Old Dude or other Tx nurses...is it true?

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I saw an article that a new law went into effect September 1st that you are now required to notify parents of classmates when a student is found to have lice.

Really?

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I would be very upset if there was an outbreak of a contagious condition in the classroom and I as another parent, was not notified.

When my child has something living on their body I expect to be notified of it. Whatever the CDC believes is of no concern to me as a parent. A lice infestation in my home is not something I want to have to deal with.

I'm sure you understand your child will be exposed to all types of contagious illnesses at school. Likewise you monitor them for illness. Head lice are present in every elementary school across the world, regardless of what propaganda is published. Likewise, it is your responsibility to monitor them for head lice; if you're concerned about it. Some people are not concerned about it. CDC, AAP, and every legitimate medical organization says head lice don't carry disease. It's not a health issue and certainly not a school health issue. The concern is hysteria driven and I'm sure a hysterical reaction was the genesis of this new Texas notification law.

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Specializes in NCSN.

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I just received a box from NIX (the previous nurse was on their mailing list) and it was covered with this cartoon lice guy that just makes me laugh.

I ended up throwing away most of their promotional items that talked about "the new super lice that normal treatments won't kill". But saved the coupons to go home with students who need it in the future.

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Larry Phillips is a representative from Sherman, voted in 2011 as one of the worst representatives in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine, authored this ridiculous bill. I think Texas Monthly should give it to him once more.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Our new policy, which came from something driven by something - i don't think it was the state, but I do suspect it was a bunch on over paid lawyers wants me to send out a letter if I find the lice on a student in school, but not if the lice are reported to have been treated at home. I have had a lot of parents call me because they found and treated over the weekend and them insisted that I send out a memo to the rest of the school. Discussed with the boss about if the price of creating mass hysteria is worth is, especially when these calls are not coming in a cluster or from a group of parents with children in common. We agreed that it would be best to not send anything out if we didn't find it.

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... I have had a lot of parents call me because they found and treated over the weekend and them insisted that I send out a memo to the rest of the school. Discussed with the boss about if the price of creating mass hysteria is worth is, especially when these calls are not coming in a cluster or from a group of parents with children in common. We agreed that it would be best to not send anything out if we didn't find it.

I'm in Texas and we were just talking about this exact situation at a staff meeting. The way our new law is (poorly) worded says that we have to notify if we become "aware" so I guess if I have a reliable parent notifying me they saw them and treated, I'll send out letters to avoid the Texas Rangers coming after me :/

Thus far my school doesn't seem to have hysteria when I send out letters but I did have to tell more than one teacher that I wouldn't check the entire class.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I'm in Texas and we were just talking about this exact situation at a staff meeting. The way our new law is (poorly) worded says that we have to notify if we become "aware" so I guess if I have a reliable parent notifying me they saw them and treated, I'll send out letters to avoid the Texas Rangers coming after me :/

Thus far my school doesn't seem to have hysteria when I send out letters but I did have to tell more than one teacher that I wouldn't check the entire class.

the other part of the "aware" sentence is "of the fact." I think that is the key - "fact" as in reality, truth, actuality. I'm hoping for a clarification of this poorly worded law.

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the other part of the "aware" sentence is "of the fact." I think that is the key - "fact" as in reality, truth, actuality. I'm hoping for a clarification of this poorly worded law.

Yes, we had lively discussion on this as the wording is so poor.

I keep thinking of all the health topics that *could* have been addressed and we got this??

I actually haven't seen any live lice yet, just nits galore. I'm checking all the recommended places and feel they are just hiding from me. I can do a heck of a physical assessment but can't find the damn lice ������

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Yes, we had lively discussion on this as the wording is so poor.

I keep thinking of all the health topics that *could* have been addressed and we got this??

I actually haven't seen any live lice yet, just nits galore. I'm checking all the recommended places and feel they are just hiding from me. I can do a heck of a physical assessment but can't find the damn lice ������

So I guess there isn't a fact that you've been made aware of.

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So I guess there isn't a fact that you've been made aware of.

When you put them in a baggie and pin them to your bulletin board, do you have to send home a separate letter or can that be included in the first letter?

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Specializes in School Nursing.
Oy, with the poodles already...

And Copper Boom. :)

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