Policy 5.3212

Blood Glucose Monitoring

1. Pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 1006.062(4)(c), students with diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent or non-insulin-dependent) or recurrent hypoglycemia have the right to monitor their blood sugar levels, or to have such levels monitored, during the school day as ordered by their physician.

2. The purpose of blood glucose monitoring is to obtain information needed for appropriate decisions regarding the balance of insulin, food, and exercise for the student.

3. Parents/guardians have the responsibility to notify the school administration in advance, pursuant to Board Policy 5.321, that their child will use a glucose monitoring device. Each student who will use a monitoring device has the responsibility of showing it to his/her teachers and school administrators at the beginning of the school year (or later time corresponding with beginning to use the device at school), and the device should be labeled with the student's name and other information consistent with Policy 5.321.

4. The Superintendent shall annually direct school principals to notify assistant principals and teachers of the students who will use glucose monitoring devices in their school. Applicable personnel are to be trained, as deemed appropriate by the Superintendent, concerning identification of blood glucose monitoring devices.

5. The student, school nurse, or other personnel trained pursuant to section (7) below, will perform the monitoring. If a student will perform the monitoring, he or she shall be assessed by the school nurse for adequate knowledge and skill in all aspects of blood glucose monitoring. Students performing self-monitoring shall be under the supervision of the school nurse or other personnel trained according to section (7) below.

6. The school principal/designee shall identify at least two personnel to be trained in accordance with section (7) herein, as backup for the school nurse in order to supervise and/or perform monitoring of blood glucose for students with diabetes or recurrent hypoglycemia.

7. Nonmedical school district personnel shall be allowed to perform or assist with blood glucose monitoring as a health-related service pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 1006.062(4), upon successful completion of child-specific training by a Florida-licensed registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician (M.D. or D.O.), or physician assistant. The school nurse will supervise and assess the proficiency of nonmedical school staff who receive such training.

8. As required by Fla. Stat. § 1006.062(4), all blood-glucose monitoring procedures shall be monitored periodically by a Florida-licensed registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician (M.D. or D.O.), or physician assistant.

9. The schedule for a student's glucose monitoring in school should closely follow the monitoring schedule used at home. The student's individualized health care plan ("IHCP") and/or Section 504 Modification Plan ("504 plan") should specify when regular monitoring is to occur and when symptoms would indicate the need for additional monitoring.

10. The most appropriate setting for the glucose monitoring will, in many cases, be the school health room. Students in grades three and higher who demonstrate capability and maturity may monitor or be monitored in a supportive classroom situation. The location and method of monitoring such glucose levels, including safe disposal of sharps/lancets, shall be determined by a joint decision of the school principal/designee and the school nurse, with input from the student, the student's parent(s)/guardian(s), and the student's physician or other licensed healthcare provider.

11. The IHCP and the 504 plan will address emergency care procedures for individual diabetic students and will contain a detailed description of the method of response.

12. Consistent with Fla. Stat. § 1006.062(2) and Board Policy 5.321, there shall be no liability for civil damages as a result of monitoring of student blood glucose levels when the person performing or supervising such monitoring acts as an ordinarily prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.

13. School principals and 504 designees will receive annual training on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Such training will include, but not be limited to, diabetes.