Is a licensed nurse required to observe a student programming the pump?
The interpretation of state laws will determine who can provide this service. At this time, in California, this practice is restricted to a licensed nurse since it is a complex technical task and requires expanded skill and knowledge. PEDS is attempting to form a task force to further look at the pump issues. Anyone verifying that a task was done correctly should have complete knowledge regarding the specific task along with all the ramifications of that task. An alternative suggestion could be that the student would program the pump via directions over the phone with parent (technical staff at pump companies often walk through troubleshooting steps of programming with customers via phone). The parent would know how to verify what the student is doing over the phone thereby not having to rely on school staff that has limited knowledge regarding the pump. Of course this student would have to be at an age where this is appropriate. The students health and safety is the prime concern.
