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Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Dr Nefario on 3/5/2026, 12:49 pm

What does everyone do with OTC and prescription meds on trips? Conflicting information from my district. State law looks like parent notes are still acceptable but nurses are afraid to allow that.

Re: Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Dr. Pretzel on 3/12/2026, 11:38 am, in reply to "Meds on trips out of state"

Students give us their meds in a baggie that we keep in a tote. In the morning and/or night, students come get them from our designated "doctor" director. If there are afternoon meds they need to take while on the bus they distribute them to the director on that bus.

Re: Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Just got backOrlando on 3/7/2026, 11:40 am, in reply to "Meds on trips out of state"

We have kids turn in all meds to our approved adults, even over the counter meds. At bus loading time, there is a line with parents and students turning in meds and giving instructions on when it’s administered. We do not ever let the kids keep meds with them because I explain that is not a matter of trusting your responsible teenager that regularly administers their own medicine as needed, it’s about keeping it out of access to other knuckleheads that might share their room…. We will give your child their medicine whenever it is due, and they can come to the adult at anytime they need it OTC stuff. Prescription meds need to be in original bottle and we follow instructions. OTC may need parent note and instructions.

The approved adult may be the most logical and responsible parent I have. Quite often, we have a nurse/doctor/school admin/teacher that is a chaperone. Just got back from Orlando last week and had a physician assistant, nurse, principal, pharmacist, and a paramedic along as parent chaperones. We were quite safe. Also, if the kids parent is chaperoning, that’s a no brainer.

Re: Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Our Policy on 3/6/2026, 6:39 pm, in reply to "Meds on trips out of state"

OTC we always hand over as long as parents give permission. All drugs get handed over at check-in, we pass those back if parents give permission when the drug dog is done.

Re: Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Traveler on 3/6/2026, 3:50 pm, in reply to "Meds on trips out of state"

Here's ours - I am not expert on the regulations, but this works for us and I have it in writing from my admin.

OTC meds - we have an annual permission slip/release form that allows us to give OTC meds for minor situations (advil, benadryl, etc) when off-campus for band events. I have a small number of kids whose parents did not authorize that for whatever reason, or have allergies, we know who they are (and 99% of the time the kids know their own allergy situation). This applies any time we are doing band things and the nurse isn't available, including after school, football games, other local field trips.

Prescription meds - parents send the meds in the original container with prescription label and a note describing the dose and frequency. HBD holds all meds and distributes them as needed. If we have a parent with medical background on the trip, I usually defer to them. We only do this for overnight trips.

Re: Meds on trips out of state

Posted by Beagle on 3/6/2026, 1:02 pm, in reply to "Meds on trips out of state"

Follow the directive of your nurse. They're more knowledgeable regarding the laws surrounding this than you are.

Best solution: get one of your parents who is a nurse or doctor to be a chaperone.

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