Comprehensive school guide for management of diabetes in school children

"More specifically, Act 86 permits school nurses, in consultation with their chief school administrator or a designee, to identify at least one school employee ("Identified Employee") in each school building attended by a student with diabetes to be designated in a student's service agreement or Individualized Education Program (IEP) to administer diabetes medications, use diabetes monitoring equipment, and provide other diabetes care." 

(a) A parent or guardian of a student with diabetes who desires that the student receive diabetes-related care and treatment in a school setting shall provide the school entity with written authorization for the care and instructions from the student's health care practitioner, consistent with the school entity's policies regarding the provision of school health services. The required authorizations may be submitted as part of a diabetes medical management plan.

(b) All diabetes-related care provided to students shall be consistent with the school health program established by the governing body of the school entity and any accommodations outlined in a student's service agreement.

(c) A student's service agreement may require a school entity to provide the driver of a school bus or school vehicle, who provides transportation to a student with diabetes, with an information sheet that:

• (1) Identifies the student with diabetes.
• (2) Identifies potential emergencies that may occur as a result of the student's diabetes and the appropriate responses to such emergencies.
• (3) Provides the telephone number of a contact person in case of an emergency involving the student with diabetes

(a) A school entity shall require the parent or guardian of a student with diabetes who requests that the student possess and self-administer diabetes medication and operate monitoring equipment in a school setting to provide the following:

(1) A written statement from the student's health care practitioner that provides the name of the drug, the dose, thetimes when the medication is to be taken or the monitoring equipment to be used, the specified time period for which the medication or monitoring equipment is authorized to be used and the diagnosis or reason the medicine or monitoring equipment is needed. The student's health care practitioner shall indicate the potential of any serious reaction to the medication that may occur, as well as any necessary emergency response. The student's health care practitioner shall state whether the student is competent to self-administer the medication or monitoring equipment and whether the student is able to practice proper safety precautions for the handling and disposal of the medication and monitoring equipment.

(2) A written request from the parent or guardian that the school entity comply with the instructions of the student's health care practitioner. The parent's request shall include a statement relieving the school entity or any school employe of any responsibility for the prescribed medication or monitoring equipment and acknowledging that the school entity bears no responsibility for ensuring that the medication is taken by the student and the monitoring equipment is used.

(3) A written acknowledgment by the school nurse that the student has demonstrated that the student is capable of self-administration of the medication and use of the monitoring equipment.

(4) A written acknowledgment by the student that the student has received instruction from the student's health care practitioner on proper safety precautions for the handling and disposal of the medications and monitoring equipment. The written acknowledgment shall also contain a provision stating that the student will not allow other students to have access to the medication and monitoring equipment and that the student understands appropriate safeguards.