Can I vent please??!

Specialties School

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Specializes in Sub-Acute, School Nursing, Dialysis.

Hello School Nurses!!

I've been back from maternity leave since the beginning of January after break. I've been quiet around here but have been reading. But today I need to vent!!

I'm losing my mind over the teachers sending in students for issues that aren't even nursing related. And most of the teachers know that I have to pump at work. I don't get breaks, so I have to squeeze it in twice a day. I usually am able to do it without any issues but today was tough. I also was trying to send in the immunization report which is due tomorrow.

If I get one more student in here because their zipper is stuck, because dog poop is on their shoes, they have an eyelash in their eye, they have an old scab from a thousand years ago that needs a band aid right this second or simply because a student is acting up and the teacher has no patience so they send them to me!

I usually don't mind and am very lenient. And I have no problem at all of course to stop pumping if there is an emergency, someone is bleeding, etc. But come on here! Teachers get their lunch break, prep break, etc. I get zero and must be in my office at all times. Today just sucked. It wasn't over the top difficult and I feel silly complaining because my worst day here is still a thousand times better than at my previous job. I just need to vent. Tomorrow is a new day.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

You can vent here anytime ya wanna! Go home and kiss all those kids on the forehead, shake the etch-o-sketch, and try it again tomorrow!!

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Specializes in School nurse.

I hear you. Geez what's in the water? I just shoveled my angst out clearing the driveway. Hang in there!! Maybe I should put some Baileys in my hot cocoa...yea that sounds good. Hang in there!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

You're definitely not alone. I get and take my lunch. I mean there are times that i have to leave that to tend to something that can't wait, but for the most part, that stays pretty much intact, but I do remind the teachers that I don't get preps to focus on paperwork and charting and data entry. When the teachers make a face at me like "What could you possibly have to do if there isn't a kid in you room?" i will tell them. State reports, immunization charting, physical charting, hearing and vision catch ups.... i don't have to spell it out to you guys

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Specializes in School Nurse.
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Specializes in Sub-Acute, School Nursing, Dialysis.

Seriously, thank you guys!!!! So glad we all have this message board!! Today was slightly better. We had an early dismissal and I attended my daughter's preschool to talk about being a school nurse for community helpers week. So fun to have the kids play with stethoscopes and such! Hoping tomorrow I can finally catch up on all the paper work and finish those darn screenings!!

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.

Ugh, the dog poop on the shoes...that one kills me. I usually say to the kids "I'm the nurse and that is not a nursing issue. Here's some paper towels."

I mean, it's usually met with a blank stare but I said my piece, right?

I get a lot of "I spilled milk/water/soup/juice on myself, can you clean me off?". Irritates me because for real, if they were home and spilled milk on their jeans, what do you think they would do?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I get a lot of "I spilled milk/water/soup/juice on myself, can you clean me off?". Irritates me because for real, if they were home and spilled milk on their jeans, what do you think they would do?

I plug the blow dryer in for them and tell them to go for it.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Ugh, the dog poop on the shoes...that one kills me. I usually say to the kids "I'm the nurse and that is not a nursing issue. Here's some paper towels."

I mean, it's usually met with a blank stare but I said my piece, right?

I get a lot of "I spilled milk/water/soup/juice on myself, can you clean me off?". Irritates me because for real, if they were home and spilled milk on their jeans, what do you think they would do?

Their parents would do it. I ask the child what they would do at home, most respond that they would do nothing. Nursing is it's own worst enemy. We learned in acute care settings that we are to be available all the time, and let's be honest, we embraced it because it made us feel like superheroes. Now in a school setting, we also try to be invincible and available so we still have that importance, not to mention teachers want to be able to send students at any time and reduce the disruption of class. Lunch was always a grab a bite when you can deal, but this year we actually have whole school lunch at the same time. I can have 30 minutes without interruption, because no matter how sick, they aren't giving up their lunch.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

I feel like we are only aiding in the next generations sense of entitlement (I think I did a thread on that).

Kid says their head hurts-immediately go to the nurse.

Bellyache- nurse.

Arm hurts (without injury)-nurse. They aren't taught to work through things on their own, they want someone else to fix it. And likely there isn't even a problem to be fixed.

I want to have a little in-service with each class and say "Kiddos, if you have a bellyache, stop and think, 'Do I need to go poop? Am I hungry?' Try to work through these things before you jump to the nurse." One of our middle schools has no nurse currently so they are in for a rude awakening.

I also want to tell teachers, "If this kid has been playing and jumping and carrying on with no problem and all of a sudden says they are dying, tell them to straighten up and carry on with their work!"

I understand teachers are so afraid of parents going to higher ups because their precious snowflake didn't get to go see the nurse for something that happened two weeks ago, but c'mon now! (wrong place?)

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

OMG, I can't stand the dog poop thing! I don't mind dealing with poop, BUT I don't have a dog so I don't deal with dog poop, and it makes me gag every time! I have them take their shoes off, I put them in a plastic grocery bag, and call the parents to bring them a new clean pair of shoes, and give the parents the dog poop ones to take home and clean. NOT MY JOB!

I use a blow dryer as well for spills on clothes.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I talk with my co-worker who is a counselor. She brings a new light to me when I complain. She explained it to me...

If you were the teacher and had an annoying kid distrupting the class, wouldn't you want them out asap. I get it. I do my due diligence, Check temp, ask questions, maybe let them rest a bit. Is it annoying to me, YES, but maybe it's better to have them sit with me for 5 minutes so the teacher can calm down or whatever. Also 9/10 times the kids will be sent up from another teacher, and I can happily say, "Ive already assessed them, go back to class".

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