Buttercups Nursery School can administer all medications prescribed by a Doctor (please see medication policy). However Calpol, which has not been prescribed by a Doctor can be administered for children only once in a day and for no more than three consecutive days. Practitioners within the setting are all Paediatric First Aid trained but staff are not nurses/doctors.
Calpol and under two’s
- Calpol will be administered ONLY with prior consent from a parent – unless the child has a temperature of 39*c +, this will then be classed as a medical emergency – as the child may be at risk of convulsions. All parents and carers have completed the necessary paperwork in relation to emergency care.
- Paracetamol/Calpol will not be administered more than once in a day – it is suggested that if a child needs Calpol twice a day there may be an underlying illness/problem, therefore the child will be sent home. Children requiring Calpol for longer than three days will not be able to return to nursery unless they have been to their GP; it is our concern that the use of Calpol can mask the symptoms of something more serious.
- If the child has a high temperature and appears unwell, the policy is that the child stays at home for the next 24 hours.
Calpol over two years
- Calpol will not be administered to a child over two years unless prescribed by a doctor or for emergency care/medical emergency (see consent forms)
- If the child has a high temperature and appears unwell, and Calpol is administered at home the policy is that the child stays at home for the next 24 hours.
If a child suffers with febrile convulsions then a healthcare plan will be in place, this will enable Calpol to be administered if necessary. If a child has medication that is needed regularly then a meeting must be held for the parent and senior practitioner to devise a healthcare plan to meet the child’s individual needs.
Nursery staff will only accept sachets of Calpol, each sachet will be counted and signed into nursery and the used sachet will be returned to you dated and signed by the member of staff who administered it.
Emergency Calpol is stored on the premises and this too is in sachet form.
Medicine will be given if needed by a Senior Practitioner and witnessed by another level 3 member of staff. All medication will be documented with amount/time/date etc and parents are asked to sign this on collection.
We would respectfully ask that parents be reminded that staff have the right to refuse to administer medicines such as Calpol and cough medicines if the symptoms do not present during nursery hours
