Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
On behalf of the TSBVI nursing team, we would like to welcome you. We look forward to getting to know and working with your student. Prior to the student’s arrival, Health Center nurses will be calling students, parents, and guardians to obtain updated medical information so the Health Center will be prepared to care for students.
Following is Health Center information that you will find helpful about communication, student/parent/guardian responsibilities, illness, hospitalization, medical appointments, and medication management. Please feel free to contact the Health Center at (512) 206-9136 or email us at healthcenterstaff@tsbvi.edu. Our fax number is (512) 206-9445.
Health Center General Information
The Health Center collaborates closely with students, families, healthcare providers, and school staff regarding each student’s medical needs. For this reason, it is important that parents/guardians are available to respond to communications from the school, Health Center, or emergency personnel. This is especially important during an urgent or emergency medical situation in which a student may need to be transported to a medical facility.
Parents/guardians will be asked to keep the student at home if the student is ill or seriously injured or with certain medication changes (such as starting a new behavioral health or seizure medication), medical treatments, or home care is required. TSBVI’s Health Center Director will collaborate with healthcare providers and families to determine the required time for care at home and when the student may return to TSBVI.
The COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan is located on the TSBVI website and includes important information about hand hygiene, wearing face coverings, distancing from others, cleaning and disinfection, as well as other information about prevention and mitigation practices to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.
Illness, Fever, and Communicable Disease including COVID-19
A student who is ill will not be able to perform well in school and may spread their illness to other students and staff. TSBVI follows Department of State Health Services guidelines regarding communicable illnesses such as COVID-19. If your student has a fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, they will need to remain at home until well.
Students who appear ill while attending TSBVI will be assessed and monitored by nurses in an area away from others. Depending on the student’s symptoms and medical history, families may be notified to make immediate arrangements to pick up their student. This allows the student to recuperate at home and follow up with their own healthcare provider as needed.
We encourage students and families to develop a backup plan that includes at least three other persons (family, friends, home school liaison) that may be able to pick up your student if you are not able to do it.
Emergency Transport to Hospital or Emergency Department
If it becomes necessary to transport a student to a hospital, the student, parent, or guardian will communicate directly with the hospital or medical facility. Parents and guardians will need to make immediate arrangements to be with their student at the hospital or medical facility, attend to their care, communicate with healthcare providers, make medical decisions, and take their student home for follow-up care and appointments. TSBVI is unable to assume this responsibility.
Once the student is discharged from the hospital, parents and guardians will schedule a follow-up examination with the student’s appropriate medical provider (neurologist, endocrinologist, behavioral health, etc.) and obtain a release to return to school. A return to TSBVI will not be discussed until follow-up by the appropriate provider has been completed.
To ensure the student’s safe return to school, TSBVI may require additional medical information in addition to the release. The release and medical information must be presented to and reviewed by the Health Center Director prior to making arrangements for the student to return to TSBVI. Often, close monitoring and/or rest at home is necessary following a hospitalization or an Emergency Department visit.
Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health Appointments
All routine medical evaluations, care, and treatment, including immunizations and dental, need to be scheduled by the student/parents/guardians in the student’s hometown.
Students/parents/guardians will need to make plans for continued behavioral health appointments either via telehealth or in the student’s hometown.
Medications
To ensure the Health Center has the medications to keep students in good health and able to participate in their school program, all prescribed medications, including critical and emergency medications for behavioral health, seizures, adrenal insufficiency, asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, etc., must accompany students each time they return to TSBVI.
Medication Refills
Students, parents, and guardians are responsible for monitoring and obtaining all medication refills while a student is attending TSBVI and must ensure that an adequate supply of medication is on hand for each school week. If a student runs out of medications, the parent or guardian will be asked to make arrangements to pick up the student from school. A student will not be allowed to return to TSBVI until the medication has been refilled and is at TSBVI.
In the event that your student arrives at the Weekends Home bus stop or at TSBVI campus without all of their prescribed critical or emergency medications, your student will not be permitted to board or remain on TSBVI campus until the medications are obtained.
Prescription Labels
All prescription medicines must be brought to TSBVI in a properly labeled pharmacy bottle that includes the name of the medication, the dose prescribed, the times the medication is to be administered, and the expiration date. If the prescribed amount the student is receiving is different from the prescription bottle, the student, parent, or guardian will be required to obtain an updated pharmacy label or provide a healthcare provider order stating the required information. Prescriptions may not be altered in any way. Prescription bottles that have writing on them or are expired will not be accepted.
Prescription Labels that State “Use as Directed”
Any prescription labels that state “use as directed” must be accompanied by a health care provider note or Health Care Provider’s Order explaining the reason, dose, and frequency that the medication is to be administered.
Physician’s Order form
Medication will only be given as prescribed by the health care provider. If any changes are made to a student’s prescription, please have the health care provider complete a newly written order that includes the name of the medication, the reason for administration, dose, time, and method of administration, or the health care provider may complete the Health Care Provider’s Order form.
Over-the-counter medications
All over-the-counter medications and supplements must have a written order from the student’s healthcare provider that includes the name of the medication, the reason for administration, dose, time, and method of administration. The healthcare provider also has the option to complete this information in TSBVI Health Care Provider’s Order form. Over-the-counter medications must be in the original container and not expired.
Changes in medications and/or doses
Please notify Health Center nurses at (512) 206-9136 or email healthcenterstaff@tsbvi.edu any time there is a change by the health care provider to the student’s medications or medication dose the student is receiving.
Parents or guardians will be asked to keep the student at home when starting certain prescriptions (such as behavioral health or seizure medications). This allows the family to carefully monitor the student for undesired side effects from the new medication and quickly follow up with the student’s healthcare provider.
TSBVI Standing Orders for Medications
With a parent, legal guardian, or adult student approval, the Health Center has medications on our TSBVI Standing Orders that may be administered on an “as needed” basis to cover short-term illnesses such as headaches, eye pain or dryness, muscle pain, stomach upset, allergy or cough, etc. If your student needs medication from our standing orders for longer than seven (7) days, your student will need an order from the student’s health care provider to continue the medication.
The Health Center team looks forward to having your student at TSBVI. Please feel free to call the Health Center at (512) 206-9136 or email at healthcenterstaff@tsbvi.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
In health and wellness,
Sally A Freeman, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NCS