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Administrative Procedure 315: Medication - Administration, Storage and Disposal

Legal References

Education Act: Section 265 (1) (j) Duties of Principal: Care of Pupils; R.R.O. Reg. 298 Section 20 (g): Duties of Teachers; Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 81 Provision of Health Support Services in School Settings; PPM149 Protocol for Partnerships with External Agencies for Provision of Services by Regulated Health Professionals, Regulated Social Service Professionals, and Paraprofessionals; PPM161 Supporting Children and Students with Prevalent Medical Conditions (Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes and/or Epilepsy) in Schools; Ryan’s Law (Ensuring Asthma Friendly Schools), 2015; Sabrina’s Law, 2005; Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017; Cannabis Control Act, 2017; Cannabis Act, 2018

Related References

Administrative Procedure (AP)150 Smoking and Vaping on Board Premises; AP180 First Aid and Medical Emergencies; AP266 Field Trips and Excursions; AP314 Supporting Students with Prevalent Medical Conditions in Schools; AP351 Code of Conduct; AP353 Student Suspension; AP354 Student Expulsion; AP356 Substance Abuse by Students; AP364 Search and Seizure Guidelines; AP370 Ontario Student Record (OSR); AP589 Transportation; Form 315A Administration of Non-Prescription Medication; Form 315B Administration of Prescription Medication; Form 315C Record of Administration of Oral Medication
 
1.0 Director of Education Procedure Statement
The Director of Education has designed this administrative procedure to provide direction to all staff members who assist pupils with medication which is required during school hours.

2.0 Medication Permissions
School personnel may not dispense or administer prescription or non-prescription medication to any student without written authorization from a parent/guardian, as per the requirements of this procedure.

2.1 Parents/guardians may request non-prescription oral medication such as acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or an antihistamine to be dispensed and administered on occasion, at school. Parents/guardians who request this must complete Form 315A Administration of Non-Prescription Medication.

2.2 The principal/designate may authorize personnel to dispense or administer oral prescription medication to students who require it during the school day in accordance with this procedure. Parents/guardians must complete Form 315B Administration of Prescription Medication to authorize school staff.

2.3 As per PPM 81 and in accordance with this procedure, school staff are permitted to administer oral medication. Permitted exceptions to oral administration are the following prescription rescue medications for prevalent medical conditions:

• Epinephrine injector (EpiPen) for anaphylactic emergencies
• Nasal glucagon (Baqsimi) for hypoglycemia emergencies
Form 315B should also be completed for these prescription rescue medications.
 
2.4 AMDSB school staff are not permitted to administer prescription medication indicated by a physician as “PRN” or “as needed” with the exception of prescription rescue medications for prevalent medical conditions as listed above.

2.5 As stated in Sabrina’s Law subsection 3(3): “If an employee has reason to believe that a pupil is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, the employee can administer an epinephrine auto-injector or other medication prescribed to the pupil for the treatment of an anaphylactic reaction, even if there is no preauthorization to do so under subsection (1)” of the law.

2.6 As stated in Ryan’s Law subsection 4(3): “If an employee has reason to believe that a pupil is experiencing an asthma exacerbation, the employee may administer asthma medication to the pupil for the treatment of the exacerbation, even if there is no preauthorization to do so under subsection (1)” of the law.

2.7 Medication that can be administered outside of school hours, without an adverse effect on the student, should be a first consideration, prior to administering at school.

3.0 Required Medication Procedures and Forms

3.1 The principal/designate can only accept medication that is provided in the original, tamper-proof, labelled container from the pharmacy or from an approved medical distributor.

3.2 Form 315A Administration of Non-Prescription Medication and/or Form 315B Administration of Prescription Medication, which contains the information below, must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian before any medication is administered to the student. These forms are to be kept on file at the school.

The parent/guardian must specify:
    1. Student name
    2. Student birth date
    3. Name of medication
    4. Amount of medication
    5. Specific dosage instructions
    6. Storage/location instructions
    7. Expected side effects (if any)
    8. Time(s) to be given
    9. Date to begin
    10. Date to end
      In addition to the above, the following is required for prescription medications:
    11. Name, Address and Phone Number of Physician/Nurse Practitioner
      For all medications, staff will sign Form 315A and 315B indicating the receipt of medication at the school, and the return of medication to the parent/guardian.
3.3 If the prescription medication is to aid a student with a prevalent medical condition, a copy of Form 315B must be attached to the Individual Medical Management Plan of Care.
 
3.4 Parents/guardians shall be responsible for the delivery of medication to the principal/designate at intervals as may be determined by parent/guardians and/or physician or nurse practitioner.

3.5 The principal shall return to the parent/guardian, in a secure manner, any unused medication when requested by the parent/guardian or when the school is closed for holidays or breaks. Medication that is not picked up by the parent/guardian will be returned to a local pharmacy for disposal.

3.6 The principal will ensure that records for the administration of medication are kept in a central location in a clearly marked binder/container so that all staff recognize and can gain access to them quickly in an emergency.

3.7 The principal shall keep a record of all medication administered to students using Form 315C Record of Administration of Oral Medication. In addition to the required information on Form 315A and 315B, Form 315 C provides a calendar template for staff use, and requires:
    1. daily initials of staff administering medication,
    2. time of medication administration, and
    3. indication of why a medication was not administered on a school day (e.g., PA Day, student absence)
3.8 Forms 315A and 315B must be completed annually by the parent/guardian and whenever a change or modification to the prescribed medication is directed by the physician/nurse practitioner.

3.9 If a medication is given in error, contact shall be made immediately with the emergency department of the local hospital for further instructions and then to parents/guardians. If a medication is missed or extra doses are given, the parent/guardian should be contacted for additional instructions.

3.10 During field trips, medication shall be transported in a secure manner and administered at the time it is ordered. The administration of the medication shall be recorded on Form 315C upon return from the outing. Medical cannabis may be transported when the passenger is authorized to possess medical cannabis. It must be transported in the original, tamper-proof, labelled container which is fastened, closed and placed in the vehicle such that it is not readily available to the driver. The prescribing physician’s/nurse practitioner’s authorization must accompany the medical cannabis. Note: Medical cannabis cannot be taken across an international border.

3.11 Information regarding emergency procedures must be with the teacher(s) accompanying students on appropriately authorized, out-of-school excursions. As per Administrative Procedure 266 Field Trips and Excursions, the school staff supervisor is aware of the medical supports (e.g., hospital or clinic) in proximity to trip locations/destinations and noted in the Form 266A-3 - Checklist B or C.

4.0 Location and Storage of Medication Procedures

4.1 The principal shall assign responsibility for the safekeeping of the labelled medication in a secure place and according to medication storage requirements (e.g., stored in a refrigerator, out of light, etc.). The principal shall also ensure all teachers and support staff are aware of the location of all required medications.
 
4.2 For medical cannabis, no more than 30 days of dosage per student shall be stored at the school at any one time. Medical cannabis shall be stored in a secured central location in the school.

4.3 As per Administrative Procedure 314, students may carry their own medication, equipment and/or materials for their prevalent medical condition (e.g., EpiPen, inhaler) where deemed appropriate and with parent(s)/guardian(s) permission, given the student’s development and their capacity for self-management.

5.0 Disposal of Medication Procedures

5.1 The principal/designate shall return to the parent/guardian, in a secure manner, any unused medication when requested by the parent/guardian or when the school is closed for holiday vacation, mid-winter break or the summer vacation.

5.2 The principal/designate will record on Form 315A or 315B the name and signature of staff who returned the medication to the parent/guardian, and the date. The guardian will sign, indicating receipt of the medication.

5.3 Disposal of medication remaining at the school after several attempts to contact parents/guardians for pick-up should occur through collaboration with the local pharmacy.
 
 
Revised May 2025