QTAD Q&A : Should I administer medication to students?

The administration of any medication to students by teachers is voluntary. Teachers cannot be required to administer medical procedures that they do not wish to administer.
Schools require medical authorisation from a prescribing health practitioner to administer any medication to students (including over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or alternative medicines).

For students with specialised health needs, such as diabetes or anaphylaxis, schools are to develop an individual health plan (IHP) and/or an emergency health plan (EHP) upon enrolment or as new health needs are identified/diagnosed. The IHP provides a daily guideline for the management of a student’s health condition and may contain instructions concerning the routine medication regime, while an EHP provides step-by-step directions on how to safely manage a predictable medical emergency specific to certain chronic health conditions.

IHPs and/or EHPs are to be developed by a qualified health practitioner in consultation with school staff, the parents/guardians, the student, and medical and other health professionals.

Those who volunteer to give medication to students need to be provided with appropriate training by a qualified health practitioner or authorised personnel such as a school nurse or an ambulance officer who might be able to demonstrate the technique at the school or as part of a first aid course.

In many circumstances, teacher-aides assist with the administration of routine and emergency medication, and some teacher-aides who hold a first aid certificate are paid an additional allowance for carrying out these types of tasks.

Other trained volunteers would need to be listed as backups in case of absence.

Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is the type that is most commonly found in children and adolescents. Students with type 1 diabetes need to be given insulin, either by injection or by insulin pump, and also need regular glucose testing

Parents of children with diabetes should discuss it with the principal upon enrolment or at the time of diagnosis. The principal will then be able to arrange diabetes education for relevant staff members. Training can also be arranged for school staff who volunteer to support students with diabetes.

Ketone testing and glucagon administration are not generally expected of school staff because a clinical assessment and interpretation of results are required. However, as the risks of each case must be assessed individually, the principal, in collaboration with the student/parent and treatment team, will determine if this support is required at school. Consideration must also be given to updates and refresher training.

Assisting students in routine blood level checking is also voluntary, but it is likely there would be many teachers willing to volunteer to assist students in checking their blood glucose levels with this simple finger-prick test.

Teachers with students who have diabetes should be provided with the necessary information and permit the child to eat something sweet in order to address hypoglycaemia (also known as a hypo) when their blood glucose level drops too low. Again, the teacher would be obliged to follow a doctor’s written instructions.

For further information, refer to the following DETE procedures:

• Administration of medication in schools 
• Management of students with specialised health needs.

Diabetes Queensland, in consultation with key stakeholders (including the QTU), has developed “Students with Diabetes – Guidelines for Queensland Schools”, which can be accessed from the Diabetes Queensland website.

^{Source: Queensland Teachers' Journal,  Vol 119, No 3, 17 April 2014, p.24}