School Nursing and Student Health

WE advocate and promote student health, wellness, and safety to support equal access to academic success.

School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the health, safety, and academic success of students. The school nurse serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community and healthcare providers to advocate for student health and a healthy school environment.

School Nurse Contact

Parents are encouraged to contact the school nurse if their child has a health condition impacting the child at school. Please contact your child's school for the name and contact information of the school nurse.

Contact Student Support Services

Too Sick for School?

Helpful Information

Medication Information for Parents

MEDICATION INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Home is the best place for your child to receive medication. If possible, spacing of medication dosages should be arranged to allow for home administration. School medication administration is indicated in order to allow the student access to their education or to provide treatment in an emergency. The Beaverton School District follows state guidelines for medication administration. Please review the information below to ensure safe, accurate medication administration.

MEDICATION FORMS MUST BE UPDATED EACH SCHOOL YEAR

All Medications:

Medication must be up to date and not expired.
Medication must be Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. If the medication is not FDA approved then a signed prescription and treatment plan from a prescriber or Oregon licensed healthcare professional is required.
Medication must be transported to and from school by the parent/guardian.
Medication authorization forms must be completed yearly and can be obtained in the school office.
Adequate amount of medication, as well as appropriate supplies and measuring devices need to be provided by the parent/guardian.
The Parent/Guardian must provide pills pre-cut to the school if needed. Staff are not able to cut medications.
All changes in instructions must be in writing and cannot be accepted verbally.
All medications must be picked up at the end of each school year or they will be discarded.

Prescription Medications:

Must be prepared and labeled by a U.S. pharmacist.
The pharmacy label or prescriber’s orders must have the child's name, name of medication, route of administration, dose amount to be given at school, frequency/time of administration, and physician’s name.
Must be in a prescription bottle.
Most pharmacists will provide two containers for prescription medication to be kept at home and school.

Nonprescription Medications

Must be in the original container (no baggies, foil, etc.) and labeled with the child's name.
A physician order is needed when the parent’s instructions for administration contradict the safe dosing instruction on the bottle/container.

Benadryl/Antihistamine for mild allergy treatment:

A practitioner’s orders are needed whenever antihistamines (Benadryl or Zyrtec, et al) are part of a student’s anaphylaxis response plan. If practitioner guidance is not provided, then epinephrine will be listed as the ONLY appropriate treatment for anaphylaxis.

The district reserves the right to reject a request for district personnel to administer, or to permit a student to administer to themselves, a medication when such a medication is not necessary for the student to remain in school.

Head Lice Information

Head Lice Policy JHCCF - Pediculosis (Head Lice)

Head lice is a common condition and is not associated with lack of cleanliness. While lice are a nuisance, they are not dangerous. Please take care to check your child’s head for lice on a regular basis.

Educate your child on these preventative methods:

Head lice are mostly spread by direct head-to-head contact. Lice do not jump or fly.
Avoid head-to-head contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere such as sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp.
Less often, lice are spread via objects that have been in contact with a person with head lice, such as hats, scarves, hair ribbons, combs, brushes, stuffed animals or bedding.
Do not share these personal items.
Pets do not get lice.

What to Look for:

Itching/scratching of head, especially at the back of the head and neck.
Nits on the hair, close to the scalp. These are usually pearly-grey or brown in color and are tightly attached to the hair shaft.
Dandruff is easily removed, whereas nits cannot be brushed or swept away.

What to Do If You Find Lice:

Treat your child with lice treatment recommended by your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Follow all instructions carefully.
Seat child in a well-lit area, check the hair in small sections looking for lice and nits.
Work to remove nits by using a nit comb and/or pulling them off the hair shaft with fingernails and dispose of in a sealed plastic bag.
Check heads of household members. Treat if live lice are found.
Daily head checks are recommended for the next 2 weeks.
Wash your child’s towels, bedsheets and recently worn clothing in hot water and dryer.
Clean combs and brushes used by the child by soaking them in water at least 130°F, for 5–10 minutes.
Place non-washable items, such as stuffed toys in a sealed plastic bag for 2 weeks. Hatched nits/lice cannot survive more than 2 days without a human host.
Vacuum furniture, rugs, floors, and the vehicles where the child has been.

Note: Spending excessive time and money on house cleaning activities is not necessary to avoid re-infestation by lice or nits. Do not use fumigant sprays; they can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through skin.

The school would appreciate notification if your child gets head lice. All information is completely confidential. Please contact your child’s school office or school nurse if you have additional questions or concerns.

Immunization Requirements and Resources

Measles Information

Here is how families and staff can prepare and locate their Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) immunization records before an exposure occurs:

1. Utilizing the Oregon State Registry (Alert IIS)

What it is: Oregon has a robust statewide immunization registry called Alert IIS (established in 1996) that captures nearly 100% of student immunization records.
Who is likely in it: Any staff members born in Oregon after 1990 are highly likely to have their records stored here.
Students: School registrars, health assistants, and school nurses can look up STUDENT records only using the student's name and date of birth.

Alternative Sources for Historical Records

If you are a staff member looking for your own records, consider checking with:

Previous worksites
Past school programs
Colleges or universities you attended that required updated immunizations

3. What to Do If You Don't Have Records

If you cannot find your immunization history, you have two primary options:

Option A: Get an MMR Titer (Blood Test): An MMR titer is a blood test that measures the level of antibodies in your body to prove immunity.
- With Insurance: Contact your healthcare provider to place a laboratory order for the MMR titer. Note: Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance MMR titers are covered under CPT code 86765.
- Without Insurance: You can self-pay through services like Labcorp for approximately $169. You can find a nearby facility using the Labcorp Location Finder.
Option B: Receive the Vaccination Series: You can choose to get vaccinated. The standard MMR series requires 2 doses, administerd 28 days apart. MMR CDC Vaccination Info.

Our school-based Health Centers offer no-cost vaccinations for students:

Note: If you have questions about your personal immunity status or which path is best for you, please reach out directly to your healthcare provider.

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