The Board of Education on Monday approved revisions to board policy that will allow parents to approve the administration of medication by a non-licensed staff member to their student in a case of emergency when a nurse is not present.

“The board recognizes that some students have allergies of such severity that they may require an emergency anaphylactic injection during the course of the school day,” according to the policy document.

The State of Alaska Board of Nursing states that the parent or guardian must designate the person or persons who have the authority to administer the medication and the school’s nurse will provide necessary training to the unlicensed staff member, which will be assessed every 90 days, according to the document.

Kenai Peninsula Support Education Association President Patty Sirois asked the board not to pass policy that would allow support staff to administer medication.

Sirois said it would add burden to support staff and it would be better to leave medication administration to certified staff.

The board also passed revisions to board immunization policy that would require a student who “does not show evidence of required immunization,” to present an Alaska Immunization Requirements Medical Exemption and Disease History Form, which is signed by an authorized physician or medical practitioner stating the immunization would be injurious to the student or someone in their household. Policy will now also require a student to submit a notarized State of Alaska Religious Exemption Form, if the immunization will conflict with the student’s religious practices.