MEDICATION AT SCHOOL:
Whenever possible, children should be given medication at home. HA encourages parents to work with their doctors to prescribe dosages that can be given at home rather than at school. However, if a child must be given medication during the school day, it must be given by a registered nurse, or someone under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse.
The State Board of Nursing requires certain procedures be adhered to when a child must take medication at school, whether it is prescription or non prescription medication. Only middle and high school aged students may carry and self administer their own medication if authorized in writing to do so by the physician, and their parents, and have submitted a written request to the school nurse. The school nurse must concur that the child can safely self administer his or her own medication.
The school must have a signed DPS medication form that clearly states the name of the medication and the exact time it is to be administered at school. The school must also have the physician's signed medication form, which matches instructions on the medicine container. This requirement applies to both prescription and non prescription medication. Prescription medication must be in its original pharmacy labeled container, which clearly shows the name of the prescribing physician, the child’s name, the name of the medication, the time it is to be administered, and dosage. Over the counter medication including Ibrupefen, Tylenol, and cough drops are not allowed to be carried by any student without proper paperwork in the health office. Non prescription medication must also be in its original container. Dosages, which require a tablet or pill to be split, must be split by the pharmacist. School staff may not split tablets or pills. If the dosage requirement changes, a new medication form must be completed and the medication container label must match the new instructions.
REMINDER - Immunization Letters to Parents
By February 15, per Colorado Board of Health rule 6 CCR 1009-2, schools and child care centers are required to directly distribute the Annual Parent Letter to the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of every enrolled student.
Schools and child cares are required to include the school's specific immunization and exemption rates for the MMR vaccine for the school's enrolled student population from the prior school year (2022-23)
School and child cares may include the school's specific immunization and exemption rates for other school-required vaccines for the school's enrolled student population from the prior school year (2022-23)
Rates from the 2022-23 school year are located on the Department’s public immunization data dashboard.
The Annual Parent Letters are available on the Department’s website in English, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, French, Karen, Korean, Russian, Somali, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Child care resources page (for child care, preschools, and Head Start).
School resources page (for K-12th grade).
Medication Forms:
Nursing and Student Health Services | Student Equity and Opportunity (dpsk12.org)
