Oh please, just let me vent!!!

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OK, teachers. I would like to clarify a few things for you.

#1. I cannot cure hiccups. Why are you sending the student to me? Ditto for a cut that happened a week ago at home, a sunburn from a we

ekend at the beach, or numerous other minor complaints. I know you don't want hear whining, but neither do I. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO!

#2. I cannot make the children germ-proof, so you won't get sick. Don't work in an elementary school if you're concerned about getting sick. You're in the wrong place. I'm sorry, but it is a hazard of our job!

#3. See #2

#4. I do not sit around on my butt eating bonbons all day. I know you're tired of them. I'm tired too. Everyone is tired and grouchy and school needs to end. All of our jobs are hard. But please don't send them down to me for every-little-bitty-thing. You have 20 kids. I have 60 kids/day. Really.

#5. See #2

#6. No, I can't tell the parents to keep the kids home if they don't have a temperature. If the parent feels the child is fine and they don't have any symptoms, they need to be in school. We get in trouble for that. It's called denying the child their education.

#7. Yes, I know the majority of parents think we are baby-sitters. I cannot change that. I cannot tell parents how to raise their child, or teach them common sense on when to keep them home. Some will never get it, and some don't want to get it. See #2.

#8. I'm thrilled that you're pregnant. But I still can't germ proof the kids - all 900 of them. Kids have germs, and you mostly likely will end up getting sick at some point. See #2 and #6. Just try and wash your hands a lot, and don't let little ones get too close.

#9. Loose teeth hurt. Yes, they do. I cannot pull the tooth our nor make it better. Ice won't help it. I can give TLC, but so can you!

#10. Yes, children can vomit quite easily. Especially after lunch. Sometimes on command to get out of class - really! Please try and trust my judgment, OK? I'm following the school policy; you may not agree with it but I have to abide by it.

#11. I'm not just here to rubber stamp someone you want sent home!

#12. All of the above doesn't apply to the little kids - pre-K and K. If they don't feel good, I automatically call Mom to come pick them up. I'm not heartless. Really..

Thank you for listening! I feel better now...........(sigh)

11 days and counting.............

mc3:nurse:

Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.

Vent away!! I am absolutely feeling the "end of the school year mania". I need summer to come ASAP...

I'd also like to add to the list: If a child is passing gas and stinking up your classroom, there isn't much I can do. I'll ask if they'd like to use my bathroom, but otherwise, it's just biology! Imagine a third grade boy coming into my office with a huge grin on his face, saying: "I can't stop farting!". And, yes, the teacher actually sent him to me to "cure". I asked her if she happened to have a cork. ;)

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

LisaLPN7, you made me laugh out loud. Soooo true!! I know I would have quit school nursing a long time ago if I were assigned to middle school or high school; 4th graders are starting to "push it!"

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

One more one more! There is no school board policy prohibiting body odor; it's not against school policy for a child to stink.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

OldDude, you are cracking me up today!!

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I had a student sent to me last week with a note saying "I believe ****** smells awful, but I am congested and can't tell."

WHAT? If you are congested and can't tell then what is the problem?? The student (a 2nd grader) had the typical mom or dad is a smoker smell, something that is pretty common in this backwoods community I serve. It didn't strike me as overwhelming, and I'm pregnant so my sense of smell equals that of a bloodhound. I discussed with the principal, then had her wash up her hands and face and sent her on her way.

Just yesterday the same student came to me with a note reading "I believe ****** needs to wash." Oh brother. No odor this time. None at all. She appeared to have some dried milk from breakfast around her mouth. I guess the RN after my name makes me more qualified to wipe a child's face with a wet paper towel, right??

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One more...."I don't send a note telling you to work on math with this kid - you don't send me a note telling me to give the kid an ice-pack."

YES!!!!

Mc3

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Amen!!!!

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I work in a HS clinic and see the same things...except I have teenagers who decide they need to see the nurse for every paper cut, menstrual cramp, stubbed toe. The kids who have a stomach ache every other week get picked up by their parents in a jiffy, the kid with the 102 degree temp sits here for 2 hours waiting (and half the time I have to fight the parents to get them!) Then, the teachers...oh my, the teachers. Kid got gum on his pants...see the nurse. Kid has their head down...see the nurse. Kid is coughing ...they are disrupting the class...see the nurse.

I am leaving the end of this year due to my husband being transferred. About the only thing I will miss is all the time off.

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This is the story, of my life! I've been a school nurse for 12 years. I love what I do, I can relate to everything that you said. I work at a middle school, and the 6th graders for some reason seem to think ice cures ALL. They have a hard time transitioning from elementary to middle but by Dec. they are great. The kids ask for ice packs for everything ("I hit my finger Friday after school at home"...it is now Tuesday and they are asking for ice) Or My mom said for you to call her and tell her what this rash is or I ripped my pants/ spilled milk on my pants... The list is endless. I do think the adults are worse than the kids. The teacher will send a child to me at 8:00 and say that the student isn't feeling well and she needs to go home. Well school doesn't take in until 8:15, the kid just got off the bus. I often find myself telling the teacher...If their parent sent them to school and they aren't running a fever then the kid should at least try to make it a little longer than 5 mins. I find myself telling them to let me run the clinic and you run your classroom of course you have to say this in a nice way but you still want to get your point across.

Having said that we have ONE more day to go and then it will be all over with until August! :)

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Don't you all get a week off every few months and the entire summer off? Seems fair compensation for dealing with a few pesky people.

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Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.
Don't you all get a week off every few months and the entire summer off? Seems fair compensation for dealing with a few pesky people.

To paraphrase the title...Please, let us vent! ;)

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Don't you all get a week off every few months and the entire summer off? Seems fair compensation for dealing with a few pesky people.

First of all, it's more than just "a few pesky people". It's people who swear at you, physically threaten you, scream at you, call you a liar to your face and more, all the while you are taking care of their kid that's puking.

Second, my title was "Please let me vent!" That's why I said that. I don't really need any snarky comments, please, nor do I appreciate them.

:no: mc3

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