Pointers Wanted! Help with frequent flyers!

Specialties School

Published

I know that we all have those frequent flyers daily. My school has increased in size this year as one school closed and the kids are stuffed into my building. I have Grades 3-6. I have experience with frequent flyers, but it is just getting to me right now. I see the same 30 kids with the same complaints everyday and sometimes 3 times a day. I know this is common for all of you. Has anyone found anything new that will keep these kids in class? Suggestions …..help…please….suggestions? Thanks.

ktwlpn, LPN

3,844 Posts

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Start making them do their class work in your office?

Wave Watcher

751 Posts

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

Our program allows me to print off a student and every clinical visit. I print it off and send home to parents. Most of the time the parent is not aware their child is missing so much class time for BS reasons. Also, I will print it off and add up the amount of time being missed for the student...so lets say they spend 5 minutes each time they come down....if they see you 3x a day, 5 days a week that makes.....an HOUR and 15 minutes missed during the week of class time. My principal is more apt to understand "missed instructional time" than the fact I tell her little Johnny has seen me 3x a day this week. I will also tell the teacher to stop sending the kid. If they want the child to go home for that day then they can call the parents. I have no tolerance for it.

Wave Watcher

751 Posts

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.
Start making them do their class work in your office?

I have teachers that will ask if a student can do their classwork in my clinic and my answer is NO. My clinic is no place for a child that is not sick. Too many germs. I have even had assistants in the cafe send a student down with their tray. That just does me in! Would they want to come in and eat in a chair that a kid just now got through vomiting all over? I would hope not.

SnowyJ, RN

844 Posts

If a student comes down to see me more than once in a day, I call a parent. More often than not, the parent is surprised to hear their child is c/o not feeling well. Sometimes there is a legit reason to let them know, if I have genuine concerns.

It really is a parent's responsibility to handle this. I don't have time to finesse/cajole students to go back to class. Some are like ping pong balls..I send them away, they come back, etc.

If it really gets out of hand, I print up my visit log for the teacher. Often they are unaware how bad it has gotten with certain students. In part because the kids sneak in during specials, after lunch, etc.

I do have a rule that in general if you are well enough for gym/recess, you are well enough for class. This helps.

ktwlpn, LPN

3,844 Posts

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I have teachers that will ask if a student can do their classwork in my clinic and my answer is NO. My clinic is no place for a child that is not sick. Too many germs. I have even had assistants in the cafe send a student down with their tray. That just does me in! Would they want to come in and eat in a chair that a kid just now got through vomiting all over? I would hope not.

Maybe I misunderstood the OP,isn't she talking about frequent flyers-kids who are not really sick?Make the office a not very pleasant place to be for those kids....

OldDude

1 Article; 4,787 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
If a student comes down to see me more than once in a day, I call a parent. More often than not, the parent is surprised to hear their child is c/o not feeling well. Sometimes there is a legit reason to let them know, if I have genuine concerns.

It really is a parent's responsibility to handle this.

This is really the only thing I have found to be somewhat successful over the years; calling a parent EVERY TIME the "platinum club" frequent flyers come in.

AdobeRN

1,294 Posts

This is really the only thing I have found to be somewhat successful over the years; calling a parent EVERY TIME the "platinum club" frequent flyers come in.

I do this. When I get a kid that is turning into a frequent flyer I will send parents a copy of the office visit log and call - then every time the kid pays me a visit I just automatically call the parent. Most of the time it takes care of the problem.

I have had a few of the helicopter parents use the visits as an excuse to take their kid out of school - but usually ends up biting them in the rear in the end - they get truancy letters, worst cases can only miss school if I excuse them or they have doctors notes - at that point I only excuse for those things listed on our exclusion list (fever, vomit, diarrhea, questionable rashes, pink eye).

NutmeggeRN, BSN

2 Articles; 4,620 Posts

Specializes in kids.

I'm in HS so I call the kids on it. I'll say "Hey what's up? What's really going on?" Some times just bringing it to their attention works. I have their schedules so I will say "Yikes, you have been out of so and so's class X number of times, what gives?"

If all else fails I get in touch with guidance or the parent. Often there really IS something going on, not always but.....

Tina, RN

513 Posts

Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.

Ugh, frequent fliers...

You know, I get it, I really do. Teachers want to cover their butts, so they send kids to us. But come on, how about common sense?? Doesn't it strike them as odd when they literally send 5 kids to me within a 10 minute span of time (all for silly reasons)? And it happens to be math time? Honestly, I don't even think some of the teachers in my building even ask why the child wants to come. The child says, "Can I go to the nurse?" and the teacher simply says yes. Done.

RNTracy

15 Posts

What I found that works for my Frequent Fliers (especially the younger ones) is to set a timer. Depending on their reason for visiting, I set a timer and tell them "you have two minutes in here today, once this goes off, back to class you go." I havent had a child argue with me yet. But, I have also included the teacher and parents if I find the visits to be very excessive.

lvnforschool

185 Posts

Specializes in School Nursing.

I work at high/jr combo. I get alot of new 7th graders who get overwhelmed. I take temp, and unless theres vomit, excessive bleeding, or something broken, I give 5 minutes and off ya go. It helps that im a mom can weed out the truly sick kids, from ones that are just looking to waste class time. Im not sure if that helps with your problem :dummy:

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