Procedure 2.1.39 SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH PREVALENT MEDICAL CONDITIONS (ANAPHYLAXIS, ASTHMA, DIABETES AND/OR EPILEPSY)

Approved: September 4, 2018

Revised:

The Board Shall:

support students with prevalent medical conditions by ensuring that this policy articulates the expected roles and responsibilities of parents/guardians and school staff as well as the roles and responsibilities of the students themselves;

require that schools communicate the roles and responsibilities to parents/guardians, students and school staff;

provide training and resources on prevalent medical conditions on an annual basis;

develop strategies that reduce the risk of student exposure to triggers or causative agents in classrooms and common school areas;

develop expectations for schools to support the safe storage and disposal of medication and medical supplies, and communicate these expectations to schools and support schools in the implementation of the expectations;

communicate expectations that students are allowed to carry their medication and supplies to support the management of their medical condition, as outlined in their Plan of Care;

consider PPM 161 and related board policies when entering into contracts with transportation, food service and other providers.

Parents/Guardians, as primary caregivers of their child, shall:

be active participants in supporting the management of their child’s medical condition(s) while their child is in school;

educate their child about their medical condition(s) with support from their child’s health care professional, as needed;

guide and encourage their child to reach their full potential for self-management and self-advocacy;

inform the school in a timely manner upon diagnoses of their child’s medical condition(s) and co-create the Plan of Care for their child with the principal or the principal’s designate;

communicate changes to the Plan of Care, such as changes to the status of their child’s medical condition(s) or changes to their child’s medical condition(s) or changes to their child’s ability to manage the medical condition(s) , to the principal or principal’s designate upon learning of the change from the medical practitioner;

confirm annually to the principal or the principal’s designate that their child’s medical status is unchanged;

initiate and participate in meetings to review their child’s Plan of Care;

supply their child and/or the school with sufficient quantities of medication and supplies in their original, clearly labelled prescription containers, as directed by a health care professional and as outlined in the Plan of Care, and track the expiration dates if they are supplied;

seek medical advice from a medical doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist, where appropriate;

provide the school with copies of any medical reports or instructions from the student’s health care provider;

review all school and board policies related to the management of their child’s medical condition(s).

Students Should:

Students With Prevalent Medical Conditions

Depending on their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical stage of development, and their capacity for self-management, students are expected to actively support the development and implementation of their Plan of Care.

take responsibility for advocating for their personal safety and well-being that is consistent with their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical stage of development and their capacity for self-management;

participate in the development of their Plan of Care;

participate in meetings to review their Plan of Care;

carry out daily or routine self-management of their medical condition to their full potential, as described in their Plan of Care (e.g., carry their medication and medical supplies; follow school board policies on disposal of medication and medical supplies);

set goals on an ongoing basis for self-management of their medical condition, in conjunction with their parent(s) and health care professional(s);

communicate with their parents/guardians and school staff if they are facing challenges related to their medical condition(s) at school;

wear medical alert identification that they and/or their parents/guardians deem appropriate;

if possible, inform school staff and/or their peers if a medical incident or a medical emergency occurs.

School Staff Shall:

follow Board policies and provisions in their collective agreements related to supporting students with prevalent medical conditions in schools;

Review the contents of the Plan of Care for any student with whom they have direct contact;

participate in training, during the instructional day, on prevalent medical conditions, at a minimum annually, as required by the school board;

share information on a student’s signs and symptoms with other students, as outlined in the Plan of Care and authorized by the principal in writing;

follow school board strategies that reduce the risk of student exposure to triggers or causative agents in classrooms, common school areas, and extracurricular activities, in accordance with the student’s Plan of Care;

support a student’s daily or routine management, and respond to medical incidents and emergencies per board policies and procedures;

support inclusion by allowing students with prevalent medical conditions to perform daily or routine management activities in a school location (e.g. classroom), as outlined in their Plan of Care, while being aware of confidentiality and the dignity of the student;

Enable students with prevalent medical conditions to participate in school to their full potential, as outlined in their Plan of Care;

collaborate with parent(s) in developing transition plans for students with Prevalent Medical Conditions, as appropriate;

maintain log of administration of medication;

notify the principal or principal’s designate when they are aware of the expiry date on medication(s) has been reached.

Principal

in addition to the responsibilities outlined under ‘School Staff’, the Principal shall:

communicate with parents/guardians and appropriate staff the process for parents/guardians to notify the school of their child’s medical conditions(s), as well as the expectation for parents/guardians to co-create, review and update a Plan of Care with the principal or designate. This process should be communicated to parents/guardians, at a minimum

- During the time of registration
- Each year during the first week of school
- When a child is diagnosed and/or returns to school during a diagnosis;

co-create, review, or update the Plan of Care for a student with a prevalent medical condition with the parent(s)/guardians, in consultation with school staff (as appropriate) and with the student (as appropriate);

maintain a file with the Plan of Care and supporting documentation for each student with a prevalent medical condition;

provide relevant information from the student’s Plan of Care to school staff and others who are identified in the Plan of Care (e.g. food service providers, transportation providers, volunteers, occasional staff, coaches, and facilitators of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, who will be in direct contact with the student), including any revisions that are made to the plan;

communicate with parents/guardians in medical emergencies, as outlined in the Plan of Care;

encourage the identification of staff who can support the daily or routine management needs of students in the school with prevalent medical conditions, while honouring the provisions within their collective agreements;

co-operate with school staff when requests are made for information related to storage of medication, administration of medication and updated medical information;

participate in training on prevalent medical conditions, at a minimum annually, as required by the school board;

have processes in place to provide for student transitions between grades, new schools and placements;

maintain appropriate storage of medications or medical devices for students with prevalent medical conditions;

communicate regularly with school staff and parents regarding any life threatening conditions;

Inform parents about relevant board and school policies and procedures and encourage them to review them;

ensure, with consent, an updated photo with key emergency information is placed in a school location for all staff to see on a regular basis;

ensure occasional teachers have access to the student’s Plan of Care and are familiar with the emergency procedures;

ensure all staff have received training annually, including training about any prevention strategies, recognition of life-threatening situations, emergency protocols and the use of any emergency medical interventions;