Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A.
Standing Orders.
(1) A physician
employed or authorized by the department, may prescribe a standing order in the
name of the school or school district for a stock supply of albuterol aerosol
canisters and spacers, or a stock supply of standard-dose and pediatric-dose
epinephrine auto-injectors for use in accordance with this rule.
(2) Each local school board or governing body
may request a standing order for and may provide to schools within its
jurisdiction stock supplies of albuterol and epinephrine. In order to request a
standing order, the school board must review and acknowledge in writing the
rules and recommendations developed by the department for emergency medication
use. All requests for standing orders must be in writing to a department
approved physician. When the standing order is issued by the department
approved physician, it will be sent to the requesting school district or
governing body within one week of the request. A copy of the order will be kept
by the department school health advocate for his or her assigned
region.
(3) A pharmacist may
dispense a stock supply of albuterol aerosol canisters and spacers or a stock
supply of standard-dose and pediatric-dose epinephrine auto-injectors pursuant
to a standing order prescribed in accordance with this section. Medications may
be directly obtained from the pharmacy by a school nurse or delivered to the
school in accordance with the school's established procedure.
(4) All standing orders are renewed
annually.
B.
Storage provisions: School districts that decide to maintain and
administer emergency medications will establish a Class D Medication Room in
each school that stocks emergency medications in compliance with New Mexico BOP
regulations. School nurses who maintain a Class D Medication Room license will
be required to complete an annual medication room audit and submit it to the
BOP.
(1)
Albuterol - Each
school that obtains a stock supply of albuterol aerosol canisters and spacers
shall store them:
(a) in a secure location
that is unlocked and readily accessible to a school nurse to administer
albuterol;
(b) pursuant to BOP
regulations, including requirements for storage, record maintenance, and
medication room audits or consulting pharmacist's visits;
(c) within the manufacturer-recommended
temperature range; and
(d)
albuterol will be secured in a manner consistent with the procedure employed by
the school nurse for other emergency medications; the medication cabinet, which
is kept in the school nurse's office, is kept unlocked when the school nurse or
school health assistant are present in the office; if the school nurse or
school health assistant are not present, the school nurse's office will be
locked.
(2)
Epinephrine - Each school that obtains a stock supply of standard-dose
and pediatric-dose epinephrine auto-injectors shall store them:
(a) in a secure location that is unlocked and
readily accessible to trained personnel;
(b) pursuant to BOP regulations including
requirements for storage, record maintenance, and medication room audits or
consulting pharmacist's visits;
(c)
within the manufacturer-recommended temperature range; and
(d) epinephrine will be stored in a secure,
unlocked location determined by the school nurse and principal; this location
should be easily accessed by trained school personnel in the event of an
emergency situation; a location is considered secure for the purposes of
epinephrine storage if school staff are present full-time in that location; for
example, the secretary's office or the main office.
C.
Disposal:
Albuterol and epinephrine - Each local school board or governing body shall
dispose of expired emergency medication pursuant to BOP regulations. Expired
medications will be placed in a separate, quarantined section of the medication
room and disposed of per the Class D Medication Room regulations.
(1) The school nurse will be responsible for
proper disposal of expired medications.
(2) The BOP is a resource for direction in
proper disposal of expired medications.
(3) Expired medications may be disposed of
either by using a consultant pharmacist or by transferring the medications to a
pharmacy with an appropriate transfer log.
D.
Procurement and maintenance of
emergency medications.
(1) A local
school board or a school within its jurisdiction of a governing body may accept
gifts, grants, bequests, or donations from any source to carry out the
provisions of this rule, including:
(a)
albuterol aerosol canisters and spacers or epinephrine auto-injectors from a
manufacturer or wholesaler; or
(b)
epinephrine or albuterol, or such other medication as the department deems
appropriate, from a manufacturer or wholesaler of such medication;
and
(c) this type of donation can
be accepted if the medications are not expired and have been maintained
properly.
(2) School
districts or governing bodies may buy prescribed medications directly from
pharmacies after obtaining a standing order.
(3) Schools will keep a record of any grants,
gifts, bequests, or donations. The record is to be held at the school in the
school office for three years and can be inspected by BOP, department
personnel, and school administrative personnel upon request. The records will
be kept in the school health office by the school nurse. Records may be kept
electronically or in hard copy.
(4)
Schools will maintain a supply of emergency medications:
(a) the supply will be replenished as
medications are used according to the procedure in 7.30.12.8 NMAC;
and
(b) medications in stock will
be checked to verify that medications are not expired.