PENNANT HILLS WAR MEMORIAL CHILDREN’S CENTRE
3-7 Shields Lane, Pennant Hills NSW 2120. Telephone : 9484 1133
Postal Address : PO Box 537, Pennant Hills NSW 1715
Email: phwmcc@iinet.com.au
ABN 85 129 536 459
PENNANT HILLS WAR MEMORIAL CHILDREN’S CENTRE (PHWMCC)
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION POLICY & PROCEDURE
Aim
Families requesting the administration of medication will be required to follow the guidelines the
Preschool implements to ensure the safety of children and staff.
Pennant Hills War Memorial Children's Centre recognises the duty of care to meet the needs of the
Preschool community and aims to ensure the health of staff, children and families at all times.
Procedure
Under the Department of Education and Communities licensing regulations, ONLY medications
prescribed for the child by the child’s doctor can be administered to the child.
Herbal medications or remedies must be accompanied by a letter from the doctor or herbalist
detailing the child’s name, dosage and expiry date for the medication.
The medication MUST be in its original container with the original chemist label on it that contains
the following information:
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Child’s name
Name of medication
Dosage to be administered
Frequency of administration
Current use-by date
Medication WILL NOT be accepted to be administered at the Preschool unless it has all the above
information.
Medication must be given to a staff member and NOT left in children’s bags. The parent and staff
member will then complete and “PHWMCC Medication Record” form.
Medication will be stored in the refrigerator in a labelled medication container inaccessible to
children. Medications not requiring refrigeration will be stored in a labelled medication container in
a locked cupboard inaccessible to children.
If a child requires medication at Preschool, the following procedures are to be followed each day the
child attends:
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The parent must complete the “PHWMCC Medication Record” form and give the medication
to a staff member who will place the medication in a locked cupboard or the refrigerator.
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Two staff members will witness the administration of the medication and both complete and
sign the “PHWMCC Medication Record” form.
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The parents are responsible for collecting medicine from the staff at the end of the day.
Ongoing Medication
Prescription medication for ongoing medical conditions may be left for administration if the
Preschool is provided with an “Administration of Ongoing Medication” form, signed by the treating
medical professional.
Staff will administer medication if needed but will first, if practicable, contact the parents.
Staff will complete the “Authorisation to Administer Medication” form when medication is
administered. Parents will sign to acknowledge the administration when the child is collected.
Ongoing medication will be checked at the end of each term by staff to confirm that the use-by date
is still current.
Emergency Medication
In the event of the need for emergency medication, staff will:
Contact the parents first, or the emergency contact by phone, email or fax, and ask approval for
medication to be given. One staff member will listen to the authorisation, then ask that the
authorisation be repeated to another staff member and record the time/date and name of authorising
person. If possible, staff will ask for written authorisation by email or fax. Parents will be informed
as soon as possible after administration of medication.
In the case of a child urgently requiring the administration of ventolin etc. for asthma, staff will
administer the child’s asthma medication as indicated on the child’s “Administration of Ongoing
Medication” form. They will use the mask and spacer provided by the Preschool should this need
arise.
With parental approval, a prescribed dose of Paracetamol will be administered to a child who has a
temperature of 38º or above (underarm measurement only) when all other methods to lower the
temperature have failed.
To facilitate effective care and safe administration of Paracetamol to a child with acute pain or fever,
the Preschool staff will :
 First attempt to bring a child’s temperature down by removing the child’s clothing, sponge
bathing the child with luke-warm water, and fanning the child. Do not allow the child to become
cold. If the child becomes too cold, dress the child again. To prevent dehydration, encourage the
child to drink small frequent amounts of cool water.
 Contact the parent, guardian or nominated person in any case of a child being acutely ill or
developing a sudden fever while in care, manage the situation as an emergency, and ask the
parent or nominated person to collect the child as soon as possible. Advise them to take the child
to their doctor.
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Ensure the child is well hydrated by offering the child small frequent amounts of cool water to
drink until the child is collected by their parent, guardian or nominated person.
 Paracetamol is only to be administered once.
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If Paracetamol is needed to administered a Permission for Administration of paracetamol form
must be completed by staff and parents.
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If a child is ill and family needs to be contacted a “Illness Report for PHWMCC “ must be
completed.
DISCLAIMER
While the staff will take all possible care in administering medication to children, the Preschool
accepts no responsibility in any case where a prescribed medicine is found to be inappropriate in any
particular circumstance.
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