Specialties School
Published Oct 13, 2017
I get e-mails almost daily that say "Can you please talk with student about...Thanks!"
Topics I have been asked to address include long, dirty nails, over sleeping, eating right, getting enough water, and now today farting in class.
*****! Unless this kid is farting loudly to be funny there is NOTHING I am going to do. Some people are gassy. If his parents feed him broccoli and brussels sprouds I am certainly not going to tell him not to eat his veggies. Unless his gas is painful or accompanied by cramping, diarrhea, or constipation, I'm hesitant to even suggest a food diary to track the cause.
But, still, I always respond "Sure, no problem".
It is a problem. I have a stack of 300 vaccine records to put into the EMR. I am trying to arrange vision screenings. I have to follow up on missing action plans. I have two vomiting kids in my clinic today. And for the love of all this sacred it is FRIDAY.
JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN
3,035 Posts
Farting is a normal body function. Everyone does, even the ladies. Would the teacher prefer that gas stay pent up her student's stomach causing the worst stomachache ever?
OhioBPH
281 Posts
My grandpa told me once that his doctor said holding in your farts causes diverticulitis.
Now, I know that is not true, but it's a great defense for being gassy.
And I don't know what they want me to do. They called his mom, he has no digestive disorders.
SchoolNurseTXstyle
566 Posts
I have found it easier just to say sure!! I usually then forget about it. It is not like the teacher is going to ask the student. "Did Nurse Fix All The Problems In The School call you down to discuss your farting problem????"
scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN
633 Posts
OK, I admit, I did LOL about the farting, because OMG, the same thing happened to me! I was asked to talk to a 5th grader about his loud farts. Really?? He ate a lot of beans (that is what he told me!). I just told him to try and be conscious of the fact that he had to pass gas and ask to use the bathroom instead of doing it in class because it is/was disruptive.
But really, teachers and admis either ignore the nurse, or we have to fix EVERYTHING!
GetBackToClassRN
64 Posts
I would suggest the teacher take that up with admin (AP or guidance counselor). That is more of a behavior concern than a health concern. Really the only solution to offer would be for the teacher to let the child go to the restroom every time they need to "pass gas". You cannot tell the child to just hold it in and then potentially cause a stomach ache.
I e-mailed the teacher, and apparently it's not loud and he is not being disruptive. However, it is so stinky that everyone knows it's him. Like what am I going to do? I don't feed this kid. And leaving to go to the restroom to pass gas only works if you can manage to hold in the toot until you get there. And if he is particularly full of it, he will miss ALOT of class.
I feel for you getting those kind of requests! Good luck!
kidzcare
3,393 Posts
I would explain that these are not medical emergencies and it is best to address them directly to the student. As in, when a teacher notices a student has long/dirty nails, they can say "Wow! Those nails need to be washed! Head over the bathroom and hurry back! Why don't you cut them later so that you don't accidentally scratch yourself!" What is gained by a child missing class time for you to say the same thing and now the kids knows that the teacher was talking about the student (probably viewed as gossiping). It's embarrassing for the kid and calling way too much attention to it.
Supernrse01, BSN
734 Posts
This! I tend to become very forgetful when it comes to stuff like this!
BostonFNP, APRN
2 Articles; 5,581 Posts
Whenever I have a bad day at clinic i just come to the school nurse forum and I smile again.
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
As previously suggested, do like my apartment building manager, say "yes, yes, yes, of course" to every request, complaint, or suggestion, then promptly and thoroughly do nothing.