School Nurse
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health, please do not hesitate to contact the school nurse or counselor by phone or email. To meet with us in person, please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Phone: 404-369-3500 extension 4
Email: health@atlantaclasscial.org
When to Stay Home from School
Your child should stay home from school for any of the following:
a fever of 100°F or higher (taken by mouth)
contagious illness (this includes pink eye)
unable to comfortably take part in regular school activities
A child kept home or sent home with a fever may not return to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications like Tylenol or Motrin.
Children with vomiting or diarrhea should be kept home for 24 hours after symptoms have stopped.
Please contact your pediatrician or see the School Exclusion List (on the school website or in the school clinic) for more information about other illnesses.
Coming Back to School After Illness
Yes. School policy requires a note in order for an absence to be counted as excused. If your child goes to the doctor for illness or injury, please obtain a note with a return-to-school date.
Please utilize the appropriate clinic forms to implement any medical accommodations or medications required at school. These will need to be filled out and signed by your physician and can be found on the school website.
Medication at School
It is always best to give medication at home whenever possible. Sometimes, a medication may need to be given to the student at school. Nursing Services has a Medication Administration Policy to ensure that medication is given safely at school. You must bring the proper forms in order for any medication to be given to your child at school. Over-the-counter medication must be in the original, unopened bottle that is properly sealed and labeled with the student’s name. Prescription medication must be in the original pharmacy container, which will be labeled with the date filled and all appropriate identifying information
Yes. You will need to fill out the Administration of Medication/Medical Procedure (form 7) located on the school website and in SchoolMint. You will a need a separate form for each medication. Please fill in the form completely.
Yes. Our school nurses are governed by the Georgia Nurse Practice Act and APS Policy JGCD – Medication, and they will only administer medication in accordance with written medical orders signed by a licensed physician, physician extender, dentist, or podiatrist. APS nurses will not modify any dosage of medicine based solely on the request or recommendation by a parent or guardian. A parent or guardian seeking a dosage modification must provide the nurse with an appropriate medical order signed by the prescribing healthcare provider.
No. If your child needs medication at school, whether it is prescription or over-the-counter, it must be kept in the school clinic. There is an exception for life-saving, emergency medications like EpiPens or rescue inhalers.
No. The school does not provide any medications. We are only able to administer medications provided by the parent/guardian that are in the original, sealed container.
These include medications for ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression and various behavioral and developmental conditions. These must be dropped off by the parent/guardian in person and counted in the presence of a clinic staff member. If you are not sure, please contact your doctor or the school nurse.
Emergency Medications at School
Emergency medications are used in the event of a life-threatening emergency and include Epi Pens, rescue inhalers, Diastat and glucagon. These are for severe, diagnosed medical conditions such as allergies with anaphylaxis, seizure disorder or diabetes.
GA House Bill 227 and Georgia state law O.C.G.A 20-2-774 states that students may possess and self-administer EpiPens and rescue inhalers while at school.
You will need to fill out an Emergency Action Plan and an Administration of Medication/Medical Procedure form. Students who wish to carry their emergency medication with them at school will also require a completed Written Authorization for Self-Administration of Epinephrine Auto-injectors by Minor Children at School or a Written Authorization for Self-Administration of Asthma Medication by Minor Children at School. These can be found on the school website or requested from the school clinic. These forms require a physician’s signature.
- Parent/guardian’s signature giving permission for your child to carry the EpiPen or inhaler
- Student’s signature stating that they understand how to self-administer the medication
- Prescribing healthcare provider’s signature stating that your child is capable of carrying and self-administering the medication
- School nurse’s signature that student correctly demonstrated proper use of their inhaler or EpiPen trainer
We strongly recommend sending a back-up to be kept in the clinic as well.
Any child with a serious, diagnosed medical condition that may be life-threatening (such as seizure disorder, diabetes, food/insect venom allergy or asthma) must have an Emergency Action Plan filed with the school clinic. These will be kept in the school clinic and in your student’s classroom for quick reference in case of emergency. We also recommend keeping one with your child’s emergency medication. Please have your physician fill it in completely and be sure to include a recent photograph. These must be signed by the prescribing physician.
If you are not sure if your child needs an emergency action plan, please contact your physician or the school nurse.
Administration of Medication/Medical Procedures
Authorization for Self-Administration of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
Authorization for Self-Administration of Asthma
Immunizations
Georgia state law O.C.G.A. § 20-2-771 requires students attending school to be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.
Students without up-to-date immunizations will be excluded from school 30 days after the start of school if we have not received completed immunization records or exemptions during that time period.
Yes. Anytime your child receives a vaccine (other than the flu shot/mist), please send an updated form 3231 to school. We are required by the state to keep updated vaccine records for all of our students.
Please note that all records must be officially signed by the physician or physician extender (PA or NP), have a date of issue, and either be marked “complete for school” or have an expiration date that is in the future. Forms that are signed by anyone other than a physician or physician extender (such as a nurse or medical assistant), that are not dated, or that do not have an expiration date by law cannot be accepted as completed.
Children medically unable to be immunized should have this noted on form 3231.
Children exempted for religious reasons will require a notarized affidavit of religious exemption.
Any child who is not fully immunized must be excluded from school in the event of the occurrence of vaccine-preventable illness at school.
More information about required immunizations and immunization schedules can be found on the school website or through the Georgia Department of Health.
More information:
Immunization Requirements for School
http://dph.georgia.gov/immunization-section
http://www.cobbk12.org/aboutccsd/enrollment/KindergartenImmunizations-ENGLISH.pdf
Hearing and Vision Screening
The State of Georgia requires that all children entering a school in Georgia have an eye, ear and dental screening. These are recorded on form 3300.
We currently do not perform hearing or vision screens in our clinic. For more information about your form 3300 or about screening your child, please contact your pediatrician, eye doctor, dentist, or the Georgia Department of Health.
http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/related_files/document/DPH_Form_3300.pdf
Health History
For everyone’s health and safety, it is very important for our school nurses to be aware of each student’s health history. Parent’s should thoroughly review and complete the Health History on SchoolMint.
504 Plans and IEPs
Although Nursing Services does not evaluate students for 504 plans or IEPs, we do work hand in hand with parents, students and Student Services to ensure that children with exceptional medical needs are provided a safe and supportive school environment in which to thrive. For more information, please contact Student Services.
Medical Packet:
Administration of Medication/Medical Procedures
Emergency Care Plan for Other Conditions
Authorization to Release Confidential Information
Referral for Homebound Services
All Forms
Administration of Medication/Medical Procedures
Authorization to Release Confidential Information
Authorization for Self-Administration of Asthma
Authorization for Self-Administration of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
Emergency Care Plan for Other Conditions
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan
Immunization Requirements for School