Support in Schools Training Certification (staff only) or Recertification (staff only) on MyPL, and through the student's health care team and/or external providers.
School staff must complete the required professional learning relevant to their role that meets the needs of the students in their school, including:
- Administration of medication in schools (staff only) on MyPL
- Health Support in Schools Training Certification (staff only) or Recertification (staff only) on MyPL, if necessary
- any other mandatory training requirements in MyPL (staff only)
- access support resources (refer to Administration of medication) as needed, once training has been completed.
4. Administer medication
Principals need to:
- ensure all staff understand they are required to assist any student in the case of an emergency—and administer medication if required—and that they are protected from liability when doing so, unless they have deliberately injured the student or behaved with extreme recklessness
- except in an emergency, only individual staff members who have been trained will administer prescribed medication to students
- Anaphylaxis and e-Emergency care training are mandatory for all permanent, temporary and casual school-based staff.
School staff need to:
- administer medication to any student in need in the case of emergency.
Unless the student is to administer their own medicine, they are not to carry it.
- The NSW Department of Education has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to keep students safe from foreseeable risk of harm while they attend school or engage in school related activities. The department meets its duty of care obligations through the actions of its staff. This includes the administration of an adrenaline injector and/or any other emergency care provided when a student has an episode of anaphylaxis at school or during school activities.
- Any member of staff who provides an emergency response to a student who has an anaphylactic reaction at school is acting in the course of their employment.
- The NSW Department of Education is legally responsible for what staff do in the course of their employment.
- In the unlikely event that an employee is personally sued for providing an emergency response to a student who has been provided with an emergency response, the department will defend their claim at no expense to the staff member and pay any damages.
- The only exception will be where the actions of the employee amount to serious and willful misconduct. Carelessness, inadvertence (lack of attention) or a simple mistake do not amount to serious and willful misconduct.
- If a student’s parents or carers provide the school with a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for their child, an emergency response should be provided, and an ambulance called with details of the DNR provided to the paramedics when they arrive at the school.
Record-keeping requirements
Refer to Functional Retention and Disposal Authority: FA387 (PDF 106 KB) for information on retaining and disposing of records.
Standard forms and letters have been developed to support the administration of medications in schools. Refer to Individual health support planning (forms and letters section).
Under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW), the department and its staff have certain obligations regarding collecting, using and storing personal information. Information relating to student health must be compliant with privacy legislation, and records must be held in a secure location and managed centrally. Refer to Legal Services information on Privacy.
Once a request has been approved, schools will need to register the student’s name, medicine type, dose and instructions in the department’s approved online system. Alternatively, staff may use a Record of Administration of Medications (DOCX 266 KB) form may be used.
After administering medication, the student’s medication record will need to be updated.
Mandatory tools and templates
- Request form – student health support (PDF 196 KB)
- Confirmation letter – student health support: administering medication (PDF[JM1] 115 KB)
- MyPL training – Administration of medication in schools (staff only)
- Health Support in Schools Training (Certification) (staff only))
- Health Support in Schools Training (Recertification) (staff only)
- Application for allowance payment form (refer to HR Employee Forms)
Supporting tools, resources and related information
- Record of Administration of Medications (DOCX 266 KB)
- Student health support – Administration of medication
- Application for allowance payment form (refer to HR Employee Forms)
- Student safety – Administration of medication
- Important information for parents of children who carry their own medication at school and/or who self medicate (DOCX 47 KB)
- First Aid Procedures (PDF 274 KB)
Policy contact
The Executive Director, Inclusion and Wellbeing monitors the implementation of this procedure, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.