EMERGENCY CARE GUIDELINES

Major & minor injuries and illnesses can occur in children and adolescents during the school day. These events can be classified into three categories: emergent, urgent, and non-urgent.

1. Emergent-Life-threatening or potentially disabling. These emergencies can cause death or disability within minutes. Intervention must be immediate and requires hospitalization. Examples would include airway or breathing difficulties, anaphylaxis, overdose, cardiac arrest, or chest pain.
   

2. Urgent-Serious, or potentially life-threatening or disabling. These emergencies may result in a life-threatening situation or permanent disability and must be treated as soon as possible. Examples include head injury, burns and fractures.
   

3. Non-Urgent-Non-life-threatening. These events are any injury or illness that affects the general health of a person. The student should be evaluated, and parent/guardian notified. Examples include fever, stomachache, headache, cuts/abrasions.

In the event of an emergent or urgent situation, the nurse in the school building should be informed as soon as possible. The nurse will make the determination of appropriate interventions, including calling 911. However, at the discretion of a supervising adult, any responsible staff member can use their own judgment to determine if the situation is life- threatening or appears life-threatening and call 911.

Once the nurse has reached the student and evaluated the incident, appropriate assistance from faculty/staff may be required (i.e., calling the parent/guardian, calling the building administrator, obtaining equipment or supplies).

When the student is stabilized or EMS has arrived, the incident should be documented appropriately by any witnesses to the event.

If a parent/guardian does not arrive at the school prior to transport by EMS, the building administrator will delegate a staff member to accompany the student to the hospital. The nurse will not accompany the student to the hospital. They must remain at the school in the event another situation arises.

It is the parent/guardian’s right to refuse transport by EMS. If the parent/guardian refuses transport over the telephone, the nurse will use her nursing judgment as to the necessity of immediate transport. If the parent/guardian refuses transport in person, the nurse should thoroughly explain the potential implications and strongly encourage the parent/guardian to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

A student suffering from a non-urgent illness or injury should be sent to the health office for further evaluation.

The nurse will determine if the student needs to be sent home. A faculty/staff member should not send a student home for medical reasons without the student being seen by the nurse.

If the student needs to go home and a parent/guardian/emergency contact cannot be reached, the nurse will advise the building administrator of the situation. Based on the student’s signs and symptoms, the nurse and building administrator together will determine if the student may return to class.

If the student is not well enough to ride the bus home and a parent/guardian/emergency contact has not been reached, the building administrator will make the determination as to how the student will get home safely.

911 should only be called when the injury/illness is emergent or urgent. 911 should not be called for a parent who does not have transportation. Alternative arrangements should be made by the building administrator.

If the nurse is not in the building, faculty/staff should refer to the student’s Emergency Care Plan for chronic health issues. If there is not an Emergency Care Plan available and the situation appears emergent, 911 should be called and the parent/guardian notified.

If the emergency occurs during a field trip, 911 should be called immediately.