N.M. Admin. Code § 7.30.12.8

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 20, October 22, 2024

Section 7.30.12.8 - EMERGENCY MEDICATIONS

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.

N.M. Admin. Code § 7.30.12.8

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVI, Issue 04, February 27, 2015, eff. 2/27/2015