•
The nurse will dispense meds according to school rules
• Carry medical records of all student participants including insurance policy numbers
• Coordinate any student that requires medical attention at the hotel, on the bus or in need of a hospital.
School Rules: Students are not allowed to possess prescription meds during school. That same policy is carried out during the choir trip. Exceptions to rule: Flight over and back. The students will be responsible for their prescription medications on the flight over as well as administering to themselves.
Students need to knows how to manage their prescription medications,
Prescription medications will be collected by the nurse after we have checked into the first hotel and everyone has been settled in their rooms—their chaperone will let them know when and where for this to occur (students keep their over the counter meds/non prescriptions as well as bee sting kits or inhalers—students must carry these with them at all times and know how to administer them independently)
Time for returning the medications back to the students will be the night before departure back to the states…
The students will be responsible for their medications on the flight back home and administering any prescription medications to themselves.
Students should plan for 2-3 days extra of medication: be prepared for flight delays. Exception: All students must carry their own bee-sting kits and inhalers. Please make sure that students have a full inhaler for the trip and knows how to properly administer these items. (Students should check with theirr physician or pharmacist for determining if the inhaler is full or not.)
Each evening meds are dispensed for the next 24 hours to the students.
Students will be expected to check in with the nurse at the set place to receive the next 24 hours of prescription meds
ALL meds must be in the original prescription bottle with label, name, dosage and administration frequency---THE LABELS MUST HAVE THE STUDENTS NAME ON THEM – Meds cannot be dispensed if they do not have the students name on it!
If your student needs meds based on their history with illness, see your physician now and coordinate this. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to get medications in a foreign country unless it’s an emergency. i.e. “I have asthma; whenever I get I cold I have to start antibiotics.” Get the meds now, to use over there if necessary. PLEASE be pro-active.
Non-prescription or over the counter meds rules: Students are responsible for these for the whole trip. The nurse or chaperones will not be dispensing. Please make sure your student has what they might need. Think ahead! •
Sample list but not limited to:
Advil (Ibuprofen)
Tylenol (Acetaminophen)
Anti-diarrhea
Anti-constipation
Anti-nausea
Cough syrup
Cough drops
Misc band-aids
Bacitracin (antibiotic) ointment
Health Information Sheet: Required for every student, optional for adults on the trip. These must be filled out completely. If there is information that the nurse needs to know,, IT MUST BE ON THE FORM. Please make sure that it’s legible
The nurse will be available after the Pre-Tour Meeting to discuss concerns, or they can be reached at xxx-xxx-xxxx (Cell) xxx-xxx-xxxx (work) or xxx-xxx-xxxx (home)
Check with your health insurance company regarding use of benefits in Europe. Your child’s safety is the most important-we will get emergency treatment for your child first and worry about insurance later.
Check with your physician about any vaccinations needed prior to traveling.
This is a trip of a lifetime for many of these students, teamwork is necessary. The nurse needs the support of parents:
To prepare their child for this trip regarding their medications, both prescription and non-prescription. To prepare their child before hand on sleep and nutrition. A tried body or poorly nourished one is more likely to get sick…who wants to be sick and miss out on any of the days with friends on tour! Remind your students to continue to get sleep abroad and make good choices with eating. This is a rigorous schedule…think of it as preparing for the marathon and making it to the finish line healthy!
If a child does become truly sick, The expectation is that each student will be with the group at all times unless truly sick. If after evaluation, the student is truly sick coordination will occur to have the student in the best environment for safety. Students are expected to perform and participate in all schedule activities on tour unless excused by the Tour Nurse.
