Health Room

Medication Policy

All medication must be delivered to the School Nurse or other designated school employee by the student’s parent, legal guardian or a previously designated adult. It is against School District Policy for a student to carry ANY medication on their person without physician permission, parent permission and school district permission to self-administer and self-monitor (SC Law S144). All medication will be maintained in the health room. Violations of the medication policy are dealt with sternly. Medication needed on field trips is also covered by this policy and must be given to and administered by an employee of Greenville County Schools designated by the principal. There are separate permission forms for medications on field trips.

For your child’s safety please remember:

ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must have written parental and physician authorization before medication can be administered at school. Form MED-1.
All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be administered as labeled and OTC medications may not exceed package directions.
ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel.
OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS may be provided by the parent if it is in the original container, clearly labeled with the student’s name and is accompanied by written parental permission. Form MED-3.
Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date. School Nurses will not administer any medication passed the expiration date.
ALL MEDICATION MUST BE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER.
School nurses are legally required to administer only medications with FDA approval.
No medication containing ASPIRIN can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications.
If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.
Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled may carry these medications, may self-monitor and may self-administer these medications only if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others, (stimulants, pain relief medication, anti-depressants for example) the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication. Medications that are approved for self-administering are asthma inhalers, insulin for diabetic students, and Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions. Please use form MED-2.

Contacting Parents

If your child comes to the Health Room and needs to go home, we must contact a parent or legal guardian. We cannot send a student home with anyone until a parent has been notified. This is why it is so very important that we have current information about how to contact you at all times. If your child has an emergency situation or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school, those contacts you list on the Health Card will be called IF we cannot reach a parent first. Please understand that this is for your child's protection.

Student Emergency Information Form

On the first day of school your child will be given an Emergency Information sheet to be completed by a parent. This is very important. Please print all information clearly. This will be the only way we have to reach you in case of an emergency at school. If at any time ANY of this information should change, please notify your school nurse immediately.

State Immunization Requirements

A child cannot be admitted to any school or child development program without a valid SC Certificate of Immunization or a medical, religious, or special exemption.
Immunizations required by SC law are:

Tetanus containing vaccine (Dtap, DT or TD)
Polio
Measles (two doses)
Rubella (German Measles)
Mumps

Hepatitis B Immunizations are required for students entering all grades. The Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccine or history of disease is required for all students admitted to K5 through 12th grade.
If your child does not have a valid Certificate of Immunization, take his/her shot records to your physician or the county Health Department (282-4100). A parent or adult authorized by the parent must accompany a student under 16 who requires shots. For further information, call Medical Health Services at 355-3170.

Required Immunization Changes Effective for 2018-19

4th grade has been added to the requirement for (2) doses of varicella. A child with a positive history of the disease is considered immune and is exempt from this requirement.

6th grade has been added to the requirement for three (3) doses of oral and/or inactivated polio vaccine with at least one (1) dose received on or after the fourth birthday.

Children enrolled in PreK or 4K programs and younger must meet Day Care Requirements, even if attendance is in a school setting. Children enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten through Grade 12 must meet School Requirements.(

South Carolina Certificate of Immunization (DHEC 2740)

Currently there are two versions of the SC Certificate of Immunization: the DHEC 1148 and DHEC 2740. The purpose of two versions is to allow for a transition from the use of the DHEC 1148 to DHEC 2740. Either form may be used to complete a valid certificate until 1/1/2014 after which date only the DHEC 2740 should be used to complete a SC Certificate of Immunization.

South Carolina Certificates of Immunization issued on the DHEC 1148 prior to 1/1/2014 are considered valid (or until expiration) and a DHEC 2740 does not need to be issued to replace this document unless vaccine status changes. For more information about SC immunization requirements, please visit the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) website.

Partners For Healthy Children

This is state insurance program offered to low income families for children under 19. If you are interested call 1-800-549-0820.

SAFE Act Information

The Safe Access to Vital Epinephrine (SAVE) Act, approved in 2013 by the South Carolina Legislature, allows school districts to store supplies of epinephrine auto-injectors for identified school staff to use in emergencies for students with allergic reactions. See the district protocol for schools.

Health Screenings

Vision

All students in grades K-4, K-5, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades will be screened for distant vision problems. If your child does not pass this screening, he will be screened again in two weeks. If he/she does not pass this screening, you will be notified that your child needs further evaluation by a Physician or Optometrist. Please have this letter completed and return it to your School Nurse. If your child is not in one of these grades, and you would like to have their vision screened, please send a note to your child’s Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.

Hearing

All students in K3, K4, K5, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades will have their hearing screened annually. If your child does not pass the initial screening, he/she will be rescreened at a later date. If he/she does not pass the re-screening the Nurse will refer your child to the District Audiologist. You will be notified by mail concerning further evaluation. If your child is not in one of these grades and you wish to have a screening, please send a note to your School Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.