Our state legislature is considering a bill that would allow ANY STAFF at a school to inject a student with insulin. To get an idea how complex administering a shot can be and the safety precautions necessary read this article about how to inject insulin. Or better yet ask the parent of any child who has to do it. This is complex information take a look at a sample dosage pocket card.
I am shocked that Senator Hardy who is a family physician would suggest such a bill. He of all people should know what could go wrong when a child is mis-administered insulin in the wrong environment. Safety should be his first and foremost concern above all else.
Additionally that Mo Dennis who himself has 5 children would propose a bill that puts kids at risk and ZERO liability to the school district or its personnel for fatal mistakes sickens me. Read between the lines – liability equals death – that simple. Children with diabetes for the purposes of this bill are expendable. As a mother I don’t wish that on ANY child, ANY family, to experience a potential tragedy that no one is responsible to prevent.
Section 17 provides that a school nurse, unlicensed assistive personnel, other school personnel, the board of trustees of a school district, local health officers and the designees of local health officers are not subject to civil liability, and a school nurse, unlicensed assistive personnel and other school personnel and local health officers and designees of local health officers are not subject to any disciplinary action, for certain acts performed by any person in carrying out any duty or authorized activity set forth in this bill.
The justification was that some children with diabetes may not be able to participate in activities due to their disability. This simply is not true as covered by the Special Education rights of Parents and Children. Perhaps there are circumstances that an older child wants to self manage and self administer their own insulin in a high school setting – then write a bill covering that aspect of students whom want that right. A blanket bill covering from Kindergarten on that is too broad a reach.
The National Diabetes Foundation has a model for keeping kids safe at school. This bill does not fit that model. Read the complete Americans with Diabetes Foundation plan right here. It recommends training school staff but NOT requiring parents to come to the school or cut out school nurses.
Section 8 paragraph 2 discriminates against working parents or parents who have other children at home who can’t come to the school to manage their child’s diabetes.
- require the parent or guardian of a pupil to provide any service or assistance to the pupil to care for or manage the diabetes while the pupil is on the grounds of a public school, participating in certain activities or on a school bus.
Parents we need to get to work NOW to stop this very bad idea!
1.) First log onto this site: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/77th2013/A/
Select Bill number: SB320 - And give them your opinion.
2.) Contact your State Senator and State Assembly Representative and tell them you think this is a bad bill!
Link to Who is my State Senator?
Link to Who is my State Assembly Representative?
3.) Contact the bill sponsors and tell them this is a bad idea. Instead of putting medical care in the hands of well intentioned yet dangerously UNTRAINED, UNLICENSED, school staff let’s adequately fund school health programs to meet the minimum standards outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Primary Sponsor(s):
4.) Tell your friends.
5.) Participate in newspaper, social media, and local news source discussions on this issue.
Here is the text of the bill:
SB320
Title:
AN ACT relating to education; providing that a pupil with diabetes must not be prohibited from enrolling in a public school; requiring school nurses or, in certain circumstances, local health officers or the designees of local health officers, to prescribe training programs for employees of public and private schools who volunteer to serve as unlicensed assistive personnel; authorizing public and private schools to provide assistance to pupils with diabetes in the care and management of the disease under certain circumstances; authorizing the parent or legal guardian of a pupil with diabetes to request such assistance; prescribing the duties of unlicensed assistive personnel; providing for the authorization of a pupil with diabetes to self-administer medication and otherwise care for and manage the diabetes under certain circumstances; providing immunity from civil liability for school nurses, unlicensed assistive personnel and other school personnel, the board of trustees of a school district, the governing body of a private school, local health officers and the designees of local health officers under certain circumstances; providing an exemption for unlicensed assistive personnel from state licensing requirements for practicing nursing in this State; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Introduction Date:
Monday, March 18, 2013
Summary:
Revises provisions governing medical care in schools. (BDR 34-831)
Fiscal Notes:
Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact.
Effect on the State: Yes.
Digest:
Section 8 of this bill provides that the board of trustees of a school district or a principal of a public school shall not:
(1) prohibit any pupil with diabetes from enrolling in any public school in which the pupil would otherwise be able to enroll if the pupil did not have diabetes;
Note: Children today are not prohibited from attending any school in our district due to having diabetes as outlined in their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Special Education rights of children.
or (2) require the parent or guardian of a pupil to provide any service or assistance to the pupil to care for or manage the diabetes while the pupil is on the grounds of a public school, participating in certain activities or on a school bus.
Note: So your child could be EXCLUDED if you have to work and can’t come to campus to provide all care.
Section 9 of this bill requires each school nurse or, if a public school does not have a school nurse, the local health officer or the local health officer’s designee, to prescribe a training program for employees of public schools who volunteer to serve as unlicensed assistive personnel. The training program must include certain instruction and be provided by a school nurse, the local health officer or the local health officer’s designee, as applicable.
Section 10 of this bill establishes a procedure pursuant to which the parent or legal guardian of a pupil with diabetes in a public school may request that the public school provide assistance with the care and management of the diabetes while the pupil is on the grounds of a public school, participating in an activity sponsored by a public school or on a school bus.
Section 10 authorizes the school nurse or the principal, as applicable, to provide a written notice to all employees of the public school seeking volunteers to serve as unlicensed assistive personnel. The notice must provide that serving as unlicensed assistive personnel is voluntary and that employees who choose not to volunteer will not be subject to any retaliatory or disciplinary action, and must include a description of the training program prescribed pursuant to section 9 that employees must complete to become unlicensed assistive personnel.
Section 11.5 of this bill provides for the development of an individualized health plan for a pupil with diabetes by the school nurse or the local health officer or his or her designee, as applicable, upon the approval of a request submitted pursuant to section 10.
Section 12 of this bill describes the written authorization that the parent or legal guardian must submit to the school nurse or the principal of the school, as applicable, upon receiving approval of such a request, and section 13 of this bill sets forth the duties of the school nurse or principal, as applicable, upon receiving such an authorization.
Section 14 of this bill sets forth the specific acts that unlicensed assistive personnel may perform in assisting a pupil with diabetes.
Section 15 of this bill provides a procedure pursuant to which a pupil with diabetes may be authorized to self-administer medication for the treatment of the diabetes and otherwise care for and manage the diabetes while on the grounds of a public school, at an activity sponsored by a public school or on a school bus. Section 16 of this bill requires the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the State Board of Nursing, to adopt necessary regulations to carry out the provisions of sections 3-17 of this bill.
Section 17 provides that a school nurse, unlicensed assistive personnel, other school personnel, the board of trustees of a school district, local health officers and the designees of local health officers are not subject to civil liability, and a school nurse, unlicensed assistive personnel and other school personnel and local health officers and designees of local health officers are not subject to any disciplinary action, for certain acts performed by any person in carrying out any duty or authorized activity set forth in this bill.
Sections 19-32 of this bill set forth provisions similar to sections 3-17 which apply to private schools. Existing law requires a person who practices or offers to practice nursing in this State to be licensed by the State Board of Nursing. (NRS 632.315) Existing law also provides certain exemptions from that requirement. (NRS 632.340)
Section 33 of this bill revises those exemptions to include unlicensed assistive personnel who provide assistance to a pupil with diabetes in the care and management of the diabetes in accordance with the provisions of sections 3-17 or 19-32.
Primary Sponsor(s):
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