Managing medication administration at a private school can be a challenging task for a small health staff, especially when the number of students on medication continues to grow.  

Anna Jette, School Health Clinic Nurse at Wooster School in Danbury, CT, relies on Magnus Health to streamline the school’s medication practices. With the help of Magnus Health, she can track which students require medications (and when), communicate with parents about any changes or medication updates, and share information with authorized school staff. 

Medication Schedules 

Like many other schools, the number of students on medication at Wooster has increased over the last few years — specifically mental health medications. Jette observed this trend by referencing the vital health record (VHR) in Magnus Health and comparing the data from previous years.  

According to the National Association of School Nurses, 25% of students have a chronic condition that requires medicine or therapy. With a student population of 325, that’s 81 students that may need daily medication. Jette’s bandwidth is limited; she encourages parents to administer their child’s medication at home before school. The health office stores back up medications in case of a forgetful student or unusual circumstance.  

“As far as tracking and everything, I totally rely on Magnus Health and the medication schedules. Our athletic trainer and school psychologist have access to Magnus Health so they can also give medications if needed.”

– Anna Jette, School Health Clinic Nurse 

Self-Administered Medications and Parent Communication 

For older students who might be authorized to self-carry their medications, Jette provides in-depth training and documentation at the beginning of each school year. Students are required to demonstrate how to administer their medications to ensure they are fully capable and responsible. “Even if they have permission [to self-administer], I want to know if these students can manage to carry,” says Jette. This approach ties back to Wooster’s mission as a private school.

“We do a lot of student agency, encouraging students to take accountability and be responsible for themselves. It works really well when parents work in partnership. The benefit is to the student when that happens,” says Jette.

The health staff encourages parents to take ownership and familiarize themselves with the school’s medication policies. Parents review the policies annually and sign off in Magnus Health. Throughout the year, Jette keeps parents informed about changes in the school’s medication supply.  

“I built a template in Magnus Health with my notes and it’s fantastic. I can document that I’ve gone through training with them… we also use Magnus Health to communicate if doses are low or a dosage is missed. It’s really easy to communicate with parents and just send a note through Magnus Health.”  

– Anna Jette, School Health Clinic Nurse

Allergies, Asthma, and Seizure Conditions 

Certain medical conditions like allergies, asthma, or epilepsy require communication outside of the health office. Teachers, for example, need to be aware of their students’ medical conditions. Wooster’s health staff utilizes smart lists in Magnus Health to easily identify who has a special condition and share that information with authorized personnel.  

Parents update their child’s VHR at the beginning of each school year. The VHR includes their child’s medical history, allergen information, and whether or not they carry an EpiPen or rescue medication. Jette then pulls data from the VHR into a report that can be shared with authorized school staff.  

“This is where Magnus Health is fantastic,” says Jette. “Anybody still on a paper system is at a disadvantage because Magnus Health makes it so easy to run reports and pull data together quickly.” 

Through Magnus Health, Jette is able to streamline medication administration and communication, ensuring that students receive the medical attention they need in a safe and efficient manner. To learn how your school can improve medication administration, request a free demo of our leading SHR solution.