pdn in school

Hi there! I took care of a disabled ventilator dependent child for over 2 years. I was with her in the evenings at home and was employed by an agency. She went to school, and another nurse was with her at school. However, the nurse who was with her at school was employed by the school district. So, I can't really answer some of your specific questions about you being at school but through an agency and liability/emergency issues.

This child I cared for was also on a LTV 950 vent as well. So, yes kids do go to school with ventilators. All her school equipment was carefully cleaned every night at home for infection control purposes.

You should be able to take a lunch break BUT you will have to remain nearby so that if the vent alarms or the child needs suctioning you can go do it. I think this is just how it is with cases like these...Even in the home. I'd go down the hallway for my breaks. Sometimes I'd get an un-interupted break where the child's vent never alarmed. Other times I'd spend half my so-called break running back and forth because the child needed suctioning 3 times.

Regarding how you referred to the child as "vegetable like". I can understand that you were just tying to describe the child's neurological/mental status the best you could. But I can also see how it could sound offensive as well. I think the term "vegetable" is a rather old-fashioned and out-dated term for this. Perhaps it would be better to describe the child as in a "comatose" state? Or maybe "neurologically devastated"? Did the posters who criticized you give you any other suggestions on how to describe her state?

Generally speaking though, people need to chill out sometimes. For example, the terms "disabled" vs "handicapped". The parents of the child I took care of always used the term handicapped. "I have a handicapped child." "My child is in the class for handicapped kids at school." Etc. They did not find it offensive in any way! Well, I posted on allnurses and said that I cared for a handicapped child and my HEAD WAS RIPPED OFF for being so terribly insensitive and using the degrading term of handicapped. Well, I was only using that term because that was the term I was used to hearing! I also live in the southeast USA, which is definitely NOT a "politically correct" area of the USA compared to say NY or California. So, I think down here at least, people are not so sensitive about terminology....

Anyways...good luck!!