First Aid Procedure/Administration of Medicine

AIMS

• Provide clarity to staff regarding how to deal with accidents – both minor and serious.

• Minimise health risks to children and staff on the school premises

• Fulfill the duty of the BoM in relation to Health and Safety requirements

• Provide a framework within which medicines may be administered in cases of emergency or in instances where regularised administration has been agreed with parents/guardians (diabetes/asthma etc)

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The BoM has overall responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the school policy on Administration of Medication.  The Principal is the day to day manager of routines contained in the policy with the assistance of all staff members.  The Deputy Principal is the Safety Officer and he/she maintains and replenishes First Aid Boxes.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

A First Aid agreement must be completed by parents/guardians of each child on registration at St. Matthews. This form will allow the parent/guardian to report any issues relating to their child’s health such as allergies or asthma etc. If there is an illness or allergy etc, parents will then be asked to fill in a ‘Health Management Plan. Any changes in a child’s medical condition must be communicated to the school in writing.

• All matters relating to incidents/accidents must be recorded in the Accident/Incident Book. This relates to all serious or noteworthy accidents or incidents at the teacher, principal or Health & Safety Officer’s discretion.

• All incidents, accidents, bumps or bruises must be reported to a child’s parent.

• There are two main first aid boxes. One is kept in the yard beside the bench, the other is kept either in the staff toilet beside the yard or underneath the seats outside the staff room. 

• Parents/guardians must inform the school of any medical conditions and allergies etc.

• Parents are asked to supply three emergency numbers to the school, lest an incident arises. 

• List of allergies and health conditions can be found in the staff toilet beside the yard and safely stored in each classroom.

ILLNESS

A pupil who shows signs of illness should be kept at home. Requests from parents to allow their child to stay inside during break times cannot be accepted. A child who is too sick to play with his/her peers or go outside during break times should not be in school. The school is unable to provide adequate supervision both inside and outside the school, during break times.  

Situations do arise however, when a child appears well in the morning and then gets sick during the day. On such occasions every effort will be made to make the child comfortable. The class teacher will decide whether the child in question should be sent home. Parents/guardians will be contacted and requested to take the child home. If the school is unable to make contact with parents/guardians a decision will be made as to whether the child needs medical assistance. If deemed necessary the school’s doctor/ambulance services will be contacted. If not the child will be made as comfortable as possible until a parent/guardian arrives.

FIRST AID BOXES

The school’s main first aid boxes are kept in the staff toilet or corridor under the chairs and the yard. It contains basic first aid equipment – gloves, plasters, anti-septic wipes, antiseptic gauze strips and distilled water. A small first aid box is kept in each individual classroom containing similar equipment. Additional first aid supplies are kept in the Medical Cabinet in the Staff Toilet. A full medical kit is taken when children are engaged in ‘out of school activities’ such as tours, swimming and extra curricular activities.

Sanitary Towels are stored in the First Aid Kit in Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Class for use by the girls if needed. The class teacher will let the girls know where they are stored and will inform the Deputy Principal if/when supply is low.

ACCIDENT PROCEDURE

Despite supervision and our best efforts, accidents occur. Minor accidents are treated at school, while medical and parental help will be sought when more serious incidents arise. 

Disposable gloves must be worn at all times whilst administering First Aid. In general, slight cuts and grazes are treated using distilled water, disinfectant wipes and antiseptic gauze strips. Plasters are avoided. Ice packs with protective covers are applied in the case of a bumps and bruises. If a child is wearing tights or skinny jeans, two adults will accompany the child to a toilet, where he/she can undress so that the child’s wound may be treated. Parents will be informed and are asked to check the cut, bump or bruise etc that evening. 

If there is any cause for concern, parents will be contacted immediately and asked to bring the child home or seek medical attention. A parent will always be contacted in the case of a head bump or bang, even if it is a very minor bump. 

The teacher on yard duty will inform the class teacher of any incidents and the onus is on the class teacher to inform parents/guardians of any accidents in the yard.

Serious Accident

If a serious accident occurs, the child will be made as comfortable as possible and every effort will be made to contact parents/guardians. An ambulance will be called. Staff will follow the instructions given by emergency personnel by phone until the ambulance arrives. A teacher will accompany the child in the ambulance until a parent/guardian arrives where permitted. Otherwise, two members of staff will follow the ambulance by car. 

SERIOUS ILLNESSES  & ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINE

There are a number of children currently in the school who have serious medical conditions; these conditions and how they will be dealt with are listed below. Please note that it is a parent’s responsibility to keep the school informed about a child’s health, illnesses, allergies and changes in medication. This can be done through the individual pupil’s ‘Health Management Plan’ form. Every child in the school with a medical issue must have a pupil ‘Health Management Plan’ on file.

On receipt of medicine for storage in the school, expiry dates on Medicine will be recorded on the school calendar to ensure that the school maintains ‘in date’ medicine. 

Asthma: 

• Minor asthma: the child’s blue, ventolin or reliever inhalers will be kept safely in the child’s schoolbag or teachers desk drawer. It may only be taken under the supervision of the child’s teacher, following the instructions on the child’s ‘Health Management Plan.’ The school will not take responsibility for preventer medication.

• Severe asthma: as above, the child’s blue, ventolin or reliever inhaler will be kept safely in the child’s schoolbag or teacher’s drawer.  It may only be taken under the supervision of the child’s teacher, following the instructions on the child’s ‘Health Management Plan.’ An asthma attack, chest pains or breathing problems will immediately be reported to the child’s parents. The child’s class teacher will store the child’s ‘Spacer’ to support the child taking the blue, ventolin or reliever medicine. Under the instruction of the child’s doctor, and if detailed in the child’s ‘Health Management Plan,’ other medication such as steroids will be stored in a secure, locked press in the Principal’s office, to be taken in an emergency. 

Allergies:

• Please see the Staff/Pupil Anaphylaxis Allergy Policy for further details. 

• Prescribed epipens are stored at the back of the classroom door in bright packaging and used only in accordance with the child’s ‘Health Management Plan’ 

Medicine:

• Prescriptions, such as antibiotics or cough medicine will neither be stored nor administered to pupils in school. 

• Non-prescriptive medicines will neither be stored nor administered to pupils in school. 

Critical illnesses/allergies:

• Prescribed medicines for a child with a critical illness or allergy will not be stored in or administered in school without the written consent of parents (Pupil Health Management Plan) and the specific authorisation of the Board of Management. Parents are further required to indemnify the Board of Management and authorised members of staff in respect of any liability that may arise regarding the administration of prescribed medicines in school. The medicine is stored securely out of the reach of children. 

• A written record of the date and time of medicine administration must be kept. If medicine is administered, parents must be informed.

• Changes in prescribed medication (or dosage) should be notified immediately to the school with clear written instructions of the procedure to be followed in storing and administering the new medication.

While the Board of Management has a duty to safeguard the health and safety of pupils when they are engaged in authorised school activities, this does not imply a duty upon teachers to undertake the administration of medicines.

In the event of an emergency, teachers should do no more than is necessary and appropriate to relieve extreme distress or prevent further and otherwise irreparable harm.  The procedure under ‘Serious Accidents’ will be followed.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Staff must be informed of infectious diseases so that steps can be taken to ensure the safety of staff and students against such diseases. The Board of Management will endeavour to minimise the risk by adherence to sound principles of cleanliness, hygiene and disinfection and have provided disposable gloves for use in all First Aid applications, cleaning tasks, etc. The caretaker ensures that toilets and washrooms shall be provided at all times with an adequate supply of water, soap, towels and a facility for the safe disposal of waste.

Please see the HSE Manual for additional information.

FIRST AID TRAINING

All staff members present in staff in 2012/2013 received First Aid Training. Hazel Buckley was most recently trained in November 2012 and Emma McCready was most recently trained in October 2012. Staff will be retained in May 2015.