A Volusia County School senior could have died from an asthma attack--right in the nurse's office. Turns out the school had confiscated Michael Rudi's inhaler when they found it in his locker. While in the throes of an attack, the seventeen-year-old asked for his inhaler. But his school nurse told him his parents had not signed the required medical release forms. She did not call 911.
Rudi told Orlando media that when he was about to pass out, he wasn't sure he'd ever wake up. He feels the nurse in question was willing to watch him die.
Though the nurse's inaction might seem criminal, the real problem here is a school policy that's not easily adapted to emergencies. Clearly, prescribed, life-saving medicine should not have been taken away from a student without notifying his parents. And all school staff should be trained to call 911 when a student is obviously in danger.
Tell Volusia to rewrite its medical and emergency policies so that no other student faces similar danger!
We the undersigned understand that you want to prevent illicit drug use at your school. However, your current policy requiring parental paperwork on every prescription drug is not flexible enough to prevent terrible tragedies--such as the near death of asthma patient Michael Rudi. You need to write a policy that encourages all staff to take appropriate action when a student's life or health is in danger. Do not confiscate prescription drugs without notifying parents. If parents cannot be contacted, the medication should not be removed from the student's possession. This is a matter of common sense. Make sure all your staff have been advised to call 911 in an emergency. This should be a written policy.
