Guest katylouise1984 Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 I hope I've put this in the right place! I was just wondering what other day nurseries do with regard to medication, and if they plan to change with the new EYFS. Basically, we currently do the usual with medication e.g. fill in a medication form before any medication is given, be it prescribed or calpol etc. We do give calpol if children are teething / have cold etc but are genrally ok to be at nursery. We also, on occasions phone parents if a child's temp rises / shows signs of distress due to teething etc during the day. If we do this, we never say "Shall we give calpol?" We always say "Is there anything you would like us to do?" so it isn't our discision. The new EYFS says (pg. 26) "Medicines should only be taken to a setting when this is essential and settings should only accept medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmasist." We are thinking that our current practice will no longer be allowed. We are very careful about administering calpol etc, but as i am sure you all do, we also understand that sometimes children might need a little help through teething or the back end of a cold. Are we to not allow a child in to nursery unless they have ALL medication prescribed by one of the above? I can imagine our parents reactions if we phoned them to collect their child everytime they had a little temp / teething etc!! Any ideas anyone?
mundia Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 I know there will be more experienced people than me on this who will put you in the picture here, but Id have thought that prescribed medication would be the only type you could administer. I'm just thinking of the scenario where child has been given Calpol at home, parent forgets to tell you, and you then give another dose; or a child is given Calpol and has a reaction? I think the guidance you mention in the EYFS makes it very clear, and I think it would be worrying if you deviate from it and something goes terribly wrong.
Shiny Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 We will continue to use this document until it is updated. As far as I know it is the most recent addition. Don't know if it will be of any use. We used it to write our administering medicines policy. http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs/reso...l-env3final.pdf
Smiles Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 We only give prescibed medicines. Our parents fill out a book with details of medicines, when too give them etc. We never give Calpol although parents dont like it. I was told by an Inspector once that if a child has a temparature and is reliant on Calpol they shouldnt be at preschool. We use the book mention previously. Smiles
Guest MaryEMac Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 The only medication that we give is asthma inhalers. The children are only with us for two and a half hours so any medication can be given before and/or after the session. to be honest it must be a year since we have even had to do this. Mary
belle06 Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 At the moment we do as katylouise1984 does with parents filling in a medication form for calpol and other non prescribed medicines which has always been fine with Ofsted and our Lea and is a standard practice within daycare within our area. In light of the new EYFS we will be revising our medication policy and only accepting medication that is prescribed such as asthma inhalers. I know this will open a can of worms with parents. We have some children who suffer from sudden onset temps and febrile convulsions where parents have calpol on supply in case of emergency which will now stop. On a positive note I feel this may be a good development as we are not qualified medical personnel and it worries me when staff are expected to dispense medicine to children and the responsibility it is putting on them. At least with this legislation we all now have it in writing to show parents and as said earlier children should not be in a setting when poorly maybe we will see a downslide in parents binging children in under the weather or poorly with a bottle of calpol and expecting this to be acceptable. (sorry rant over)
Inge Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Belle if children suffer from sudden onset temps and febrile convulsions and really need calpol on supply in case of emergency it can be prescribed by a doctor and used, we have had this with us in the past. Also has everyone noted the line below this which states medicines must be kept in a locked non- portable container etc.. and only named individuals to have access. Causing us a nightmare in a hired hall , finding somewhere and having easy access to it during the session . we don't have many medicines brought in but feel perhaps we should have something suitable in place 'just in case' any one else having this prtoblem. we have been told by LEA that emergency medication can be 'to hand' during the session but it does not really solve all teh problem. Inge
Guest Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Inge with regard to storage, we used to keep medicines ie: inhalers etc (labelled) in our store cupboard, on a high shelf, no access to children (alongside our first aid box). Medications which required fridge also ok as no access to children. Only staff with 1st aid qualifications administered medication, named in the front of our register. Whilst considering revising policies, don't forget staff bringing in medication and how this is handled too. Peggy
Inge Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Peggy, That is what we do now but it now states a locked non-portable container.. suppose if we could lock the door... maybe not! Ones for fridge are fine though as you say... and staff medication is already sorted... All our staff are first aid trained and administering is not a problem , just that non- portable container. Had a few suggestions from staff and committee, none I care to repeat!! Inge
Guest Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I have to question that if a child needs Calpol for ANY reason then should they be in nursery at all? My answer is no, and I have unfortunately upset many parents over the years by doing this. The nursry I work for has recently introduced a policy whereby with parents permission first we can give emergency Calpol if the parents can't get to us in a certain length of time, but the child still has to go home. I alwyas think an ill child needs and deserves 1:1 care and in nursery we can't give that Peggy, That is what we do now but it now states a locked non-portable container.. suppose if we could lock the door... maybe not! Ones for fridge are fine though as you say... and staff medication is already sorted... All our staff are first aid trained and administering is not a problem , just that non- portable container. Had a few suggestions from staff and committee, none I care to repeat!! Inge
Guest Wolfie Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I agree with seashore over the issue of adminstering Calpol and had my reasons stated in my policy. However, I did make one exception for an individual child - he was prone to febrile convulsions when his temperautre rocketed, and this could happen very quickly and with not many warning symptoms. Mum asked if we would be prepared to adminster Calpol at the first signs of any temperature rise to try and prevent the convulsion because by the time she or Dad go there it would be likely that it was too late - I saw this as a valid exception and drew up an individual permission slip for that child.
Inge Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 As Wolfie has said it si possible to need it at short notice when the child has been fit and well but gets a sudden temperature which causes problems. In our case it was on prescription and so severe he had boteh paracetamol and Ibuprtofen to give at the same time, on any sign of increased temperature.. would it be fair to exclude that child all the time for what is otherwise very manageable and may never occur but is seroius if it does? Inge
Guest Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 Peggy, That is what we do now but it now states a locked non-portable container.. suppose if we could lock the door... maybe not! Ones for fridge are fine though as you say... and staff medication is already sorted... All our staff are first aid trained and administering is not a problem , just that non- portable container. Had a few suggestions from staff and committee, none I care to repeat!! Inge My store cupboard was non-portable , and lockable but when not locked medicines out of reach. Peggy
Guest Posted April 28, 2008 Posted April 28, 2008 I use the same book/document as you, shiny. As far as I know it hasn't been updated. Do you think they will let us know when it is, because as I remember it was sent to us originally by post?
Guest katylouise1984 Posted April 28, 2008 Posted April 28, 2008 Thank you for all your replys! May be calpol wasn't a good example to use!! Don't get me wrong, we NEVER give it without speaking to a parent first. It's just sometimes, with teeting babies etc, parents ask us in the morning to give calpol/bonjella etc at lunch time maybe if the child is struggling with teeth or something similar. I just think that if we can only give prescribed medication we are never going to have some children at nursery!
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