Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 23 - Legal Services ***
Rule 005.23.16-004 - Rules Governing the Administration of Insulin and Glucagon to Arkansas Public School Students Diagnosed with Diabetes

1.01 These rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Education and Arkansas State Board of Nursing Rules Governing the Administration of Insulin and Glucagon to Arkansas Public School Students Diagnosed With Diabetes.

1.02 These rules are enacted pursuant to the Arkansas State Board of Education's authority under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6-11-105, 6-18-711, 17-87-103 and 25-15-201 et seq.

1.03 These rules are enacted pursuant to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing's authority under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6-18-711, 17-87-203, 17-87-103 and 25-15-201 et seq.

2.01 The purpose of these rules is to set forth protocols and procedures for the administration of insulin and glucagon by trained volunteer school personnel to Arkansas public school students diagnosed with diabetes.

3.01 "Diabetes" - a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.

3.02 "Emergency Situation" - circumstance in which students with low blood glucose cannot be treated with a glucose-containing substance by mouth because the student has an altered mental status, is having a seizure or has high blood glucose requiring emergency administration of insulin to prevent complications.

3.03 "Glucagon" - an injectable hormone prescribed by a licensed healthcare practitioner that stimulates the release of glucose in the blood. Glucagon is dispensed as a "Glucagon Emergency Kit" or a "Glucagon Emergency Kit for Low Blood Sugar."

3.04 "Insulin" - a hormone that regulates the metabolism of glucose and other nutrients. It is generally given by injection or through a subcutaneous insulin delivery system. It is prescribed by a licensed healthcare practitioner, e.g. Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with prescriptive authority, or a Registered Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant who works under physician-approved protocols.

3.05 "Licensed Healthcare Practitioner" - includes, but is not limited to, Medical Doctors, Doctor of Osteopathy, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with prescriptive authority, and Registered Nurse Practitioners, or Physician Assistants who work under physician-approved protocols.

3.06 "Licensed School Nurse Employed by a School District" - those nurses employed by an Arkansas public school district or open-enrollment public charter school who hold the following licenses or certificate:

3.07 "Non-scheduled dose of insulin" - an additional or corrective dose of insulin to treat hyperglycemia or to cover a rise in blood glucose levels.

3.08 "Other Healthcare Professional" - includes the following:

3.09 "Scheduled dose of insulin" - a dose of insulin administered at regular times during the school day.

3.10 "Trained Volunteer School Personnel" - Licensed or classified personnel employed by an Arkansas public school district or open-enrollment public charter school who volunteer and successfully complete training for the administration of insulin and/or glucagon to students diagnosed with diabetes.

4.01 Upon written request of a parent or guardian of a student with diabetes and written authorization by the treating physician of the student, a student, in the classroom, in a designated area at the school, on school grounds, or at a school-related activity may:

4.02 A student shall have access to a private area to perform diabetes monitoring and treatment functions upon request of the parent or guardian of a student, as outlined in the student's health plan.

4.03 A school district shall strive to achieve the following staffing ratios for students with diabetes at each public school of at least:

4.04 The school district may recruit and identify public school personnel to serve as care providers (volunteer school personnel) to administer insulin and/or glucagon when a licensed registered nurse is not available. A school district shall not require or pressure a parent or guardian of a student with diabetes to provide diabetes care at school or a school-related activity.

4.05 Trained volunteer school personnel designated as care providers in a health plan that covers diabetes management and is based on the orders of a treating physician and who have been trained by a licensed registered nurse employed by a school district or other healthcare professional, may administer insulin and/or glucagon to students diagnosed with diabetes.

4.06 The training listed in Sections 4.05 and 6.00 of these rules shall be conducted at least annually, regardless of whether a volunteer has previously completed training. Nothing in these rules prohibits training from being conducted more often than annually.

4.07 No trained volunteer school personnel designated as care providers pursuant to these rules may administer insulin and/or glucagon to a student diagnosed with diabetes unless the parent or guardian of the student first signs a written authorization allowing the administration of insulin and/or glucagon to the student. The trained volunteer school personnel designated as a care provider shall be incorporated into the health plan of a student.

4.08 The trained volunteer shall be released from other duties during a scheduled dose of insulin for the time designated in the student's health plan.

4.09 During glucagon or non-scheduled insulin administration, other qualified staff shall assume the regular duties of the trained volunteer. Once other qualified staff has relieved the trained volunteer from his/her regular duties, the trained volunteer shall remain released until a parent, guardian, or medical personnel has arrived.

4.10 When a school nurse is available and on site during an emergency situation, the school nurse shall administer insulin and/or glucagon to the student, when necessary. Volunteer school personnel who are designated as care providers and trained to administer insulin and/or glucagon shall provide insulin and/or glucagon injections only in the absence or unavailability of a school nurse.

4.11 The training outlined in these rules is intended to be provided to volunteer school personnel. No school personnel shall be required, pressured or otherwise subjected to duress in such a manner as to compel their participation in training. Prior to receiving training, volunteers must sign a written acknowledgement indicating their desire to volunteer.

6.01 Training under these rules shall include, at a minimum, the following components:

6.02 Visual and audio aids may be used during the training required under these rules, but at least one individual listed in Sections 3.06 and 3.08 of these rules must be physically present to provide the training.

6.03 Before a volunteer may be deemed to have successfully completed the training required under these rules, a person listed in Sections 3.06 and 3.08 must sign a certification indicating that the volunteer has successfully completed all aspects of training and that the volunteer has successfully demonstrated proficiency of procedures involving the administration of insulin and/or glucagon. No person listed in Sections 3.06 and 3.08 - shall sign such a certification unless such person, in his or her professional judgment, believes that a volunteer has successfully completed all aspects of training and that the volunteer has successfully demonstrated mastery of procedures involving the administration of insulin and/or glucagon.

6.04 The Arkansas State Board of Nursing and the Arkansas Department of Education, in collaboration with the Arkansas School Nurses Association and diabetic education experts, shall identify and approve education programs that meet the requirements of Section 6.01 of these rules. Training under these rules shall be given according to the education programs approved under this section.

7.01 Records of volunteer training shall be kept on file at each school.

7.02 For each student diagnosed with diabetes who attends the school, the school district shall maintain a copy of the health plan a list of volunteer school personnel who are designated as care providers and trained to administer insulin and/or glucagon, and a copy of the parent's or guardian's signed authorization. The list of volunteer school personnel who are designated as care providers and trained to administer insulin and/or glucagon and a copy of the parent's or guardian's signed authorization shall be updated yearly and attached to the student's Individualized Health Plan (IHP).

7.03 The list of volunteer school personnel who are designated as care providers and trained to administer insulin and/or glucagon shall only include the names of such personnel who successfully complete the required training as set forth in Section 6.00 of these rules. The list of volunteer school personnel trained to administer insulin and/or glucagon for each school should be published and made known to all school personnel.

7.04 The principal of each school, in conjunction with each school nurse, shall properly maintain all such records.