How to administer medication to students

Posted: 11/23/2009 2:12:47 PM

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction now provides an on-line training program for school staff who administer medications to students.

Increasing numbers of students require medication to safely participate in school. Administration of these medicines is usually the responsibility of school personnel who are not health-care providers and may lack any relevant training.

The Medication On-Line Training Program helps school staff meet this challenge. The program is divided into three courses, totaling 20 units, each of which includes information on a specific topic and an assessment quiz. Each unit should take 5-10 minutes to complete.

Course I covers basic medication administration: laws and policy, confidentiality, roles, the five rights, hand washing, and oral medication administration. Courses II and III cover different routes of medication administration. To safely administer medication by these routes, a school nurse must provide additional physical skill training and observation.

The DPI is able to provide this service with the sponsorship of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association, and the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses.

A DPI webcast provides more information about the on-line course.