Guidelines for the Management of the Student with Diabetes in New Jersey’s Public Schools

Collaboration Cooperation & Planning Students are more likely to succeed in school

when student, parent, nurse, principal, teachers, coaches and others work together to manage care

Addressing N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.11-21

N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.11-21

Became law on October 1,2009 Effective January 29,2010 Requires schools to take specific actions to

ensure that students with diabetes are able to manage their disease while at school and to ensure the health and safety of the student and the school community

Purpose and Beliefs

Diabetes requires management 24 hours a day Students with diabetes must balance their blood

sugar levels, food intake, medications, and physical activity while at school

School nurses will coordinate care and educate school staff to provide a safe, therapeutic environment for students with diabetes.

Diabetes can interfere with a student’s ability to concentrate and learn

Goal: Optimal Student Health and Learning

All school staff members should have basic knowledge of diabetes and know who to contact for help.

New Law Requires

An Individualized healthcare plan (IHP) An Individualized Emergency healthcare plan (IEHP) Annual written parent & healthcare practitioners

authorization for the provision of diabetic health care Authorization for release and sharing of certain medical

information

Ten Element Plan for Diabetic Care1.School Wide Posting of S/S

of Hyper/Hypo Glycemia

2. Allowing for Blood Glucose testing throughout the building & grounds

3. Written Authorization from a student's Physician and Parent/Guardian

4. Full Participation in Physical Education & Sports

Ten Element Plan cont.

5. Accommodations for school trips, after-school activities, class parties, and other school related activities

6. In-service Education for ALL SCHOOL PERSONNEL who may come in contact with a diabetic student on

• How to recognize and treat hypo/hyper glycemia• When to call for assistance

7. Medical & Treatment issues that may affect the educational process

8. How to maintain communication between student, parent/guardian, school nurse & educational staff

Purpose of Diabetic Law Purpose of the law is to ensure

the health and safety of both the student and the school community while providing support to the student to self-mange his/her diabetes to the fullest extent possible

Law states that the school nurse shall designate, in consultation with the Board of Education, additional employees of the school district who volunteer to administer Glucagon when the school nurse is not physically present at the scene

Purpose of Diabetic Law cont. No School employee shall be held liable for

any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of the law

It also states that licensed athletic trainers who volunteer to administer Glucagon will not be held in violation of the Athletic Training Licensure Act (P.L. 1984,c.203).

Three Levels of Training

Level One: Education for All Overview of Diabetes Signs and Symptoms Common issues such as exercise, meals, and

access to medication General emergency actions

Level Two: Student Specific Training

For those with direct contact with the student:• IHP/IHEP procedures, protocols and

emergency actions• Child-specific exercise or nutrition issues• Emotional and behavioral issues• General information about care such as

glucose testing or insulin administration

Level Three: Volunteer Glucagon Delegates

Student-specific information in Level Two plus:• Student –specific information on hypoglycemia symptoms and IHP/IEHP

procedures• Successful demonstration by delegate of glucagon administration and

emergency protocols

Level Three: Volunteer Glucagon Delegates cont.

These volunteer designees must be trained by the school nurse or other qualified healthcare professionals to administer the drug “Glucagon” in the event of a Hypoglycemic Emergency

School Nurse Responsibilities Coordinates the provision of

care Educates all personnel about

diabetes Develops and updates student’s

IHP/IEHP Has primary responsibility for

emergency administration of glucagon

Trains volunteer delegates for glucagon administration

Serves as conduit for sharing of medical information and communications with parents

Student’s Diabetes ManagementWritten Plans

IHP IEHP Education Plans• 504 Accommodations• IEP’s Other

WHRHS REPORT CARD IHP ECP Full participation in all school-related activities Accommodations made for school trips, activities, parties 504 Plans as needed in conjunction with Guidance

Hypoglycemia: A Medical Emergency

Hypoglycemia is a medical emergency that can progress from:

Mild

Moderate

SEVERE

What Can You Do????? If you or someone you know is a Diabetic you should become a

GLUCAGON DELEGATE Glucagon is available at all times and is the treatment for SEVERE

HYPOGLYCEMIA Glucagon is an injection that provides a rapid boost of glucose to the

body

Glucagon Delegates School nurse may delegate task of glucagon

administration to personnel who have been trained and have demonstrated the appropriate skills and knowledge to do so safely.

Delegates may only be used when the school nurse is not physically present at the scene

Glucagon DelegatesDelegates must be: School district employees who volunteer to

serve as a delegate Selected by the school nurse in conjunction

with the Board of Education Trained by the school nurse or other qualified

health care professional to administer glucagon

Delegation Considerations The delegate should be reasonably expected to have

regular responsibility for or contact with the student. The delegate should not be a high school student

employed by the district in an afterschool or summer program.

The delegate MUST be an employed of the district; the delegate cannot be an older sibling or relative attending the school, a neighbor or school volunteer.

Delegate Considerations cont. Delegates must be sensitive to privacy issues

and confidentiality. Delegates must complete a training course. Delegates who transfer to another school must

be retrained and evaluated by the nurse in that school.

Delegates will complete an annual refresher training.

Delegate Considerations cont. CPR-AED certification is highly

recommended for delegates

How Do I Become a Delegate?

Call Lee, Nan or Francine at 4877 or 4878 to enroll in the upcoming Delegate Training Workshop

Always Remember…..

“You can’t educate a child who isn’t healthy and you can’t keep a child healthy who isn’t educated”

Dr. Jocelyn Elders

15th Surgeon General of the

United States