dumb staff

SassyTachyRN · May 18, 2017

Yep! This sub had some sort of eye cancer and walked in with chemo eye drops. I recognized the yellow label on the bag right away and was like, uh uh! Not gonna happen. He asked why? I said because nurses must receive special training to handle chemo and we are not equipped to handle spills or disposal of those types of drugs in the school setting. He argued with me saying his daughter gives it to him at home and they didn't have special training in the hospital. I countered with the fact that, as a nurse, I know better than to administer chemo without being properly trained. Even in the hospital, on the very rare occasions that a baby in the NICU needed a chemo drug, we called a trained nurse from the Heme/Onc floor to come administer it. I absolutely refuse to back down on this! Luckily my principal backed me up. One of the office admins ended up giving it! I was really uncomfortable with the whole thing and she was too so she told him she wouldn't do it again.

As a former hem/onc RN I def would never do this either! Def need to be chemo cert and have the proper PPE to give any chemo, even if it's just gtts! Need a gown and double gloves, etc. Can't believe he expected that people at school would give this!

NutmeggeRN, BSN · May 18, 2017

I got to piss off a sub a few months ago by telling him no, I cannot administer your chemo at work. Seriously. He was irate but my principal backed me up and said, "She knows the rules. She sets the rules." :) I'm gonna miss her when I transfer districts.

Seriously, THAT is a real #whatthefocalin??!!!

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · May 18, 2017

Yup! I don't have the benefit of union protection. Most days I am ok with having lunch at my desk, some days it irks the bejezubs out of me.

Yep.

I have staff ask me for acetaminophen or ibuprofen. I set out my ibuprofen or acetaminophen large bottle, give them a med cup and tell them to take as needed into the cup. It's on them, not me, since they are adults. If they ask about dosing, I will tell them what the typical OTC dosing is. I have no problem treating a staff for on site injury/medical emergency. And I've had pregnant teachers who need weekly BP checks ask me if I will be willing to do them. I'm willing, just ask.

But chemo - hell no.

KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN · May 18, 2017

Yep! This sub had some sort of eye cancer and walked in with chemo eye drops. I recognized the yellow label on the bag right away and was like, uh uh! Not gonna happen. He asked why? I said because nurses must receive special training to handle chemo and we are not equipped to handle spills or disposal of those types of drugs in the school setting. He argued with me saying his daughter gives it to him at home and they didn't have special training in the hospital. I countered with the fact that, as a nurse, I know better than to administer chemo without being properly trained. Even in the hospital, on the very rare occasions that a baby in the NICU needed a chemo drug, we called a trained nurse from the Heme/Onc floor to come administer it. I absolutely refuse to back down on this! Luckily my principal backed me up. One of the office admins ended up giving it! I was really uncomfortable with the whole thing and she was too so she told him she wouldn't do it again.

Agreed!! No way would I do it either. Good grief! Plus....as an adult himself...why couldn't HE administer the drops HIMSELF? I don't see why he needed to get another person involved in this...

kidzcare · May 18, 2017

Agreed!! No way would I do it either. Good grief! Plus....as an adult himself...why couldn't HE administer the drops HIMSELF? I don't see why he needed to get another person involved in this...

Right??

magigal · May 20, 2017

Oooh. Here's my thing. Fifth grade girl is brought to my office due to being punched repeatedly fully in the nose by a strong fifth grade boy. Bleeding profusely from the nose in to her mouth. The AP keeps me away from her since ...well..i dunno. Soon the AP comes and tells me she needs to pinch her nose to keep it from bleeding since that's what you do for nose bleeds. I look at her like she has three heads, tell her in my best slow country voice, "Nooo, thaaat's not the right thing to do here..., she needs ice, and we need to assess for damage, just apply ice, now, and we can go from there." (didn't go there at that time bout the nose pinch thing.) AP in shrill panic stricken voice: "Aren't we supposed to pinch noses when there's a nose bleed?" Me: (In slow country voice) Weelll nooo. Buut certainly not now. Three's trauma there, we can't tell what, you don't want to squeeze on that. Puut ice on it and we'll get the riiight help She neeeeeds to be seeen by a doctor. Iiiif the mom's comin to pick her up, I recommend she take her to be evaluated for possible fracture or need for other treatment. Oootherwise, she needs to stay here until mom comes to monitor for complications...Incidentally, when mom came, report was given, recommendations were given, and everything else was referred to admin.

Is this dumb AP, or exhausting end of year complaint? (PS like all ofyou, I have soooo many more crazy stories from the last few days....)

Ben_Dover · May 22, 2017

Im sorry, but I had a really dumb lady in my office yesterday. She showed up in my office about 10 minutes before she was scheduled to do lunch duty. Ive never met her before, but she asked me if I could "clear" her to work because she thought she had pink eye. First, your an adult, so you are the only one who needs to CLEAR" anything. Second I told her I am sorry but I cannot diagnose you. I have a poster in my office with an nurse on-call 24/7 number I referred her to. Well here's where things get STUPID! She calls the number I gave, and it's not an advice Nurse, it's for worker comp. (Oops)! So right then and there she should of said Nevermind sorry and HUNG UP! Guess what she did? Yes, she freaking tried to make a worker comp claim for PINK EYE!!! OMG! So I get a call from HR asking why I gave her that number. Okay so this might be like 5% my fault, but seriously use your common sense people.

Dumb is a strong word for an enabled working person.... pretty strong isn't it?

The way I see it is, perhaps they lack better information or knowledge and you as an LVN, who, is smarter could have provided that.

That 5% admission that you were at fault which equates to your common sense when you could have provided her a much more clearer information.

As you wrote:

"Second I told her I am sorry but I cannot diagnose you. I have a poster in my office with an nurse on-call 24/7 number I referred her to. Well here's where things get STUPID! She calls the number I gave, and it's not an advice Nurse, it's for worker comp. (Oops)! So right then and there she should of said Nevermind sorry and HUNG UP! Guess what she did? Yes, she freaking tried to make a worker comp claim for PINK EYE!!!"

Clearly, this so-called "dumb" was asking for your assistance. She clearly did not know what to do and based on your story and you as an LVN, is apparent, that you did not provide enough assistance. You knew she was "dumb" but why can't you that better person?! :banghead:

Now I wonder where this "dumb lady" works or what her title is or her occupation. :down:

tch1920, BSN, RN · May 26, 2017

I have a teacher who likes to tell me about her health. Yesterday she said " My chest hurts which is why the rest of my body feels weird. I am just letting you know in case anything happens to me later, you'll know why".

I get this at least once a week. Geesh....

SaltineQueen · May 26, 2017

Yep! This sub had some sort of eye cancer and walked in with chemo eye drops. I recognized the yellow label on the bag right away and was like, uh uh! Not gonna happen. He asked why? I said because nurses must receive special training to handle chemo and we are not equipped to handle spills or disposal of those types of drugs in the school setting. He argued with me saying his daughter gives it to him at home and they didn't have special training in the hospital. I countered with the fact that, as a nurse, I know better than to administer chemo without being properly trained. Even in the hospital, on the very rare occasions that a baby in the NICU needed a chemo drug, we called a trained nurse from the Heme/Onc floor to come administer it. I absolutely refuse to back down on this! Luckily my principal backed me up. One of the office admins ended up giving it! I was really uncomfortable with the whole thing and she was too so she told him she wouldn't do it again.

Dumb question...any maybe it's already been asked later in the thread... Why couldn't he give himself his own eye drops?

KKEGS, MSN, RN · May 26, 2017

Dumb question...any maybe it's already been asked later in the thread... Why couldn't he give himself his own eye drops?

I'm not really sure. He is quite elderly and a little shaky. I don't want to be ageist but I'm a little concerned that he is still working. He doesn't seem well. :'( Which obviously he isn't. He has eye cancer.

I've seen people unable to give themselves eye drops because they keep automatically closing their eyes or it freaks them out to do it themselves. Almost maybe like a needle phobia where people would prefer someone else to do the shot rather than doing it themselves? My mom used to give my grandmother her allergy shots and I gave my husband blood thinners into his stomach several years ago. I wasn't even a nurse yet but he preferred me to do it rather than poking himself.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · May 26, 2017

I'm not really sure. He is quite elderly and a little shaky. I don't want to be ageist but I'm a little concerned that he is still working. He doesn't seem well. :'( Which obviously he isn't. He has eye cancer.

So, I guess, in my mind, it begs the question... Should be responsible for students if he cannot see???

and I'm curious as to how he gets there...I am hoping not driving??

KKEGS, MSN, RN · May 26, 2017

So, I guess, in my mind, it begs the question... Should be responsible for students if he cannot see???
and I'm curious as to how he gets there...I am hoping not driving??

Yeah that was our principal's take on it too. She thought maybe he shouldn't be on the sub list at this time. Not sure how it all shook out in the end. I haven't seen him lately. I hope he's okay!