Students may have to live with minor aches and suffering throughout the school day as of Jan. 2 because nurses across the school district can no longer give out pain medication to students. This change was made to enforce an old medication policy in the student handbook that wasn’t being followed in previous years. 

The affected over-the-counter medications include Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Tums. Students can still have access to medications if they bring an authorization to administer medication/procedure consent form signed by a parent or guardian. Parents are responsible for providing the medication for their child.

Lori Kelleher, a nurse at the Superior High School mentioned that since the new policy has been put into place, she has seen a decrease in students coming in for pain medication. Before the policy, there were about 60-100 kids coming in a day. After the policy, she said that it is much more manageable with fewer kids coming in.  

When a student brings in pain medication they have to store it in the nurse’s office. They are not allowed to keep the pain medication in their backpack. Students who keep their medication in their backpack without a consent form signed by a parent will be faced with consequences decided upon by administration. 

The nurses in the health office are exploring other ways to treat pain like hot and cold packs, water, eating food, and rest. If the pain a student is having is bad enough, the student’s parents will be called and the parents will have the option to send their kids home. 

But some students are not embracing organic pain treatments.

“I feel like the new policy is not in the student’s best interest. I feel like there could be a better way instead of banning medication altogether,” Junior Becca Lemke said.

If a student needs to take prescription medications during school, they will still need that same consent form filled out by a parent and will also need a doctor’s note that specifically says the doctor has prescribed this medication.

If a student is not able to get a doctor’s note from their hospital, the nurse can fax a permission slip to the doctor so he can grant permission to that student.

Another very important part of this medication policy is that the expiration date on the medication has to be current. For example, if you bring medication into the nurse that expires on Apr. 1, you will not be able to use the medication at school in May. But students are allowed to take it home to a parent and use it there.