Question: How do I ensure we administer medicine to children at my nursery correctly?
June O'Sullivan: Where possible ask parents to administer the medication outside nursery hours. You can insist all children on antibiotics remain at home for the first 48 hours.
Parents must complete a signed permission form with details of medicine, dosage and any additional information. Medication should only be administered by senior staff witnessed by another qualified staff member with the date, time and dosage recorded on a medicine sheet.
When a child is on medication all nursery staff must be informed, know about possible side effects, what constitutes an emergency and what to do. All medication must be in its original container complete with prescription label. All medicines should be stored in the medicine fridge or first aid cabinet. Never make changes to the prescribed dosage and never give a child another child's medication for similar symptoms. If a child has a high temperature you could administer Calpol but you must get authorisation from parents first.
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