PINKERTON ACADEMY

Derry, NH 03038

 

 

Health Services Emergency Care Policy

The Health Office/Nurse’s Office is located on the lower level of the Field House. The nurses are on duty each day to provide emergency care, maintain facilities and records, coordinate health services, and promote student education in health, safety, and other related areas. Information relating to Health Services include:

  1. Parents need to inform school health personnel of allergies, emotional, physical, and psychological problems, continuing and/or unpredictable illnesses etc., so that appropriate measures can be taken as quickly as possible, should an emergency arise.
  2. All medication that is to be taken at school must be brought to the Health Office.
    1. Non-prescribed medication must be brought to the Health Office in the original container and must be accompanied by a permission note from the parent. Tylenol (or generic acetaminophen) and Advil (or generic ibuprofen) are available in the Health Office, but also require written parental permission (also see #3 below).
    2. Prescribed medication must be accompanied by a parental note plus a note from the physician. Medication notes must be renewed annually.
    3. Prescription medications must be in the pharmacy labeled bottle. (Most pharmacists will provide one for home and another for school if you request it.)
    4. No more than a 30-day supply can be brought to the Health Office at any time.
    5. Controlled medicines such as Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Focalin, Dexedrine, Methylphenidate, and others must be brought in by a parent or legal guardian.
    6. Taking a narcotic pain relief medication is not recommended at school for safety reasons due to their potential for causing dizziness, drowsiness, etc. If the student is experiencing pain that is so severe that a narcotic pain reliever is needed, it is probably unwise for the student to be in school. If the student is unable to be in school due to severe pain, a note from their provider to excuse days should be obtained.
    7. Any medication not picked up prior to the last day of final exams in June will be destroyed. No medications are stored over the summer.

A student with severe, potentially life-threatening allergies may possess and self-administer an epinephrine auto-injector provided the parents have complied with NH RSA 200:42. In accordance with RSA 200:44, the school nurse shall maintain for a student’s use at least one Epi-pen, provided by the student’s parent, in the nurse’s office. Parents should contact the nurse’s office as to the requirements necessary for their child to possess and self-administer an epinephrine auto-injector. A pupil may possess and use a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler to alleviate asthmatic symptoms or before exercise to prevent the onset of asthmatic symptoms provided the parents and student meet the requirements of NH RSA 200:46 and provide notes from both the parent/guardian and the prescriber that state that the student should carry the inhaler on their person.

  1. With the exception of Tylenol (or generic acetaminophen) and Advil (or generic ibuprofen), which are available in the Health Office, no stock medication will be dispensed by any member of the nursing staff (except as authorized by the school physician). No medication of any kind will be provided by other members of the school staff or faculty at any time. Written permission from the parent is required annually for acetaminophen or ibuprofen and can be indicated on the Emergency Information Form provided at the beginning of each school year to the student by the nursing staff. (See NH Code of Administrative Rules: Ed 311.02 and NH School Health Services Manual, 2000.)
  2. Students who are too ill to remain in class should report to the nurse or other designated person who must be notified by the teacher. The nurse will decide whether the student will remain in school, be referred for emergency medical treatment, or be sent home. If, in the judgment of the school nurse, the condition of a student to be excused due to illness, injury, or other emergency is such that permitting the student to walk or drive home would be imprudent, the nurse may delay excusing that student until a parent or appropriate escort is available. No student will be released to home until the parent, guardian or designee has been contacted. The nurse shall keep a log of students receiving first aid and emergency care. Transportation of pupils home or to a source of medical attention is the responsibility of the parent, but Pinkerton staff will act if the parent is unavailable or emergency care is needed.
  3. Except in cases of emergency, students must report to the Health Office with a pass from a teacher or other staff member.
  4. All accidents, illnesses, or emergencies should be immediately reported to the nearest staff member and to the Health Office.
  5. In conjunction with RSA 141 C:20 and its recent amendments, no students will be enrolled at Pinkerton Academy without an immunization record that is in compliance with said laws. As of March 1, 1997, students are required to update their tetanus immunizations no later than the first day of the month during which this immunization becomes 10 years old, and provide verification to the Nurse’s Office. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Health Office at 437-5218.
  6. Excusals for minor illnesses will be considered as part of the 5-day-per-quarter policy. A medical excuse will be considered for students dismissed due to high fevers, situations where contagion is questioned, and for other circumstances where it was inadvisable or impossible for the student to remain in school. It is the responsibility of the student to request that a dismissal be considered for a medical excuse. The recommendation will then be forwarded to the Attendance Office for a final approval.
  7. Any student may be excluded from school by an administrator if there is reason to believe that there is serious risk to the student’s health, life, safety, or well-being or by a school nurse if the hazard is specifically health related. The student may be required to remain out of school until evaluated and approved to return by a licensed medical provider. Such situations will be excluded from the 5-day-per quarter attendance policy.
  8. If a student will be attending school, but the parent(s) or guardian(s) will be away on a vacation, business trip, etc., even for only a day or two, it is essential that the school receive a note (preferably one that is notarized) indicating the student’s name, birth date, the inclusive dates, the adult who will be responsible, and that person’s phone numbers. This is crucial in the event of an accident, illness, injury, need for dismissal from school, care and treatment, etc. The signed and dated note should be forwarded to the Health Office with a copy to the appropriate Attendance Office prior to the period of the parent/guardian’s absence. Notarization is usually available in the Pinkerton Attendance Office.
  9. Consistent with the spirit of the 1979 Child Protection Act, RSA 169 C, Pinkerton Academy maintains a policy for referring to the Division for Children, Youth, and Families, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, suspected cases of child abuse and neglect. The Academy will refer suspected cases, as is required by said laws.
  10. Pinkerton has policies regarding HIV/AIDS & other blood borne pathogens. Individuals who wish to review the complete text of these policies should contact the Head Nurse, 5 Pinkerton Street, Derry, NH 03038 (603-437-5218) or by accessing the Health Services link on Pinkerton Academy’s Website. Further information may be obtained by calling the State of NH STD/HIV Prevention Bureau at 1-800-852-4352, ext. 4576.
  11. Confidentiality: All medical information shared between students and certified health care providers is private and is treated confidentially within the limits of the law. Protecting the confidentiality of health care for students serves important interests. By respecting their need for privacy, students are encouraged to develop relationships of trust with their health care providers and to be candid about their health histories and risk behaviors. The Health Services staff strongly encourages students to communicate with parents. Confidential information will be released in life-threatening circumstances, and when legally necessary, as required by law or in litigated matters.
  12. In the event that a student is confined to a wheelchair at any time, the parent/guardian must contact the student’s guidance counselor or case coordinator prior to the student arriving at school. The parent/guardian will need to provide medical documentation verifying the need and approximate length of time that the student will require a wheelchair. School personnel will evaluate the situation to ensure that appropriate accommodations are in place. If necessary, the parent/guardian will be referred to the 504 Coordinator or Director of Special Education. Parents/Guardians should keep in mind that only a person authorized by Pinkerton Academy can assist a wheelchair-bound student around the campus and only if the student qualifies for 504 accommodations or Special Education services. The Health Office staff will provide the parent/student with an elevator pass, Safe Haven information, a List of Helpful Hints, and medical assistance.

 

Emergency Care and First Aid

School personnel have responsibilities in connection with accidents occurring in school and at school-sponsored events between the hours of 7:00 AM and 2:15 PM (while school is in session), which may be classified as follows:

  1. Administering first aid
  2. Summoning medical assistance
  3. Notifying administration
  4. Notifying parents
  5. Filing accident reports

First aid or emergency treatment in case of sudden illness or injury to a student or staff member while on school grounds may be given by trained staff. The school physician, school nurse, and specially trained staff members shall stand ready to assist in treatment of accident victims. First Aid will be administered at the Health Office (or at the scene, if moving the victim appears inadvisable) by the nurse, with the intent of protecting life and providing comfort until authorized treatment can be secured. Outside the normal school hours all other medical issues requiring immediate care should be dealt with by having the authorized person in charge contact the Derry Emergency Medical Service through calling 911.

The school nurse has the authority to administer oxygen to the case of a medical emergency without prior notification of a parent/guardian (RSA 200:40). Further medical attention to students is the responsibility of the parent or guardian, or of someone the parent or guardian designates in case of emergency. Parent (or other designated adult) notification will be made as soon as possible in case of emergency. A reasonable attempt will be made to advise a parent of other situations that may indicate a need for follow-up. Physician contact will be made if indicated on the Emergency Information Form. Injuries that occur at home are the responsibility of parents/guardians.

It is important that an Emergency Information Form be completed by a parent/guardian and submitted to the Health Office, as soon as possible. The school will obtain at the start of each school year, emergency contact information of parents or legal guardian for each child. At the start of each school year, the parent(s) or guardian(s) are responsible for providing emergency information that designates responsible persons to act on the child’s behalf. Changes in health information and medications should be updated by contacting the Health Office (437-5218) whenever changes occur. Changes in addresses or contact information should be submitted to the Student Information Office (437-5200, ext. 1169).

The above procedures for the handling of medical emergencies will be made known to Academy staff. In addition to the Health Office, each school vehicle will be equipped with a first aid kit and fire extinguisher. Emergency phone numbers, including fire, police, rescue squad, and poison center shall be posted prominently in all school offices.

Within the limits of the law, teachers will have knowledge of the health conditions of students that may impact the classroom. Extreme caution should be exercised not to minimize any accident. The school nurse will provide appropriate care.

The nursing staff must be notified at once of all accidents or illnesses. Regardless of the seriousness of the accident, reports must be completed by the nursing staff. The report should include the name of the injured, date, time of day, place, extent of injury, first aid given, and disposition of the case. The teacher will file the report with the Department Chair if requested to do so. If the reports expose dangerous practices or conditions, it is the responsibility of the nurse to notify the Safety Officer/Building & Grounds Director, Department Chair, or Administration of the incident for further action.

Emergency Transportation: In case of emergency, the school nurse and/or administrator at the scene will decide if ambulance transport is appropriate. Please be aware of the following policy of the Derry Ambulance Service:

  1. Preferences are limited to Derry, Exeter, Manchester, Nashua, Methuen, and Lowell.
  2. All life-threatening situations will be transported to Parkland Medical Center. Transport to another facility can usually be arranged after stabilization. If there is a serious health problem that cannot be treated at a local health facility (or that can only be treated at a specific out-of-town facility), please make this known, in writing, to the Pinkerton Academy Health Office. The Academy, will, in turn, make every effort to inform responding emergency personnel of these exceptional circumstances.
  3. Preferences (limited to the above) will be honored, provided back-up ambulance service is available at the time.

Each year in September, Pinkerton Academy makes available annually an opportunity to purchase student accident insurance. The Academy does not provide student accident insurance.

 

 

 

Approved by Board of Trustees

6/22/06

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