Gulf Shores City Schools Medication Administration Guidelines
(Effective 2025-2026 School Year)
The purpose of administering medication during the school day and school-sponsored activities is to help each student maintain an optimal state of health to enhance the ability to learn and protect our students' health, safety, and welfare.
It is the policy of Gulf Shores City Schools to administer a student’s medication as prescribed by their Healthcare Provider (MD, DO, NP, PA, DDS, DMD). The following requirements provide school personnel, parents, guardians, students, and health professionals with the guidance necessary to provide safe and proper medication assistance in schools. The Alabama Board of Nursing in collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education developed these requirements.
1. Students requiring medication to be given at school, whether daily or as needed, must have a School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization Form (PPA) completed for each medication. Medications will not be administered without a completed PPA. These forms can be obtained from the school nurse or online at www.gsboe.org (Menu, Departments, click on the Health Services page and scroll to the bottom of the page. All medications must be brought to the school by a parent/guardian.
2. Over-the-Counter Medications (OTC):
● The PPA should be filled out completely matching the manufacturer’s label and have the parent’s signature. "A parent's signature allows medication administration for up to two weeks. If longer use is required, a healthcare provider's signature is needed.
● OTC medication must be age/weight appropriate and must be administered per manufacturer label instructions unless otherwise noted by a PPA completed & signed by a healthcare provider.
● All OTC medications must be brought in the original sealed container. Open bottles will not be accepted.
● Siblings may share a bottle of OTC medication as long as it is age-appropriate for each child. A separate PPA must be completed for each sibling and doses of medications should be specific. An exception to sibling share is Benadryl and each sibling should have their own supply.
3. Prescription Medications:
● The parent or guardian is responsible for obtaining a healthcare provider’s signature on the PPA. NO medications will be accepted or dispensed without proper signatures. The PPA must be completely filled out including the reason for taking and side effects. The time on the PPA and the time on the pharmacy label must match. Times must be specific. (once daily, morning, afternoon, or evening is not acceptable as time given).
● Medication must be brought in the original bottle with a pharmacy label attached. Parent/Guardian will be asked to sign in medication and count the number of pills brought in with the school nurse or school staff.
● Medications must be given as ordered, for instance, if a pill needs to be crushed or capsule needs to be opened the healthcare provider must document such on the PPA.
● Verbal medical and treatment orders will be accepted from healthcare providers. However, a written order must be received within 48 hours. If written orders are not received within 48 hours, verbal orders are considered void. School nurses will not allow changes to be made to the Parent/Prescriber Authorization based solely on communication with a parent/guardian.
● Any change in medication or to the medication order, including a change in the dosage, time given, etc. must be documented on a new PPA form, signed by the healthcare provider and parent/guardian. Medication discontinuation orders must be included in writing by the healthcare provider on the discontinuation date. The parent or guardian must pick any remaining doses of the discontinued medication stored at the school. Any medication not picked up within 7 days of discontinuation will be disposed of according to state & federal guidelines.
● If a sample medication is received from a healthcare provider to be given at school, please have them write a prescription with the student’s name, medication to be given, frequency of medication, etc., so the school nurse can use this as a “pharmacy label”.
4. Self-Carry/Self-Administration Medications: . Emergency or Rescue medications are allowed to be self-administered and/or kept on students. Students with chronic health conditions are allowed to self-carry and/or self-administer their prescribed medication if both, the healthcare provider and parent/guardian, indicate on the PPA that the student is allowed to do so. Before medication is self-administered and self-carried, the school nurse must assess the student’s proficiency and competency. The Self-Administration and/or Self-Carry Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the student, parent/guardian, and school nurse.
5. Expired Medications will not be accepted. You will be notified if the medication expires during the school year. If medication is not picked up within 2 weeks of the expiration date, it will be disposed of per state and federal regulations. Medication will not be administered after the expiration date.
6. School personnel will not administer natural remedies, herbal supplements, and nutritional supplements not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) without a PPA completed by the student’s healthcare provider and signed by the parent.
7. Gulf Shores City Schools does not stock nonprescription medications, as this practice would violate the Alabama Board of Pharmacy regulations. First aid supplies, such as Neosporin, lotion, calamine, Vaseline, eye wash, contact lens solution, wax for braces, peroxide, ice packs, and rubbing alcohol in the health rooms are not considered nonprescription medications and used as deemed necessary by the school nurse. All schools are under the medical direction of Dr. Jason Eversall who provides yearly orders for Gulf Shores City Schools to stock Epinephrine auto-injectors and Narcan.
8. Sunscreen: Students may possess and use Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regulated sunscreen at school and school-sponsored events without a PPA. A completed PPA is required if the parent/guardian requests a school employee to apply the sunscreen.
9. Insect Repellent is considered a non-prescription medication; therefore, the parent/guardian must complete the PPA. If the school nurse makes a nursing judgment that the insect repellant is not age appropriate the parent will be advised to seek the advice of a physician. Self-administration of insect repellant is not allowed unless in the presence of a parent/guardian, school nurse, or school employee.
10. If a medication error is made, the medication-trained assistant or school nurse will do the following:
● Locate and bring the student to the health room for assessment and observation.
● Notify the Lead School Nurse and School Administrator. Contact the healthcare provider and/or Poison Control and follow the instructions as provided.
● In the event a prescribed medication dose is omitted, contact the Lead Nurse with the student’s name, medication, strength, and frequency. The RN will use his/her professional judgment to determine the best plan of action. Parents should be notified of all omissions and other errors. An Unusual Occurrence Report must be completed and submitted within 24 hours to the Lead School Nurse.
11. Prescription and nonprescription medications must be picked up by a parent/guardian by the last day of school. All remaining medications will be disposed of by school personnel (for controlled substances with a witness) and documented on the Medication Administration Record (MAR) and in PowerSchool.
12. CBD oil or related products, even with a healthcare provider’s order, will not be administered to students under any circumstances.
13. Only persons listed on the student’s emergency contact list will be allowed to administer medication to the student during school hours.
14. Students with an inhaler and/or Epi-pen in the health room who attend after-school care will need to provide additional medication for after-school care employees to administer or have the healthcare provider indicate the medication to be self-carry and self-administered. Medication stored in the health room will not be sent to after-school care.
Gulf Shores City Schools follows the State Department of Education and the Alabama Board of Nursing’s guidelines for the administration of medication to students. Only school nurses and unlicensed trained medication assistants are legally allowed to administer medications to students in the State of Alabama.
DISCLAIMER: Gulf Shores City School’s nurses do not take the place of a healthcare provider. None of the information provided is meant to replace a healthcare provider and is only meant for informational purposes. Gulf Shores City Schools and its employees are not responsible for anyone who does not follow the advice of their healthcare provider. References: Alabama Board of Nursing Alabama State Department of Education 3/21/2025
