Medication Guidelines for Overnight Field Trips

Prescription medication already on file at the school “as needed”: examples - epinephrine autoinjectors, asthma inhalers, glucagon, migraine medications – if the school already has such a Prescription Medication Administration Record on file, that order does apply to any field trip (including those longer than the regular school day, including overnight trips); no further paperwork is needed. The medication in the school office will be taken on the field trip. Note: TWO epinephrine autoinjectors are required to go on the trip.

Prescription medication already at school: If a student receives a daily prescription medication at school, and during the field trip, the time it is to be administered is EXACTLY the same (example – at lunchtime), no further paperwork is needed; medication and paperwork from the school office will be taken on the field trip. HOWEVER, if that same medication is to be administered outside the usual school hours (example – at breakfast, at dinner, at bedtime), a new Prescription Medication Administration Record will need to be completed.

How to provide medication:

When: paperwork must be in at least TWO WEEKS before the first day of the field trip; can send medication at that time also, but must be at least FIVE DAYS before field trip

How: an adult must bring medication to school in ORIGINAL packaging, smallest container possible, please. (Sometimes, pharmacist will create a smaller bottle with current label for prescriptions.) If half-pills are required, parent must split them.

How much: maximum number of doses for entire trip PLUS ONE.