Administering medicines
It is not Castle Lane Day Nursery’s policy to care for sick children, who should remain at home until they are well enough to return to the nursery setting.
However, Castle Lane Day Nursery will agree to administer medication as part of maintaining of your child’s health and well-being or when they are recovering from an illness.
It is preferable for GP prescribed medicine to be taken at home in the morning or evening.
Where this is not otherwise possible, medicines will only be administered where it would be detrimental to the child’s health if not given in the nursery setting.
If a child has not had a medication before, particularly a baby or child under the age of two, it is recommended that the parent or carer keeps the child at home for at least 24 hours in order to ensure that there are no adverse effects, as well as to give time for the medication to take effect.
Medication procedures
- Children taking prescribed medication must otherwise be well enough to attend the nursery setting
- Medication must be in-date and prescribed for the current condition (medicines containing aspirin will only be given if prescribed by a doctor).
- Children’s prescribed medicines should be clearly labelled; stored in their original containers and inaccessible to the children.
What to do if you need Castle Lane Day Nursery to administer medication for your child
Parents and carers must sign and date a written medication consent form each day, giving:
- the child’s full name and date of birth
- details of the medicine, its strength and its expiry date
- any special instructions as to how it must be stored
- the required dosage and times at which it must be administered
- any possible side effects that may be expected
No medication will be given without these details being provided.
Castle Lane Day Nursery will take great care to ensure that all medicines are administered according to these instructions and a signed record of all medication administered shall be made on the medication forms and witnessed by another member of staff.
Castle Lane Day Nursery will administer non-prescribed medication, for example children’s paracetamol such as Calpol, at the stated dose, for a maximum period of 2 days, after which time medical attention should be sought for your child.
Procedure for administrating medication in the event of a high temperature
If a child develops a high temperature, Castle Lane Day Nursery will attempt to try to cool the child down whilst a member of staff calls their parent or carer.
Parent must email permission to the nursery before any medication can be given.
If the high temperature persists, Castle Lane Day Nursery will contact the parent or carer to come and collect the child.
Administering medicines on trips and outings
Where children are leaving the nursery setting to go out on trips or outings, those staff accompanying the children must include the key worker for the child with a risk assessment, or else another member of staff who is fully informed about the child’s needs and medication.
Medication should be taken in a sealed plastic wallet clearly labelled with the child’s name and details of the medication.
A copy of the consent form and a form to record when it has been given should be included inside the wallet.
In the event of a child on medication having to be taken to hospital, the child’s medication should be accompany them in a sealed plastic wallet, clearly labelled with the child’s name and the details of the medication.
Storing medicines at Castle Lane Day Nursery
All medication is stored safely in a locked desk drawer or refrigerator as required. Medication is stored in a clearly labelled plastic wallet, which is solely for the use of storing medicines.
Your child’s key worker is responsible for ensuring medicine is handed back to you at the end of each day.
Medication may be kept in the nursery to be administered on a regular or as-and-when-required basis. Key workers must check to ensure that all medication held in the nursery is in date and return any out-of-date medication to the parent or carer.
Should the administration of prescribed medicines require specific medical knowledge, individual training will be provided for the relevant member of staff by a healthcare professional.
If rectal diazepam is given, another member of staff must be present and will be required to co-sign the record.
No child may self-administer any medication. Where children are capable of understanding when they need medication, for example those diagnosed with asthma, they should be encouraged to tell their key worker what they need.
However, this does not replace the importance of staff vigilance in observing and responding to when a child requires medication.