Medicine Policy and Procedures
We are committed to keeping our nurseries safe environments for children. Inevitably children will encounter and contract ‘bugs’ at nursery, our aim is to control the spread of contagious diseases as far as possible, and ensure that when children are unwell their needs are met.
Current policy states if your child has Vomiting and Diarrhoea they must stay away from nursery for at least 48 hours from the last episode. Similarly, nursery staff are asked not to attend if they have sickness and diarrhoea. For other illnesses, nursery staff will advise parents on any required time away from nursery dependent on the illness of the child and current guidelines and recommendations and in this we seek advice from the Health Protection Agency, the current updated Devon spotty book, and current NHS guidelines. These precautions are taken in the best interests of all the children as infections spread so easily.
It is our policy not to administer medicine at nursery; children who are ill are best cared for at home. However, if a child needs to complete a course of antibiotics i.e. having started the course and taking it for at least 24 hours at home, and is well enough to return to Nursery we will give this medicine. This and preventive medicines such as Ventolin for the treatment of asthma, are the only medicines we will administer. For first exposure to antibiotics we advise 48 hours with parents/carers as children may experience reactions to antibiotics and need medical intervention.
SEVERE ALLERGIES: For severe allergies such as an anaphylactic reaction due to exposure to nuts/nut oil etc., antihistamine and use of an Epi-Pen or similar product may be needed. Staff have training and are authorised to use an Epi-Pen through Health and Safety and First Aid Training, and we contract Community Nurse training for individual children. Parents need to advise us of the severity of the allergy on enrolment/when it becomes apparent, provide us with antihistamine, and two Epi-Pens to be held on site (where issued), and a GP completed allergy advice sheet – nursery management will complete an individual care plan in conjunction with parents/carers before a child can attend nursery.
PROCEDURE FOR ADMINISTERING PROFESSIONALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICINES
· Parents/Carers sign a medication form with the name of the product, times to be administered, dosage needed and information why medication needed.
· Staff check the name and date on the medication to ensure it has been allocated to that child and at that time (ie will not use medication with an old date).
· Staff administering medicine sign medication form and the time given.
· Administration of medicine is undertaken by two members of staff and all details are double checked and witnessed.
· Parents will sign the medication form when picking their child up to confirm medication given.
· Parents will be required to fill in a medication form if they have come into nursery to administer medication in person to their child.
Long-term medication
This is for children requiring long term medication due to conditions such as asthma, which if not properly controlled, could limit your child’s attendance in nursery. When your child requires long-term medication you must inform the nursery about your child’s condition and complete an individual care plan for your child to ensure we are able to provide appropriate care. Medication forms must be completed by the parent or carer, the medication must be given to management/a qualified member of staff in its original container with the information sheet attached. You must take time when transferring information to staff ensuring they have all the appropriate information, all information must be reviewed termly. Never leave medicine in children’s peg bags or pram bags,.
Short-term medication
This applies to children who are required to finish a prescribed course of medication. Parents/carers must inform the nursery why the medication has been prescribed, a medication form must be completed by the parent/guardian who knows about the illness/condition, the medication must be given into nursery with its original container and contain the information leaflet with own spoon/syringe. The medication must be given to management or a qualified member of staff - the medication will be given back at the end of each day when the parent/carer must sign the form to acknowledge receipt of the medication during the day as instructed. We will not administer the first dose of a new medicine in the nursery, to ensure the child does not have an adverse reaction to the medication, the first dose must be given at home this means that your child should receive the first full daily doses of medication at home (48 hours prior to returning to nursery). Parents must inform us of any conditions your child has that may require emergency treatment. This must be done in writing.
Only medicine prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist will be administered, including:
· Pain/Fever relief
· Teething Powders
· Teething gels
· Eye drops
· Creams
· Gripe water/ treatments for colic
· Homeopathic medications can be given only on a case by case basis.
We will administer these medications in special circumstances on a case by case basis, we will require parents to:
· Give prior written permission
· Give details of what is to be administered
· Give the reason for the medication
· Instructions on how/when and how much to administer
· Details of when the medication was last administered by the parent
Please note:
· The child will be offered a drink with the medication if required
· We will never administer medication containing ASPIRIN unless it has been prescribed by a doctor
Staff will query the medication when the amount that the parent has written does not match the dosage on the bottle or leaflet; a decision by the management team will be made as to whether or not the child will be administered the medication and the parent/carer will be contacted.
When a parent states, “when required” on the medication form or care plan, justification will be
written by the parent and the staff member on why the child will receive the medication ‘when required’. When a child is given medication and they refuse this, the child’s parent will be phoned to seek advice on what to do next. Any further action will be based on the
conversation with the parent. If a child spits the medication out again the parent will be
phoned for advice and further action.
All staff will be trained appropriately in Paediatric First Aid and administrating Medication. Specialist training will be given when necessary.
Storage of Medication
Medication should include prescribers instructions for administration, medication will be stored in a container or the fridge as directed on label, which is out of reach for children and below 25 o C. Every child’s medication will be stored with the child’s own name clearly marked, all spoons, syringes and spacers for inhalers etc will be labelled and cleaned appropriately
Medicine must never be left in children’s bags or elsewhere – it must always be handed to a member of staff and kept in the closest kitchen.
Notifiable Diseases
Please note if your child has an infectious disease/condition we need to be advised at nursery immediately. This is essential in order to keep all our children healthy and safe.
MMR and various injections
If your child has their MMR or any other age appropriate vaccine please seek advice from your GP pertaining to return to nursery, also if your child display’s signs of being unwell following any injections please keep them at home until well.
Our policy around oral paracetamol, including Calpol.
Our general policy is that if children are in need of oral paracetamol they are not well enough to be at nursery. However we recognise that when children are teething, or have a mild cold or are recovering from an illness, pain relief may be in the best interests of their well-being, and so under discussion with management this will be approved on a case-by-case basis with regular review.
We do keep sachets of paracetamol on site for emergency eventuality in order to reduce temperature in an unforeseen situation. We will make every effort to contact parents, carers or emergency contacts before administration – however if a child is at significant risk and they have been with us for at least 4 hours, management may sanction administration in exceptional circumstances where parents have given general consent. As a general rule this would only happen if a child’s temperature exceeded 38 degrees and after we had endeavoured to cool their temperature by non- invasive interventions (clothes stripped off to nappy, cool drink, windows opened as appropriate. In the event of significant concern the nursery reserve the right to phone for a paramedic.
Emergency Calpol Dosage
At Curious Kittens, the paracetamol suspension we use is calpol.
Administration strictly with management approval on a case-by-case basis.
All doses/administrations to be double-checked, and a form to be filled in for parents to sign on arrival.
See dosage on bottle/sachets, check medicine is in date before administration.
Children aged 0 – 6 months
We do not administer to children under 6 months, children under 6 months only ever attend with 1:1 supervision and where parents are on site, parents in these circumstances will be advised to keep calpol with them for emergencies, and will be called immediately if their infant shows signs of illness.
Children aged 6 months to 24 months
1 x 5ml dose to be measured by syringe not by sachet.
Children aged 2-4 years
1 x 7.5ml dose to be measured by syringe not by sachet.
Where children are known to be susceptible to high temperatures, including at risk of febrile convulsions, a care plan must be completed with the parents.
***Please note, it is essential that we have up to date contact numbers for your children so we are always able to contact you when your child is at nursery***
***Nursery management reserve the right to ask that a child be kept off nursery/taken home if we deem them to be too unwell to be at nursery – the child’s best interests are always our first priority ***
January 2018