Advice about moms that are teachers

[Nurse.jen]

New school nurse here coming from the NICU. Today I had a student come in complaining of headache. No temp. Denied head injury...ask when it started and student stated that kids were screaming and his head started hurting. I let him rest 10-15 minutes gave water and sent him back to class. Turns out his mom is a teacher there. She came to my office after school said he was clinging to her and appeared to be feeling bad...basically pulled the teacher/mom card and wanted some sort of explanation from me. I told her above and she reiterated he doesn't come down for nothing.....she seemed irritated with me...advice handling teacher "moms"

[OldDude]

Every time the kid comes to see you, send him directly to his mom's classroom with a note from you, indicating his temp and complaint, asking her what she wants to do. I deal with this often and this is the only thing that finally breaks the cycle.

[Eleven011]

I have a smaller school, so I am lucky enough to know which kids are teacher kids. I do one of two things with them. I check them over/treat their complaint and send them back to class. If I do this, I will email the teacher a heads up that their kid was here and what I did, that way if they so choose, they can go find their little darling and check on them. Or, I will check them out, decide they might actually be sick, and call the teacher, give them the info and ask if they would like to talk to/come see their child. Lots of time they will come down, maybe give them meds (headache) or just talk with them, and send them back to class themselves. Like Olddude said, if I end up calling them enough, they will have a chat with their kids about coming to the nurse!

[Supernrse01, BSN]

Every time the kid comes to see you, send him directly to his mom's classroom with a note from you, indicating his temp and complaint, asking her what she wants to do. I deal with this often and this is the only thing that finally breaks the cycle.

Ditto!

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

I do the same as Old Dude. However, why is it if they have a sick student they can't wait to get rid of them but if their child is sick they want them to hang out at school in some corner and when I insist they go home well I'm the bad guy for making their child lose perfect attendance! They're also the worst about getting their kids required health paperwork turned in at my school. One didn't even have enough shots! Good grief!

[Nurse.jen]

Well, update...kid came back this week again...same complaint...you know the teachers kid who "doesn't just come in for nothing" ... This time I called moms classroom and told her he was there for a headache, said he ate already, no fever..she was like "well last week when he came and saw you, that evening he got a little bit of a temperature but it was gone the next day...go ahead and send him back to class and I'll come check on him later since he doesn't have a fever".......I was thinking..wait isn't that what I did last week, and you got huffy with me? Sigh, you win some you lose some.

[FloridaBeagle]

Some parents just need their butts kissed. I'm one week in and figuring that out. Gonna make a list of snowflake parents so I know who needs a call about every last little thing...

[tining, BSN, RN]

She is definitely toying with you, power play. Passive aggressive gets a glimmer of a smile from me and a huge eye roll as they leave - honey/vinegar rule. I would also ask your principal what they want done with staff kids. My old principal would not allow me to send to mom, so do your complete assessment and report findings - I usually email for general problems and call for more serious. Few teachers expect more than that. If it becomes a routine then you might need a parent conference. Refer to principal if nothing changes.