RunningHead:MedicationObservation

MedicationObservation:AppleTreeChildcare

MacKenzieSharpless

IvyTechCommunityCollege

October4,2014


Apple Tree is a licensed child care center. The first thing that was stated by LZ (ElsbethFritz,
Assistant

Director)wasthattheyfollowallNAEYCandStateregulationswhenitcomestotheirmedication

administration process. Every child's health record has family history, both social and emotional, shot
records,

doctor's notes, physicals, medication permission slips, as well as any suspected illness forms. I never
realized

placestooksocialfamily history,itshowsmethatthechildcarefacilityisn'tjustconcernedwithdiabetes
and

possible obesity, but also with illnesses like schizophrenia and paranoia. The emergency card contains
notonly

who canpickup,dropoff,getinformation,anddoctor'sinformation,butitalsocontainedwhatthechild
fears

and enjoys. I never thoughtthosequestionswouldbepertinentinformation,butifIhadachildwhowas

afraid

of clowns, I would want them to make sure my child didn't go to the circus for thefieldtrip.Anybody
candrop

a registered child off, because the facility assumes parents know who's bringing their child to daycare.
Topick

up they must be the regular pickup person, or on the list with their photo I.D. and the person will be
askedfor

I.D. at the front desk and in the child's classroom.Ifoundthistobeverysatisfyingforparentstoknow

that

it is practically impossible for a child to go home with the wrong person. Children and staff have the
same

regulations for sick policy a person withafeverof1011degreesorgreater,3boutsofdiarrheaforthe

day,

vomiting, and/or a communicable disease must go home. If the child is injured on site, the teachers
decide

whether or not to call the parents, becausetheyknowthefamiliesbest.Ifachildbecomessickanditis

notnap

time, they will be separated until they are picked up, if it is naptime, everybody has their own cots, so
theyare

already separated. If a substitute is needed they have some part time employees they can call or
administration

will work in theclassroomsettingifnecessary.Medicineiskeptunderlockandkey,bothwithalocked

room

and a locked cabinet.Only7peoplehaveaccesstothemedicationandonlyadministratorshaveaccess

toall

files(parentshaveaccesstotheirchild'sfileanytime.)Forachildtoreceivemedicationtheremustbea

permission slip from home that's good for 7 days and the doctor's note with instructions. If any side
effectsfrom

medicationoccur,theteachersknowtheirstudentsandknowwhentheparentsneedcalled.