Medication Administration in the School Setting

The Needham Public Schools Medication Policy complies with state guidelines for medication administration and has been put in place to provide for the health and safety of students requiring medication administration during the school day.

The following statements highlight the main points of the policy. The entire policy is available for review in each school health office.
"The school nurse is responsible for the administration of all medication, as required by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 94C. When a child needs a medication during the school day, we ask that parents/guardians please act promptly to follow this policy, so that the medicine can be administered as soon as possible."


All medication must be delivered to the Health Office by the student’s parent/guardian, or a designated adult. 
Students are not permitted to bring medications to school.
Whenever possible, medication administration should be scheduled at times other than during school hours.


For medication to be given during school, all medications (prescription, or over the counter) require a physician’s order and a completed parental permission form.
The Parent Authorization Form must be completed in ink and be on file in the Health Office before any medication is administered.

A Physician Authorization Form can be submitted using our form or the template provided by your provider.  You do not need both.  

For life threatening food allergies please compete an Emergency Health Care Plan.

Important facts regarding medication at school:

  • Only a thirty (30) day supply of medication will be accepted at any time.
  • All medication orders expire at the end of the school year. Medication orders must be renewed at the beginning of each school year (Dated after June 30th) .
  • All medication must be delivered in a correctly labeled pharmacy or manufacturer’s medication container. (Medications are not accepted in containers such as plastic bags.)
  • Non-prescription medication (over-the-counter) will be handled the same way as prescription medication.
  • Self-medication may be allowed under certain circumstances after consultation with the school nurse, and with the completion of the required authorization forms by both a student's parent/guardian and prescribing physician.
  • If a medication needs to be administered during a school sponsored event such as a field trip, the school nurse must be contacted in advance in order to allow time to make special arrangements prior to the outing.
  • A parent may retrieve the medication from the school at any time.
  • The pharmacy-labeled container can be used in lieu of a physician’s order only in the case of short-term medications, i.e., those medications to be given for ten(10) school days or less. If the school nurse has a question about the medication, she/he may request a licensed prescriber’s order. In addition, a Parental Authorization Form is required for short-term medication administration.


All medications must be picked up by a parent/guardian, before the close of the school year. Any medications that are not picked up by the close of school will be destroyed.

For any specific questions please contact your school nurse directly 

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