Nurse News
Notes from Nurse Allen
August 13, 2021
Welcome Back to School!
- What is a school nurse & what to expect
- Medications at School
- Illness Reminders & When to Keep Your Child Home
Why does PISD have school nurses?
Our students are our most valuable resource. In recognition of that, Plano ISD provides a registered nurse at each campus. The school nurse serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community, and healthcare providers to advocate for student health and a healthy school environment.
School nursing is a professional, registered nursing specialty that involves identification, assessment, prevention, and intervention to remedy or modify students' health needs.The nurse's goal is to promote the optimum health of students and the each student's ability to achieve their individual educational goals.
Nurses monitor required immunizations, perform mandated health screenings, track communicable diseases, plan for emergencies, and provide direct care to students.
We would like to assure you that medical information about your child is treated as confidential by the nurses and school staff. We do not share information about your child with outside parties nor can we discuss health concerns of any other student with you.
What to expect if your child gets sick or injured at school...
If your child receives a head injury during the school day, they will be evaluated by the school nurse. You will then be notified by phone or e-mail depending on the severity. A Head Injury Notification will be sent home via e-mail as well; this note contains a list of symptoms to monitor for.
Minor bumps and bruises are frequent occurrences in school aged children. These do not usually warrant a call home. First aid will be provided and the child will return to class.
Does your child need medication during the school day?
Please contact me if your child will require medication during school hours and note the following medication policies:
1. Any prescription or over the counter medication must be accompanied by a completed Medication Administration Request Form and turned in to the school nurse.
Medication Authorization Form - English PDF file (288 KB)
Medication Authorization Form- Español PDF file (103 KB)
2. Medications are considered to be any pills, liquids, inhalers, sprays, eye drops, ear drops, cough drops or topically applied creams or ointments that are expected to relieve symptoms.
3. Only medications that cannot be given at home will be given during school hours.
4. For student safety, all medication should be brought to the clinic by a parent/guardian; however, controlled substances, such as medication for ADD/ADHD and some prescription pain medications MUST be brought to the clinic and counted / signed in by the parent/guardian. Contact your campus nurse if you are not sure.
5. It is recommended that the first dose of any medication be given at home where the parent can monitor the effects.
6. Written permission from parents and physician is required for students to carry and self-administer medications. Only insulin, asthma reliever inhalers or emergency epinephrine, will be allowed as self-carry medications. All other medications must be administered by the nurse.
7. Intramuscular injections (IM) will only be administered in life-threatening situations per physician emergency action plans. Intravenous (IV) medications will not be given.
8. Prescription medication must be in the original labeled pharmacy container and will be administered in compliance with the prescription instructions printed on the label.
9. Homeopathic medications, dietary supplements and herbal supplements will be given if all of the following requirements are met:
- All the above must be supplied by the parent and accompanied by written permission.
- Medications/supplements must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and appear in the United States Pharmacopeia.
- Medications/supplements must be in their original, properly labeled container.
- Only medications/supplements that cannot be given at home will be given at school.
- A written request will be required from a physician or other healthcare professional with authority to write prescriptions to administer approved non-prescription, homeopathic medications, herbal substances or dietary supplements when such medications are to be administered at school.
- Will be given in compliance with a student's Individual Education Plan or 504 plan in accordance with Federal and State law.
10. Traditional over the counter medications will be given if all of the following requirements are met:
- The medication must be supplied by the parent and accompanied by written permission.
- Medications must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and appear in the United States Pharmacopeia.
- Medications must be in their original, properly labeled container and labeled for dosage appropriate to the student’s age and / or weight..
- Only medications that cannot be given at home will be given at school.
- A written request will be required from a physician or other healthcare professional with authority to write prescriptions to administer approved non-prescription medications for (10) consecutive school days or more.
11. Expired medications will not be given.
12. Medications stored in the school clinic must be picked up by the parent/guardian before the last day of school. No unused medication will be sent home with a student and any unused medication left at the end of the school year will be destroyed.
For more information about medications and Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) see the Anaphylaxis page.
For more information about medications and Diabetes see the Diabetes page.
For more information about medications and Asthma see the Asthma page.
When to keep your child home from school
A student with any of the following symptoms must be excluded from school until such time as the student is free of symptoms, has been satisfactorily treated or submits a signed physician’s statement that he/she is not contagious.
Please note: students with symptoms likely to be Covid-19 or that have been diagnosed with Covid-19 will adhere to the return to school requirements specific to Covid-19 symptoms as detailed below.
- Temperature of 100.0 degrees or more without other symptoms. Student must be fever free for 24 hours, without requiring the use of fever-reducing medication, before re-entry.
- Undetermined rash over any part of the body accompanied by fever.
- Undiagnosed scaly patches on the body or scalp.
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Student must be symptom free for 24 hours, without medication, before re-entry.
- Red, draining eyes.
- Intense itching with signs and symptoms of secondary infection.
- Open, draining lesions that cannot be contained in a clean, dry bandage.
- Symptoms likely to be Covid-19: at least two of the following symptoms: fever/chills, fatigue, body/muscle aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea/vomiting or diarrhea or at least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Quarantine Period for symptoms likely to be Covid-19: The individual may return to school/work when fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset OR until the individual receives a negative PCR or antigen test OR until the individual receives a doctor's note indicating an alternative diagnosis for the symptoms and releasing the individual to return to school/work.
- Quarantine Period for Confirmed Covid-19: The individual may return to school/work when fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset AND symptoms have improved.
Contact Information
Email: christina.allen@pisd.edu
Website: https://www.pisd.edu/domain/233
Location: 7500 Marchman Way, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 469-752-2309