Medication
Medication Administration
As always, the safety and well-being of our campers is our top priority. As Glisson has grown in size and the percentage of campers who take daily medications keeps rising, administering camper medications has become increasingly complex over time. In response, we have established what is becoming an industry best practice – medication “blister packs” – as a way to streamline our process and help minimize the potential for medication errors. Thank you in advance for partnering with us in this way as we strive to provide the best possible care for campers.
Medications at Camp
Must Check-In
Any and all prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements, and vitamins MUST be checked in with our Healthcare Team during drop-off. These items cannot be kept in luggage or with the camper. The only exceptions are epipens and rescue inhalers, which must be cleared by our Healthcare Team and checked in with the counselor at drop-off.
Camp Supplies
Our Healthcare Center is stocked with basic over-the-counter medications (see FAQ item below for list) that can be provided to campers as-needed.
How to Pack
How to pack medications for camp depends on type and timing. See below for detailed instruction. Please note that we cannot accept or dispense medications that are not professionally labeled/packaged by a licensed pharmacist.
What Are Blister Packs?
Blister packaging refers to a process/product where a licensed pharmacist packages an individual’s daily medications into what’s known as a blister pack (aka “bubble card”, “pill card”, etc). A blister pack has multiple small, clear plastic bubbles for each instance that medications are to be taken (e.g. breakfast, dinner, etc) over a defined time period (e.g. one week, etc). Blister packs are backed with foil that secures the correct medications and doses within each plastic “bubble”, which is marked for the correct time of day to be dispensed and taken. As a visual reference, here’s a PDF with Sample Blister Packs.
Needs To Be Blister Packed
All daily/scheduled prescription and over-the-counter oral medications/supplements that are in pill/chewable form must be packaged by a licensed pharmacist in blister packs that are professionally labeled with the camper’s name and medication names. Please do not send homemade pill packs.
Keep In Original Containers
- As-needed (PRN) medications
- Emergency medications (inhaler, epipen)
- Liquid medications, drops, creams, powders, inhaled/injected
- Medications that are already blister packed as part of their original packaging
How Do I Get Blister Packs?
Local Pharmacy
Use your current pharmacy or another one nearby that offers blister-packing.
HOW TO
Step 1: Plan Ahead
Please plan to complete Step 2 – “Choose Pharmacy” – at least 3 weeks prior to your camper’s session so that Woody’s Pharmacy (requires at least 3-weeks notice) can still serve as your fallback option. From there, please plan to complete the rest of the steps at least one week prior to your camper’s session as many pharmacies have a one week turnaround time for blister packing.
Step 2: Choose Pharmacy
Call your pharmacy and ask if they offer blister-packs. If not, please know that many local, independent pharmacies (i.e. family-owned rather than national chains like CVS, etc.) offer this service. If you cannot find a local pharmacy that offers blister packing, please proceed to option B (Woody’s Pharmacy in Dahlonega).
Step 3: Include OTC Items
If your camper takes any over-the-counter medication and/or supplements on a daily/scheduled basis, be sure to include those items in your blister pack order. If your camper uses over-the-counter medications or supplements daily that your chosen pharmacy does not have in stock, you will need to take these medications to the pharmacy for inclusion in the blister pack.
Step 4: Call Doctor
Contact your camper’s doctor/pediatrician and ask that they call in one week’s supply of your camper’s prescribed pill/chewable medications to your chosen pharmacy.
Step 5: Bring to Camp
Pick up your blister pack and have it with you in the car on check-in day. Our healthcare team will collect your camper’s blister-packed medications during check-in.
Woody’s Pharmacy
Use our partner pharmacy – Woody’s Pharmacy in Dahlonega, GA – and have your blister packs delivered to Glisson.
HOW TO
Step 1: Plan ahead
Please follow the steps below at least 3 weeks prior to your camper’s session:
Step 2: Call Woody’s
Call Woody’s Pharmacy at (706) 867-3784 to set up an account for your camper. They will collect all pertinent information over the phone including insurance and billing.
Step 3: Provide Med & Camp Info
If your camper takes any over-the-counter medication and/or supplements on a daily/scheduled basis, be sure to provide this info to Woody’s for inclusion in your blister pack order. These items will be supplied at a low cost according to their inventory. Please be sure to specify your camp session as well (ex. “Village Week 3, June 9-14”).
Step 4: Call Doctor
Call your camper’s doctor and ask that they call in one week’s supply of all prescribed pill/chewable medications to:
Woody’s Pharmacy
706-867-3784
406 East Main Street
Dahlonega, GA
Step 5: Delivered To Camp
Your camper’s blister-packed medications will be picked up by Glisson staff prior to your arrival. All other PRN, liquids, creams, etc. should be turned in to our healthcare team during check-in in its original packaging.
FAQ
Medications
If after reading the information provided on this page you have any questions about our medication administration system prior to your camper’s session, please contact us at: summer@glisson.com or 706-864-6181.
Any as-needed (PRN) medications that are not taken regularly should NOT be blister-packed. Please provide these medications to our healthcare team in their original packaging during check-in. Note that our healthcare center is stocked with basic as-needed medications that can be provided to campers as-needed (see list below). Also note that no medications, vitamins, or supplements are to be kept in luggage or with the camper with the exception of epipens and rescue inhalers, which must be cleared by our Healthcare Team and checked in with the counselor at drop-off.
Below is a list of over-the-counter medications our Health Center keeps stocked and can provide as-needed.
- Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Antihistamine/allergy medicine (Claritin/Allegra/Zyrtec)
- Diphenhydramine antihistamine/allergy medicine (Benadryl)
- Pseudoephedrine decongestant (Sudafed)
- Guaifenesin cough syrup (Robitussin)
- Dextromethorphan cough syrup (Robitussin DM)
- Sore throat spray
- Laxatives for constipation (Milk of Magnesia)
- Anti-diarrheal (Imodium)
- Pepto-Bismol
- Antacids (Tums)
- Lice shampoo or cream (Nix or Elimite)
- Calamine lotion
- Itch relief swabs
- Antihistamine ointment
- Antifungal ointment
- Antibiotic Ointment
- Analgesic Ointment
Liquid medications, drops, creams, powders, inhaled/injected medications cannot be blister-packed and must be turned in to the healthcare team in original packaging during check-in.
Some medications (e.g. ADHD, birth control) already come packaged in a blister pack. These medications do not need to be re-packed into new blister packs.
As soon as you get your prescription, call to see if your chosen pharmacy can complete a blister pack in time. If not, please bring the new medication to check-in in its original container.
Per state laws/protocols, our healthcare team is only allowed to administer what is prescribed to your camper from their doctor’s prescription. Checking the correct dosage before administering any medication is a standard safety practice. Please do not request a higher or lower dosage than what is prescribed/labeled.
If your camper needs scheduled/daily over-the-counter medications not provided by your pharmacy while they are at camp, please discuss options with your pharmacist/pediatrician as these must be included in the blister packs. Legally, we cannot administer medications that have not been prescribed by a doctor, are not FDA approved, and/or have not been packaged by a pharmacist. If your camper can go without it for their time at camp, leave these medications at home.
Have More Questions?
If after reading the information provided on this page you have any questions about our medication administration system prior to your camper’s session, please contact us or call 706-864-6181.