Need Advice Plz Help!

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Hello fellow school nurses,

Just joined all nurses a few minutes ago and I heard that you guys give good advice. Well I need it! This is my 2nd year as a school nurse. In my district, there is 5 different schools 4 elementary schools K-8 and a high school. Last year I worked at one of the elementary schools and now I'm at one of the other elementary schools. So from the first day, I have been having issues with the Office Supervisor/secretary. She has been going over my head against my judgement. Example: First grader came in not feeling well. They didn't send her to me they, meaning her and the Assistant Principle, took it upon themselves and called her dad which is a teacher here at the school. So they had the child to come in the clinic, in which I'm sitting right at the door where you come in at, to lay down. Still no one said anything to me. So the child laid down and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out. I took it upon myself and took her temperature and her temperature was 102.5...I'm like wow. So I politely said to both the Assistant Principle and Secretary if any child comes in sick could they plz send them to me because that's what I'm here for. The secretary said oh we just not use to having a nurse...okay...Another incident happen today I sent a student home last Friday not feeling well. Student back today which is Tuesday not feeling well states he has strep. Spoke to mom she states I told the SECRETARY Friday because he gave it to his brother and her. Nobody thought to let the nurse know so i can send out exposure notices. Spoke with the SECRETARY she said yeah she told me but I don't think Strep is a big deal and the only way you can get strep if you share utensils. But really....Have any of you school nurses have problems with the secretary or staff. I want to send a email about how important it is to report illness and etc..any advise is greatly appreciated sorry for the long rant!!

Exposure notices for strep throat? We do not do that.

I have K-3 grades and we send home for one episode of vomiting. (unless has a cough/cold and it's due to gagging.) But my kiddos are younger with poor handwashing skills.

I'm glad you are communicating to let them know your place in the school. I fought with my front office staff the first year I was here, but the second and now third years have been smooth sailing for the most part.

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Don't worry you're not the only one.

I'm currently having some issues with my secretary, she tends to like to do my job sometimes and fix my room for me, because it's not up to par to her standards.

I already reported her to the principal that while I understand she can help me when I'm at a lunch, my decision is my decision.

I had a student who threw up, no fever or anything. Didn't throw up in my office for 15 mins, informed father. Father said she can stay in class, if anything changed, I would let him know. The kid went back to class.

The secretaries were freaking out and asking me why I sent her back and I explained because she's fine. Our handbook says that the throwing up has to be illness-related to be considered them going to home. The child only threw up once and was fine after that. They called the dad and told him to come get her, without my knowledge. I got a call from him asking me if I called him, I said no. I told him she's fine if she hasn't complained the whole day.

I was livid and I told my principal on this that I'm tired about how the teachers talk about me in school if there's something they're not happy about, instead of being open with communication and that the secretary is trying to do my job and go over my decisions.

The only thing to do is talk to the principal about this and try to talk to them civilly to see if there's a way you guys can work something out.

Thanks for the advice! I tried talking to them but it seems to me as if the secretary runs the school. They are all good friends and the principal and assistant principle does everything she's says. My hands are tied behind my back. I just say what I have to say and keep it moving

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Exposure notices for strep throat? We do not do that.

I have K-3 grades and we send home for one episode of vomiting. (unless has a cough/cold and it's due to gagging.) But my kiddos are younger with poor handwashing skills.

I'm glad you are communicating to let them know your place in the school. I fought with my front office staff the first year I was here, but the second and now third years have been smooth sailing for the most part.

Last year at the other elementary school in this same district, it was smooth sailing there and the whole staff valued me. The Principal was on top of things, but this school I'm at now, is a whole new ball game. But, I'm not gone be a push over!!

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Exposure notices for strep throat? We do not do that.

Wow your school don't send out exposure notices? We have a whole list of illness/diseases that I send out to the class if any student in that class has any of the illness

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i don't send out exposure notices for strep either, unless there seems to be an outbreak.

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Specializes in School nursing.
i don't send out exposure notices for strep either, unless there seems to be an outbreak.

Me either. Strep happens and some students are more prone to it then others.

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I guess the reason behind why my school sends out exposure notices is because we have had some parents come in furious because they found out that a student in the class had one of the illness and was asking why they didn't get a notice about it

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Specializes in School nursing.
I guess the reason behind why my school sends out exposure notices is because we have had some parents come in furious because they found out that a student in the class had one of the illness and was asking why they didn't get a notice about it

A rule of thumb for me has to do with whether or not an illness is reportable to my local health department. Only Invasive Group A streptococci is (and it is rare).

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I tell anybody that asks "Is there something going around?" that yes, every day in an elementary school of 700, there are kids with fever, kids vomiting, kids with diarrhea, kids with strep, pinkeye, head lice, and on and on...When you have that many littles under one roof it's common sense they are gonna swap germs. If you need that written on a piece of paper for you to understand that...here's your sign!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I guess the reason behind why my school sends out exposure notices is because we have had some parents come in furious because they found out that a student in the class had one of the illness and was asking why they didn't get a notice about it

So what are they going to do if they get a notice? Ask the doctor to prescribe antibiotics because their kid might catch something? Keep their kid home until they get a note that your school is disease free? Even if their kid gets sick and they take him/her in is the doctor going to say..."Oh, I don't even have to do an examination since you have this notification. I'll treat for that."

Know what I mean? Geez, it's a school...a giant petri dish for boosting the immune system for all who enter.

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Know what I mean? Geez, it's a school...a giant petri dish for boosting the immune system for all who enter.

Welcome to OldDude elementary, a giant petri dish for boosting the immune system for all who enter! That's a great slogan for your new charter school. Between that and the OldDude Institute for Lice reseach, you otta be set for life!

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So what are they going to do if they get a notice? Ask the doctor to prescribe antibiotics because their kid might catch something? Keep their kid home until they get a note that your school is disease free? Even if their kid gets sick and they take him/her in is the doctor going to say..."Oh, I don't even have to do an examination since you have this notification. I'll treat for that."

Know what I mean? Geez, it's a school...a giant petri dish for boosting the immune system for all who enter.

My thoughts exactly! Geez!!!

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