HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 SSB  5590

Title:  An act relating to which health professionals may sign a request to have oral medication administered by school employees.

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

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Thibaudeau, Deccio, Wojahn and Winsley; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  March 29, 1999.

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

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Public and private schools may administer oral medications prescribed by licensed health care professionals prescribing within the scope of the professionals' authority.  This language replaces the current restriction to prescriptions by physicians and dentists only.

Background: Under state education laws, 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:

CSchool 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 15 consecutive school days.

CThe boards are required to seek advice from physicians or nurses in the development of these policies.

CThe  private schools or public school districts must have a written request from a parent or legal guardian of the student.

CThe 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 15 consecutive work days.

CThe governing board of the district or the private school must have designated an employee to administer the medications.

CThe 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.

CThe governing board must have 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 "licensed physician or dentist" are replaced by  the same from a  "licensed health care professional prescribing within the scope of his or her prescriptive authority".

Differences between HB 1650 and SSB 5590:  Bill title.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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