In the event of an absence of the school nurse in your child's division, the school will provide a substitute nurse from our internal pool of nurses or through our external agency partners. At times, these substitute registered nurses may not have comprehensive experience in managing diabetic care technology through pumps or Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitors. 

While each of these substitutes are trained in diabetes management and are provided with instructions from our divisional nurse with your child's care plan, we cannot guarantee a timely response to all Dexcom or pump alarms. 

We strongly recommend that you monitor your child from home in these instances and contact the Health Office with any guidance or instructions for interventions during the school day. 

Additionally, you may be required to contact the substitute registered nurse to confirm the calculation of insulin at lunchtime. As always, you may also opt to join us on campus to administer an insulin injection. We appreciate your attention and partnership and are available to answer any questions you may have. 

While our divisional nurses are able to provide both routine and acute diabetic care to your child, we are not able to resolve all pump malfunctions, errors, alarms, or resets. 

In the event of a pump malfunction, error, alarm, or reset, your school nurse will provide standard care through manual blood glucose checks and insulin injections as needed. 

If contacted by a school nurse regarding a pump malfunction, error, alarm, or reset, families are expected to respond to the school should the school nurse determine an emergent need for a pump correction before the end of the day. 

Nurse Dependent Students

In order to ensure continuity of care during off-campus trips, parents/guardians may attend field trips with their nurse-dependent or nurse-supervised child. Schools cannot require parents/guardians to attend. 

If a parent/guardian cannot attend, they may choose to appoint a parent designee who is a friend or family member to act in their place and administer any needed medications to their child at a single event or field trip. The appointment of a parent designee is the choice of the parent/guardian and school personnel may not require a parent/guardian to appoint one. To appoint a designee, families should fill out this form and return it to their divisional nurse's office. 

If a licensed health professional is not available to attend the trip to meet the health needs of a student or students, and the parent(s)/guardian(s) choose not to attend or appoint a designee, then the field trip is to be canceled rather than exclude a student due to their health needs consistent with Federal Laws.

Nurse Supervised Students

Oversight of medication self-administration by Supervised Students may be delegated to trained unlicensed school personnel such as a medical technician, teacher, or school-wide assistant. Such personnel would be appropriately instructed by a licensed school nurse to assist a self-directed student. Each student should have a written emergency action plan for personnel to follow in the event of an emergency or they are unable to contact the licensed school nurse for questions. Consistent with good practice, the employee’s willingness to perform the task will be considered in making the assignment.

Independent Students

Pursuant to Article 19 §916, 916-a, 916-b Independent Students with provider orders and attestation, and written parent/guardian consent may carry and self-administer their own rescue medications for insulin, glucagon, and related diabetes supplies at school-sponsored events or trips. 

Each year, pursuant to Education Law Article 19 §921*2, Selby Bus Company partners with your divisional nurse to ensure your child's bus driver is trained in emergency glucagon administration. If your child rides the bus, please provide your divisional nurse with your child's route and bus numbers. 

Independent Students with provider orders and parent/guardian permission to carry glucagon, carry and use insulin, along with equipment and supplies to check blood glucose levels and/or ketones during the school day on school property and at any school function are permitted to do so in accordance with Education Law Article 19 §916-a.

Additionally, with parent/guardian permission, extra insulin, glucagon, blood glucose meter and related supplies used to manage their diabetes may be kept in the school health office. 

Families are encouraged to read the NYSED Guidelines for Medication Management in Schools to understand the obligations of the school, students, and families of nurse-dependent or nurse-supervised students.