The Tipton Community School District seeks to provide a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors who are at risk of potentially life-threatening incidents that include severe allergic reactions and respiratory distress. Therefore, it is the policy of the district to annually obtain a prescription for epinephrine auto-injectors from a licensed healthcare professional, in the name of the school district, for administration by a school nurse or personnel trained and authorized to administer to a student or individual who may be experiencing an anaphylactic reaction.
Procurement and maintenance of supply: The district shall stock a minimum of the following for each attendance center:
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Two child doses and two adult doses epinephrine auto-injector
The supply of such medication shall be maintained in a secure, dark, temperature-controlled location in each school building.
The school nurse shall routinely check stock of medication and document in a log monthly:
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The expiration date
The employee shall be responsible for ensuring the district replaces, as soon as reasonably possible, any logged epinephrine auto-injector that is used, close to expiration, or discolored or has particles visible in the liquid.
Training: A school nurse or personnel trained and authorized may provide or administer any of the medication listed in this policy from a school supply to a student or individual if the authorized personnel or school nurse reasonably and in good faith believes the student or individual is having an anaphylactic reaction. Training to obtain a signed certificate to become personnel authorized to administer an epinephrine auto-injector shall consist of the requirements established by law.
Authorized personnel will be required to provide a procedural skills demonstration to the school nurse demonstrating competency in the administration of stock epinephrine autoinjectors if the following occur:
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Failure to administer an epinephrine auto to a student or individual by proper route, failure to administer the correct dosage, or failure to administer an epinephrine auto injector according to generally accepted standards of practice (“medication error”); or
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Accidental injection of an epinephrine auto-injector into a digit of the authorized personnel administering the medication (“medication incident”).
Reporting: The district will contact emergency medical services (911) immediately after a stock epinephrine auto-injector is administered to a student or individual. The school nurse or authorized personnel will remain with the student or individual until emergency medical services arrive.
Within 48 hours, the district will report to the Iowa Department of Education:
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Each medication incident with the administration of stock epinephrine
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Each medication error with the administration of stock epinephrine; or
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The administration of a stock epinephrine auto-injector
As provided by law, the district, board, authorized personnel or school nurse, and the prescriber shall not be liable for any injury arising from the provision, administration, failure to administer, or assistance in the administration of an epinephrine auto-injector provided they acted reasonably and in good faith.
The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 135.185; 190; 279.8.
281 I.A.C. 14.3.
Cross References:
507.2. Administration of Medication to Students
507.2E1 Tipton Community School District Authorization Asthma or Airway Constricting Medication Self-Administration Consent Form(s)
507.2E2 Tipton Community School District Parental Authorization and Release Form for the Administration of Prescription Medication To Students
Approved: 9/12/2022 Reviewed: _____________ Revised: ___________