Non potty trained students.

Specialties School

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It seems that each year we are getting more and more students that are not fully potty trained. We have several this year that will be starting kindergarten in pull ups. These are not special needs kiddos, just haven't been fully trained. Is this an issue in anyone else's school? Is the nurse the one responsible for their care?

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

I don't think it is the nurse's responsibility to perform "potty patrol". Contacting the families concerning what might be a medical problem would be a different story though. Find out if the school personnel want you to do follow up with families on dealing with this problem, or if they are trying to make you into the bathroom attendant.

MHDNURSE

701 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

WOW!!! I'd be miffed, to say the least. I feel like most preschools require kids to be potty trained before entering a specific age classroom. I can't believe there are kindergarteners who do not have SN that still are not fully trained- definitely NOT your or the teacher's responsibility IMHO.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN

2,776 Posts

Specializes in school nurse.

Special Snowflakes = Special do-do's

You should feel honored...

zombieghoast

410 Posts

Not the responsibility of the nurse. Contact both principal and social worker. These children have to be potty changed if they aren't special needs.

OldDude

1 Article; 4,787 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I call parents to come to school and change them.

Windchaser22

408 Posts

Specializes in School nurse.

Our PK aides receive a $1/hr differential for diaper duty. If it is a K student, they are required to be trained unless special needs (these kids would then have an aide). I call home for alteration in elimination.

Specializes in Burn ICU.

During my community clinical rotation in school, I was at an elementary school and was so surprised at the number of FIFTH GRADERS who would wet their pants because they didn't feel like raising their hands to go to the restroom... And the parents would coddle them and say it was okay and brought them clothes or asked us to provide clothes for them to change into.. There was an ENTIRE filing cabinet the size of a wardrobe filled with clothes and underwear for students of all sizes because of this issue. I am so surprised at how often this is an issue.

Julius Seizure

1 Article; 2,282 Posts

Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
During my community clinical rotation in school, I was at an elementary school and was so surprised at the number of FIFTH GRADERS who would wet their pants because they didn't feel like raising their hands to go to the restroom... And the parents would coddle them and say it was okay and brought them clothes or asked us to provide clothes for them to change into.. There was an ENTIRE filing cabinet the size of a wardrobe filled with clothes and underwear for students of all sizes because of this issue. I am so surprised at how often this is an issue.

Because they didn't feel like it? Or were they afraid the teacher would be mad at them for interrupting or something? Or because they wouldn't finish their test in time if they left? Afraid to be in the hallway alone? That's crazy if it was just laziness - aren't they worried about what their peers think?

peacockblue

293 Posts

Because they didn't feel like it? Or were they afraid the teacher would be mad at them for interrupting or something? Or because they wouldn't finish their test in time if they left? Afraid to be in the hallway alone? That's crazy if it was just laziness - aren't they worried about what their peers think?

Truly many of them don't seem like they care. I have been doing this gig for quite a few years and we get more each year that just come down and demand clean clothes then complain when we don't have styles they like. I wish it were a classroom management thing or an emotional thing we could pin down. Then it would be something we could begin to understand and work on to help the student. I'm at a loss. If one of you figure it out, let me know.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I am dumbfounded by this discussion.

I despaired when my (now adult) son turned three without being fully trained and thought there was something wrong with him! Or me!

(Turns out- he just didn't want to be interrupted in his play.)

brownbook

3,413 Posts

I agree with every bodies response. But my now 12 year old grandson...well he had frequent accidents during the day and night from age 3 - 5. His mom insisted to his pediatrician that something was wrong. His pediatrician (and I) thought he would grow out of it. (Needed a good whipping, ha ha.or wear his dirty underpants over his head. Just joking).

Finally he got referred to a Urology Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. He has had a few scans, MRI's, other tests, but no special physical problem was found. But the NP just says this is something kids have...maybe something about the nervous system not developing fully. So he has been on miralax, then lactulose, for 3 - 4 years. (There is a big relationship between constipation, full of poop, and not being able to hold your urine.) Oxybutin, even finally got DDAVP. He hasn't had an accident during the day or wet his bed for several years but remains on this regimen.

He never seemed to care if he was wet at school???????? (Drove me crazy.) His mom puts a change of clothes in his backpack, honestly I don't know if he has ever used them or just comes home wet!

I blame all the antibiotics newborns, kids, are still getting! He had a difficult birth (nothing to dramatic or traumatic) and was on antibiotics in the NICU. His pediatrician seems to jump right to antibiotics for fevers/colds, etc. This is a purely anecdotal bias on my part!

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