Calif.'s Supreme Court considers whether school workers who are not nurses can administer insulin shots to children

May 31 2013

The justices appear cool to the idea that only licensed nurses should be able to give the shots, despite arguments by the state nurses association.

Los Angeles Times: Some Justices Question Requiring Nurses To Give Shots In Schools
Several members of the California Supreme Court appeared wary Wednesday of requiring public schools to provide licensed nurses to administer insulin injections and other medications to schoolchildren. The powerful California Nurses Assn. has argued that state law requires licensed nurses to provide insulin injections and other medicines, and two lower courts have agreed. The American Diabetes Assn. appealed. During a hearing, some justices on the state high court appeared skeptical of the nurses' arguments (Dolan, 5/29).

San Jose Mercury News: Diabetes In California Schools: State's High Court Appears Likely To Let School Employees Handle Insulin Shots
California's largest nursing organization's courtroom bid to block public school employees from giving insulin shots to diabetic students appears to be on life support. During an hour of arguments Wednesday, the California Supreme Court expressed concern about preventing unlicensed school employees from handling the insulin task when school nurses are unavailable, a common problem in school districts across the state experiencing a shortage of licensed nurses. The majority of justices appeared to reject the arguments of the California Nurses Association, which maintains that only licensed nurses should be allowed to administer insulin to diabetic schoolchildren (Mintz, 5/29).

San Francisco Chronicle: Supreme Court Hears Insulin Shots Case
The debate over whether school employees should be able to give insulin to diabetic schoolchildren if no nurses are available reached the state Supreme Court on Wednesday, as lawyers haggled over whether any special training is needed to administer the shots. Two lower courts have ruled that California law allows only licensed doctors and nurses to administer medication, including insulin, except in emergencies (Lee, 5/29).

California Healthline: School Nurses Case To Supreme Court
The case centers on school nurses, but nursing leaders say it could set precedent for the practice of nursing in California. Cash-strapped school districts across the state have laid off school nurses, creating a dilemma for diabetic children who need insulin shots during school hours. The state has argued that non-medical personnel can administer the shots. State officials say requiring nurses to do the job endangers children's ready access to insulin injections and puts their health at risk (Gorn, 5/29).