First Aid Policy

First Aid Policy

First Aid Policy and Procedure

Purpose

This policy sets out how staff at Castleknock National School deliver First Aid and the roles and responsibilities of all Staff in administering First Aid.

The purpose of First Aid is to ensure that any immediate danger and discomfort is alleviated. Any First Aid rendered by the School is intended to be of a temporary nature and to be the minimum level of care. Any further diagnosis or extended care should be passed on to medical professionals. Injuries should be fully examined by Parents/Guardians when children arrive home. This policy aims to ensure that everyone concerned with First Aid, whether practitioner or recipient is kept safe.

Awareness of Medical Needs

  • When joining our school, Parents are required to inform the school of any medical condition or allergy from which their child may suffer.
  • Relevant information is retained on file in the staffroom and by the Health & Safety representative. All staff members are made aware of allergies/ conditions in their class by the First Aid Representative of the school at the beginning of the school year.
  • It is the Parent’s responsibility to notify the School of any changes in existing medical conditions.
  • At the start of each academic year the H&S representative will pass on relevant medical information regarding children to all staff at a Croke Park meeting.
  • After this, teacher’s will, in conjunction with parents and the First Aid representative, familiarise themselves with the condition, the action to be taken if required and the location of inhalers, epi-pens, medication etc.
  • Any changes or additions to a child’s medical condition must be given by parents to the School Principal and passed onto H&S representative as soon as they are known. This is especially important when children with medical conditions join the school within the academic year.
  • All photos and information about pupils with medical conditions will be kept in the Staffroom in the clearly marked First Aid press for the academic year.
  • A file containing all Class Lists in the school and medical conditions relating to particular children will be held by the Principal in her office and made available to Substitute teachers.

Illness at School

  • If a child is taken ill whilst in the classroom, the Teacher will assess the condition of the child and if it is considered by the teacher that the child needs to go home he/she will arrange for Parents (or other contact as prioritised by the parent on the data collection sheet) to be contacted by the school.
  • If a Parent cannot be contacted, a voice mail message will be left if possible.
  • In the event of not being able to contact a parent, an ambulance will be called by the principal or deputy principal (if necessary.)
  • The insurance company will be informed by the school of any serious accidents.

Dealing with a Suspected Case of COVID-19

Staff or pupils should not attend school if displaying any symptoms of COVID-19.

If a staff member/pupil displays symptoms of COVID-19 while at school the following are the procedures to be implemented:

  • If there is a suspected case the Principal and the Deputy Principal who is the Lead Covid Worker are to be notified immediately.
  • The principal or deputy will collect the pupil ensuring that they are wearing correct PPE and are keeping at least 2m away from the symptomatic person and also making sure that others maintain a distance of at least 2m from the symptomatic person at all times;
  • The pupil will be asked to put a mask on and will be moved to the Isolation room (fish tank room).
  • If the person with the suspected case is a pupil, the parents/guardians will be contacted immediately;
  • The person presenting with symptoms will remain in the isolation room until they are collected.
  • The individual should avoid touching people, surfaces and objects.
  • The person presenting with symptoms will be asked to cover their mouth and nose with the disposable tissue provided when they cough or sneeze and put the tissue in the waste bag provided.
  • If the person is well enough to go home we will arrange for them to be transported home by a family member, as soon as possible and advise them to inform their general practitioner by phone of their symptoms.
  • If they are too unwell to go home or advice is required, we will contact 999 or 112 and inform them that the sick person is a Covid-19 suspect;
  • We will then carry out an assessment of the incident which will form part of determining follow-up actions and recovery;
  • The class will be moved outdoors and appropriate cleaning of the isolation room and classroom will take place.
  • The HSE will inform any staff/parents who have come into close contact with a diagnosed case via the contact tracing process. The HSE will contact all relevant persons where a diagnosis of COVID-19 is made. The instructions of the HSE should be followed and staff and pupil confidentiality is essential at all times.
  • If a staff member starts displaying symptoms of Covid-19, they should inform the principal or deputy principal (in her absences) immediately. Put on a mask and leave the school building as soon as possible. They should inform their general practitioner by phone of their symptoms. If they are too unwell to go home or advice is required, we will contact 999 or 112 and inform them that the sick person is a Covid-19 suspect.

Administration of Medicines

  • School staff will not administer medicines unless the child has an agreed arrangement, in writing with the Board of Management and/or Principal.
  • Parents may administer non-prescribed medicines during the school day themselves by prior arrangement with the principal.
  • Any child with an existing medical condition that may require hands on medical attention will receive it from staff with First Aid training, if appropriate, to ensure the appropriate care is given under the correct circumstances.
  • Parents of children requiring medication must ensure that all medicines to be administered are in the original container, clearly labelled with the child’s name, dosage and frequency. These medicines will be stored in the First Aid press in the staffroom.

First Aid

  • If a child suffers an injury, it will be assessed by the class teacher or if it happens in the playground, the teacher on duty who is nearest to the child.
  • All teachers will be expected to deal with all instances of minor first aid.
  • Disposable surgical gloves and a mask must be worn at all times.
  • A minor cut will be cleaned by a water wipe.
  • Hypoallergenic plasters will be used where bleeding hasn’t stopped from applying pressure with wipe to keep the wound clean from infection.
  • For more serious cuts/ injuries help from a teacher with First Aid training should be acquired.
  • In the event of an emergency, if any staff member in school is concerned for the health and safety of the child following an injury, they should call 999/112 if appropriate.
  • Children will only be taken to hospital by ambulance or directly by their Parents. Teachers of the school will not transport children to hospital in their cars.
  • Injuries obtained off-site during school trips will be dealt with in the manner outlined in this policy.
  • The same first Aid procedures will be followed for school activities off site.
  • Any injuries on yard must be noted in the yard book. A note must be sent home if the child obtained an injury and a phone call must be made if the child had a bump to the head.
  • Teachers will bring their phones to yard with them in case they need to call for additional help.

First Aid Boxes

Location

First Aid Boxes held in the staffroom.

  • Staffroom – First Aid Box and School Trip First Aid Box
  • Classrooms –First Aid Box- wipes, gloves and plasters are located in each classroom. Teachers must bring their first aid box out to yard with them.
  • There are also supplies of wipes, gloves, masks and small plastic bags in the press in the Isolation room.

Contents of Larger First Aid Boxes

  • Dressings (non-adherent dressing, sterile gauze pads)
  • Disposable Gloves
  • Cotton Pads
  • Water wipes
  • Slings
  • Adherent tape
  • Hypoallergenic plasters
  • Bandages
  • Portable ice-packs (stored in Fridge Freezer in Staffroom) for on-site use and Instant Ice Packs for off-site use, sporting events etc.
  • Scissors

Contents of Classroom First Aid Boxes

  • Disposable gloves
  • Plasters
  • Cotton Pads
  • Hypoallergenic plasters
  • Water wipes
  • Masks
  • Plastic bags

Informing Parents and Logging Injuries

  • Parents will be informed of injuries through a note (separate ones for cut or bump on the head.) sent by class teacher. In the case of a bump on the head/head injury a phone call home will be made.
  • Where a child is very distressed or the injury is significant, parents will be informed by phone, if possible, usually by the Principal or the H&S rep. or the class teacher.
  • It is the responsibility of the attending teacher to decide what a “significant injury” is. They will make a common sense judgement as any responsible parent would.
  • It is the responsibility of the teacher who dealt with the injury to gather the facts about how the injury occurred from witnesses, so that they may pass on accurate details to parents.
  • All injuries, however insignificant, must be recorded by the teacher on yard duty in the Yard Book and First Aid book.
  • When informing parents by phone, Parent 1 should be phoned first. If it is not possible to speak directly to parent 1 a voice message will be left and Parent 2 contacted. If the teacher has not been able to speak directly to parent 1, then Parent 2 should be contacted and if no contact is made a voice message will be left. The Emergency Contact person will also be contacted. If the injury is severe an ambulance will be called and the Principal or another member of staff will travel with the child in the ambulance.

Provision for First Aid

  • First Aid kits must be carried by the Teacher whenever they take children off site or out to the yard.
  • Class medication must be carried by the Teacher when they are taking children off site.
  • All of the medical supplies will be monitored and replenished by the H&S rep as necessary. The staff are responsible for alerting the H&S representative if they become aware that a particular First Aid Kit requires re-supplying.

Dealing with Common Illnesses and Infections

  • Any child who suffers from diarrhoea or vomiting during the school day will be required to be collected by a parent/childminder and taken home.
  • Any child who has suffered from diarrhoea or vomiting should not return to school until they have been completely clear of symptoms for 24 hours. Parents should consider the health and safety of everyone at school when deciding when to return their child to school.
  • If a child is found to have live head lice, their Parents should inform the principal. All of the other children in that class will be given a standard letter by their teacher from the HSE ‘Infection in Schools’ manual to take home, asking their Parents to treat any infestation accordingly.
  • The Parents of any child suspected of having a highly infectious condition should be contacted by the Principal or Deputy. If the infection is severe, they will be asked, by the Principal or Deputy to collect the child. If it is minor they will be asked to seek advice about treatment from their GP.
  • Parents can seek advice from the HSE about other common illnesses and infections. Staff may refer to the ‘Infection in Schools’ manual kept in the Secretary’s Office.
  • If children or staff are displaying any Covid-19 symptoms (High temperature, Cough, Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties and loss of smell, of taste or distortion of taste) they must stay at home and contact their GP for further advice.

Intimate Care

Intimate Care is the attending to the needs of children who wet or soil themselves either by accident or due to medical or developmental reasons.

  • In instances of soiling, the following guidance should be followed;
  • Only Staff Members may supervise or carry out intimate care.
  • Staff members must ensure that another colleague is aware that a child’s intimate care needs are being supported.
  • In line with the School’s Child Protection policy staff members should aim to remain potentially visible to colleagues, whilst providing privacy for the child, for example, keeping the door slightly ajar.
  • A staff member should talk to the child throughout, making clear what is happening. A second adult should be in attendance.
  • The child should be involved as much as possible in his or her own intimate care.
  • All classrooms have designated toilets. Pupils may be directed by staff to use alternative toilets while the intimate care needs of one child are attended to (in order to protect their privacy).
  • Protective gloves must be worn by staff members. A supply of spare clothes, provided by parents will be kept in the Junior Classrooms.
  • Every child should be treated with dignity and respect. Staff members should ensure privacy appropriate to the child’s age and situation.
  • Staff members should allow the child to be as independent as possible, in particular with removing underwear and support the children in doing all that they can for themselves.
  • Emergency sanitary pads will be made available by the school for Senior Classes.
  • If a member of staff has concerns about managing personal or intimate care then they should make these known to the Principal.

Revised and amended by Sandra Meyer (August 2015)

Approved by the Board of Management (November 2015)

Amended and ratified by the BOM. 16th September, 2020.