Help! Quick question for any secondary teachers

[Takver]

DD was off end of last week with tonsilitis. She's all fine now, but still has to complete her course of antibiotics. I'm assuming that at secondary they're just allowed to have medicines and take them as needed???

(They're 4 x a day ones that have to be taken on an empty stomach, so she'll have to take 2 of them during the course of the school day.)

She's off on an all day school trip tomorrow, so can't ring and ask what to do as they're leaving at 8am! (Obviously I'll write a note explaining and give it to her.)

At our school we would normally expect that the medicines are handed in to the office and then the pupil is responsible for going to the office at the correct time of day and asking for their medicine. I think that's normal, it's just so that the medicines don't get lost/broken in a school bag.

If she's going on a trip are you going to be dropping her off? Could you speak to the teachers in charge of the trip and ask what they would prefer you to do, either dd looks after her own medicine of they look after it and she asks when she knows it's time to take it? If you can't speak to the teachers at all then send a note explaining and suggest those 2 options and ask them to do whichever they are happiest with.

Unfortunately I'm not dropping her off, she's getting a lift with a friend (we're rural, so school is quite a way away). I'll write a note, and get friend's mum to have a quick word with the teacher as well, that's probably best.

DD's very reliable (well, about that sort of thing at least), so no worries about her asking for them / or taking care of them, she'd be fine with either. I'm sure you're right thinking about it and on a normal day she could just leave them at the office & stop by at break time.

They'll need a signed authorisation from you. If there is no pro forma on the website, then write a letter, stating her name in full, the type of medicine, its exact name (and brand name) as on pharmacist's label; how much you are supplying; the dose and when it needs to be taken, and sign it. Put it in (ideally clear ziplock and labeled) plastic bag, together with the medicine in original packaging.

Suggestion: cut the blister pack so she is taking only the necessary umber of tablets (so she cannot lose the rest of the course), leaving as much (empty?) blister pack as possible, so it's obvious what it is if it gets dropped away from outer pack.

Assuming the staff will administer, they need all that to check the medicine in and out, with all doses accounted or as taken or returned.

Thanks, Meditrina. I've already written a letter explaining the situation, but I'll add a note with that info. Luckily she just has the right no. of pills for the day left in one of the blister sheets.

Its daft really, I hadn't thought about it at all until this evening, because at home she's perfectly able now to remember and take them herself (admittedly with a lot of moaning about not being able to have mid-morning mince pies with everyone else).

Website was a good suggestion, I've found a (4 page!) form to fill in. I think DH had better take the girls and speak to the teacher in case there are any problems.

I'd second that advice. I've been responsible for looking after the medicines of pupils in my groups on trips before - the kids are usually pretty good at coming to see me at the right time to take it, but it means they don't have to be solely responsible for that or keeping the medicine safe.