Changes in medications administered in schools.
The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to determine if there have been changes in the type and number of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) medications administered in schools since the introduction of long-acting stimulants. A survey was sent to 1,000 school nurses randomly selected from the National Association of School Nurses membership, with 339 returned (34%). Between 2000 and 2003 the proportion of students receiving any prescription medication (2.9/100 vs. 1.0/100), methylphenidate (1.2 vs. 0.2), or amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (0.3/100 vs. 0.1/100) was significantly reduced ( p < .0001). High school students took fewer prescription ( p < .0001) and AD/HD medications ( p < .0001), but more nonprescription medications than other students. A total of 163 different prescription medications and 28 nonprescription medications were administered during the typical school day. This study suggests that the use of long-acting stimulants has significantly reduced the number of prescription medications administered in schools. This reduction has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in the range of medications administered, making the medication administration process in schools more complex, not less.
McCarthy
Ann Marie
AM
College of Nursing at The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Kelly
Michael W
MW
Johnson
Shella
S
Roman
Jaclyn
J
Zimmerman
M Bridget
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017751:Safety Management; D012573:School Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload
C090411:Adderall; D000662:Amphetamines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D008774:Methylphenidate; D003913:Dextroamphetamine