Medication Administration in Nevada - post

Medication administration means giving a child medicine in your care the safe way. In Nevada child care, it is also a licensing and safety issue. When you follow a clear process, you protect children, families, and your program. 😊

What does “medication administration” mean in child care? 💊

Medication administration is any time a child care staff member gives a child:

• Prescription medicine

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine (like fever or allergy medicine)

• Topical medicine (like diaper cream or sunscreen, if your program treats it as medication)

• Emergency medicine (like an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector)

Even “simple” medicine can be risky if the child, dose, or time is wrong. That is why Nevada expects child care programs to use written procedures and trained staff.

What are Nevada’s basic rules and training expectations? ✅

In Nevada, child care licensing rules include medication administration as a required training topic for many staff as part of initial training expectations. Nevada Child Care Licensing shares that within the first 90 days, new hires must complete some required in-person trainings, and additional training (in person or online) can include “Administration of Medication.”

Nevada’s licensing regulations also state that only people trained in medication administration (by a health care professional or a child’s parent, depending on the situation) may administer medication.

Also, Nevada points providers to The Nevada Registry for approved training.

What this means for you:

• Have a written medication policy

• Make sure the right staff are trained

• Use clear forms and logs

• Follow each child’s plan (especially for allergies/asthma)

What should your program’s medication policy include? 📝

A good policy helps everyone do the same thing, every time. Include simple rules like:

• Which medicines you will and will not give

• Who is allowed to give medicine (trained and authorized staff)

• What forms families must fill out

• How medicine must be labeled (child’s name, dose, etc.)

• How medicine is stored (locked, correct temperature)

• How you document each dose

• What you do for errors (missed dose, wrong time, spill)

• Emergency steps for allergic reactions, breathing problems, or side effects

Tip: Keep the policy in your parent handbook and staff handbook. 👍

How do you accept medication from families safely? 🤝

When a parent brings medicine, slow down and check these items:

• The medicine is in the original container

• The label matches the child’s name

• You have written parent permission

• You have clear instructions (dose, time, how it is given)

• You understand why the child needs it

• You know what side effects to watch for

Helpful practice: Ask parents to hand medicine directly to a staff member (not in a child’s backpack). 🙂

How should medication be stored and labeled? 🔒

Safe storage prevents mix-ups and keeps medicine away from children.

Use these simple rules:

• Store medicine locked and out of children’s reach

• Keep it in a separate, labeled container or bin for each child

• If it needs to stay cold, store it in a locked box in the refrigerator

• Check expiration dates often

• Never share medicine between children (even if symptoms look the same)

Nevada Child Care Licensing also provides sample forms, including a Medication Request Form, showing how important written permission is in daily operations.

How do you give medication the right way? ⏱️

A simple step-by-step routine helps prevent mistakes.

Before you give medication, follow the “5 Rights”:

• Right child

• Right medication

• Right dose

• Right time

• Right way/route (by mouth, on skin, inhaled, etc.)

Then do this:

1. Wash your hands 🧼

2. Read the label and the permission form every time

3. Measure carefully (use the correct tool, not a kitchen spoon)

4. Stay with the child while they take it

5. Watch the child after (look for rash, sleepiness, breathing trouble, vomiting)

6. Document it right away ✍️

If you are not sure, stop and ask. It is always better to pause than to guess.

What about allergies, inhalers, and emergency meds? 🚑

Allergy and asthma medicine can be urgent. Your program should have:

• A written care plan for each child who needs emergency medication

• Clear staff roles (who calls 911, who stays with the child, who meets the ambulance)

• A plan for field trips and playground time

If a child may be having a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis):

• Trouble breathing, swelling of lips/face, widespread hives, repeated vomiting, or child seems very weak

• Follow the child’s emergency plan

• Call 911

• Notify the parent/guardian

Training matters here. Even experienced staff need refreshers so they react fast and calmly. 💛

How do you document and communicate with families? 📋

Good documentation protects children and protects you.

Log each dose with:

• Date and time

• Medication name

• Dose given

• Staff name/signature

• Notes (refused, spit out, side effects)

A ready-to-use form can save time and keep your records consistent. ChildCareEd has a helpful resource you can download here: Medication Administration Template
https://www.childcareed.com/r-00728-medication-administration-template.html

Where can you get training and tools? 🎓

If you work in Nevada child care, training helps you feel confident and helps your program stay aligned with licensing expectations and Registry-approved learning. Nevada’s Child Care Licensing guidance points staff toward Registry-approved training options.

Here are ChildCareEd training courses that match this topic:

• Medication Administration and the Prevention of and Response to Food and Other Allergies in the Child Care Environment
  https://www.childcareed.com/courses-medication-administration-and-the-prevention-of-and-response-to-food-and-other-allergies-in-the-child-care-environment.html

• Administration of Medicine
  https://www.childcareed.com/courses-administration-of-medicine.html

• Allergies and Medication in Childcare
  https://www.childcareed.com/courses-allergies-and-medication-in-childcare-1.html

Want more Nevada-specific training guidance? This ChildCareEd article can help:
https://www.childcareed.com/a/what-training-do-i-need-for-childcare-in-nevada.html

Follow ChildCareEd for more tips and training updates:
👉 https://www.instagram.com/childcareed/ 

Quick safety checklist for busy days 🧠

Use this quick list when things get hectic:

• ✅ Written permission is on file

• ✅ Medicine is labeled for the correct child

• ✅ You checked the “5 Rights”

• ✅ Medicine is stored safely (locked, correct temp)

• ✅ You documented right after giving it

• ✅ You watched the child for side effects

• ✅ You know the emergency plan for allergies/asthma

If your program builds strong habits now, medication administration becomes calmer, safer, and easier for everyone. 🌟

#NevadaChildCare #MedicationAdministration #ChildCareTraining #HealthAndSafety #EarlyChildhoodEducation