General Clinic Information

As part of the SHARYLAND ISD school district team, the nurse’s office, often referred to as the “clinic”, is here to assist your child when he/she is ill or injured. Other important aspects of our clinic are administering medication and verifying that all students in the district are current on their immunizations. In addition, we screen certain grades for vision, hearing, and scoliosis problems. Listed below is some helpful information on topics such as nurse/clinic visits, Physical Education excuses, emergencies, going home and contagious conditions. We are looking forward to a great year.

NURSE / CLINIC VISITS: A student must obtain a PASS from his teacher to visit the nurse during the day. He/she must always check in with his teacher, before going to the nurse, even between classes.

IMMUNIZATIONS: The State of Texas mandates that all students be current on their immunizations. Verifying that student immunizations are current is one way we protect the health of your child. ALL IMMUNIZATIONS MUST BE CURRENT BEFORE STARTING SCHOOL. Any time your child gets an immunization, bring the shot record to school so we can update your child’s health record. If an immunization is due during the school year, we will send you a notice. For the safety of all students, your child may not return to school if he is delinquent on his/her immunizations.

CONTAGIOUS CONDITIONS: To protect other children from getting sick, we will send your child home for the following reasons:

  • Fever of 100oF or greater
  • Continued vomiting/diarrhea
  • Suspected contagious condition or certain rashes 

See Texas Administrative Code §97.7 Diseases Requiring Exclusion from Schools.

Your child may also be sent home due to:

  • Delinquent immunizations
  • Taking medication that, in the nurse’s opinion, would not make it safe for the student to remain in school

P.E. EXCUSES: A Physical Education excuse from a parent or nurse is valid for only 2 days. If more days are needed, a doctor's excuse needs to be brought to the nurse or coach.

EMERGENCIES: In case of serious illness or accident, we will try to contact you (or the person you designate) by phone so you can pick up your child. If the emergency is life-threatening, an ambulance will be called (the District does not pay for this). It is very important that we have a “Student Emergency Record” with current phone numbers in the campus nurse’s office so we can reach you in an emergency! Please include cell phone numbers.

GOING HOME:  If the student is not healthy enough to drive, the parent will be encouraged to make other arrangements to pick up the student. If the student’s medical problem is more serious, such as fever, the nurse may call the other two people listed on the student’s emergency card. If the student is driving home, the parent must be contacted. The student who wishes to go home due to a medical reason must call from the nurse’s office/clinic (not from the teacher’s classroom or any other phone). Every effort will be made to contact the parent when a student wishes to go home due to a medical reason. However, if we are not able to contact the parent and the problem is not one of a serious nature, the student can rest in the clinic or return to the classroom. A child will not be able to go home on the bus if they are experiencing a fever, vomiting/diarrhea or other symptoms based upon the school nurse’s assessment. The parent/guardian must arrange to pick up their child.

SCREENINGS: During the school year, certain students will be checked for health problems with height, weight, vision, hearing, scoliosis (spine), and Acanthosis Nigricans. A referral notice will be sent home if any problems are found. Take this notice to your health care provider, and then bring it back to us so we can continue to help with your child’s health.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS: If your child needs special medical accommodations or treatments speak to the school nurse for more information.


REGULATIONS FOR GIVING MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL

Medications that your child needs during the school year can usually be given at home. Most medications that are prescribed one, two, or three times a day, should be given at home. They can be given before school, after school, and/or at bedtime. Some medication scan be given during the school day such as around the noon hour and we will gladly administer the medication with the proper written documentation.

Here are a few medication guidelines to follow, but not an all-inclusive list:

  1. All medication should be in the original container and labeled with your child's name. No medications (e.g., pills, tablets, capsules, other) in baggies will be accepted.
  2. Students may not have ANY medications, including cough drops with them during the school day. All medications will be kept locked up in the nurse's office/clinic and given out only by our health staff or other designated personnel. Students may carry an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector with them if they have provided the school nurse with a Texas-licensed medical provider’s written permission to do so.
  3. To give medications at school, we must have a signed form Medication Authorization form on file at the nurse`s office/clinic prior to medication administration. It must be dated by the student’s Texas-licensed medical provider, parent, or legal guardian. Medication with expired dates will not be administered. For prescription medications, this date would be one (1) year from the date it was filled and for non-prescription (over-the-counter) medication, this would be the date specified on the box or container.
    • Prescription, non-prescription medications, and physician’s samples:
      1. Prescription medications must be in the original container with the pharmacy label. We are not allowed to give medications with one student’s name to any other student, even a brother or sister.
      2. Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medications must be brought to school in the original container(s) (or blister packs) labeled with student’s name.  Please try to provide only small quantity containers to the clinic.
      3. Physician’s sample medications will only be given if it is accompanied by the physician’s written instructions for administering such as name of medication, dosage, frequency and time.
  4. The following will not be given at school:
    • No herbal products or dietary supplements.
    • No naturopathic products.
    • No medications from another country (including Mexico).
    • No medications that can alter the student’s level of consciousness or alertness and that may impair their thinking and motor skills. If your child requires medication for pain stronger than Tylenol or Ibuprofen, they must remain at home.
  5. We encourage you to contact the nurse if your child is taking medication with side effects that affect him in the classroom