Medication

Administration of Medication

First Step will administrate medication to children as follow:

Non-prescription medication: A note from child’s physician is require indicating the dosage time and reasons why medication is given. A written parental authorization is also required. The note will be kept in the child’s file and will be valid for one year from date it was signed.
For infants and toddlers please provide the center with a new note from the child’s physician if dosage of medication is changed from the last note. First Step will contact the parents before administering any non-prescription medication to a child. If a child needs medication urgently, the director or a staff member will contact the child’s parents immediately after the medication was administered and notify them of the time. (Example of non-prescription medication: Tylenol Motrin Aspirin, any medication over of the counter)

Prescription Medication: Any prescription medication need a written order from child’s physician, which may include the label on the medication, which must indicate that the medicine is for the specific child and specific dosage, number of times per day and numbers of days the medication is to be administered. A written parental authorization is also required.
First Step will not administrate any medication contrary to the directions on the original container unless so authorized by a written order from the child’s physician.

Topical medication: Diaper rash ointments, anti- bacterial ointments and petroleum jelly will be stored in the original container, labeled with the child’s name, and used only for an individual child. Parents are responsible to provide the center with any specific ointment that must be administrated to the child. One of the parents or guardian must sign a parental authorization form.

Topical medication: Sunscreen, bug spray, and other ointments which are not applied to open wounds, rashes or broken skin, will be administered to children with written parental authorization. Parents are responsible to provide, sunscreen any bug spray to the center. In case a child is missing one of the items, the administrator or a staff member, will be contact one of the parents to notify them. First Step will keep extra topical medication
(Sunscreen and bug spray) in case a child is missing one. First Step will be contacting the parents or guardians before apply any of the provided topical medication to any child enrolled at the program. All forms will be provided by the center upon enrollment.

First Step will maintain a written record of the administration of any medication, prescription or non- prescription, of each child which includes, the time and date of each administration, the dosage, the name of the staff member administrating the medication and the name of the child.
The completed medications records will be kept in the child’s file.

Disposing of medication

First Step will not dispose of any prescriptions or non prescription medication at the center. Any left over medication will be given back to parents.