HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 HB  1650

Title:  An act relating to school nurses.

Brief Description:  Expanding the health professionals who may request administration of oral medication at school.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cody, Talcott, Ruderman, Wood, Quall, Boldt, Stensen, Rockefeller, Parlette, O'Brien, Kenney and Keiser.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 10, 1999.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  Public school districts and private schools are permitted but not required to administer oral medications to students, if certain statutory requirements are met.

Before administering oral medications:

$School boards in the public schools and governing boards or chief administrators in the private schools are required by law to adopt policies that determine which school employees may administer the medications to students.  The policies must address the acquisition of requests and instructions from the students= parents and from dentists and physicians.   The policies must also address instructions for students who need medication for more than fifteen consecutive school days.

$The boards are required to seek advice from physicians or nurses in the development of these policies.  The  private schools or public school districts must have a written request from a parent or legal guardian of the student.

$The school districts or private schools must have a current, written, unexpired request from a licensed physician or dentist, with instruction for the administration of the medication for students who require medication for more than fifteen consecutive work days.

$The governing board of the district or the private school has designated an employee to administer the medications.

$The medications must be examined by the employee responsible for its administration.  The examination is intended to ensure that the medication is in its original container and is properly labeled.

$The governing board has designated a registered nurse or advance registered nurse to train and supervise the employees responsible for the administration of the medication.

Summary of Bill:  In the law governing the administration of oral medications to students in public and private schools,  references to prescriptions, requests, and instructions from a Alicensed physician or dentist@ are replaced by  the same from a  Alicensed health care professional prescribing within the scope of his or her prescriptive authority@.

(staff note:  The title of the bill does not reflect the bill=s provisions)

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.