1. Does Louisiana allow school staff members who are not health care professionals to administer insulin?
If a school has a child with diabetes, the principal may recruit unlicensed health aids. They should be trained to administer insulin:
An unlicensed diabetes care assistant, in accordance with the diabetes management and treatment plan on file for a student, may provide diabetes care to a student, or assist a student in the self-care of his diabetes, including […] (a) Checking and recording blood glucose and ketone levels. […](d) Administering, or assisting a student in administering, insulin through the insulin delivery system prescribed in the student's diabetes management and treatment plan. R.S. 17:436.3(C)(4).
2. Does Louisiana allow school staff members who are not health care professionals to administer glucagon?
Yes. As stated above, the principal may recruit unlicensed health aids who will be trained in "[a]dministering glucagon and other emergency treatments as prescribed in a student's diabetes management and treatment plan." R.S. 17:436.3(C)(4).
3. Does Louisiana allow students to self-manage diabetes care at school, anytime and anywhere?
Yes. Louisiana clearly allows glucose testing, insulin administration, and any other type of diabetes care any time, anywhere:
[…] a school shall permit the student to attend to the self-management and care of his diabetes, which may include the following activities: (a) Performing blood glucose level checks. (b) Self-administration of insulin through the insulin delivery system specified in the student's diabetes management and treatment plan. (c) Treatment of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia as specified in the student's diabetes management and treatment plan. […] (e) Otherwise attending to the management and care of the student's diabetes in the classroom, in any area of the school or school grounds, or at any school-related activity. R.S. 17:436.3(D).
4. Does Louisiana allow students to carry diabetes supplies like needles, insulin, and blood glucose testing devices?
Yes. Students may self-manage diabetes care, including "[p]ossessing on the student's person, at any time, such supplies or equipment as are necessary to monitor and care for the student's diabetes."; R.S. 17:436.3(D)(d).
5. Does Louisiana allow a bus driver to provide diabetes care?
Yes. A bus driver may supervise a student with diabetes and provide basic emergency care:
With written permission from a student's parent or legal guardian, a school may provide a school employee with responsibility for providing transportation for a student with diabetes, or supervising a student with diabetes during an off-campus activity, with an information sheet that provides the following information: (a) The identity of the student with diabetes. (b) A description of potential emergencies that may occur as a result of the student's diabetes and the appropriate responses to such emergencies. (c) The telephone number of the person to be contacted in case of an emergency involving the student with diabetes. R.S. 17:436.3(E).
Resources:
For more information, see the following helpful resources:
