Am I overreacting?!

[CrazySchoolNurse, LPN]

Since the shooting in Florida, the security policy at the High school is changing (which is a good thing); one of the changes that I am iffy about is the teachers now have to keep their doors locked and closed at all times while students are in the classrooms. The principle came to me yesterday and told be that the same applies to me as well if I have a student in the clinic, I need to lock and shut my door.

I approached her one on one and told her that I don't feel comfortable with this and "I don't want to open that can of worms". If something were ever to be said I would lose not only my job but potentially my license. I was told that there is a window in my door so it is perfectly fine and besides some teachers work one on one with the students behind closed doors as well. I work for a small private high school with only 257 students and 44 Faculty and Staff.

I have a few concerns (justified or not still concerning) 1. My clinic is super small (not attached to the main office) the nearest classroom is 50 feet down the hall. Teachers, Students pass by my clinic multiple times a day. Did I mention this a HIGH School!

2. Safety for myself. If I have to keep my door closed, who is to say that the student I am with isn't going to try and hurt me (I know this is a stretch, but it can happen). 3. There is times where I have to turn my light off when one of my migraine sufferers come in. (closing my door in that situation is just asking for trouble)

The only time I close my door is for the following reasons when I am meeting with a student, parent, and teacher, I'm leaving the clinic, or I am in the bathroom.

I understand the safety of our students is the number one priority and I would never put them in harms way. I would have no problem in an emergency situation of an intruder, gun fire; whatever shut my door with a student in the clinic, but I don't feel that I should keep it closed at all times with just me and student during normal everyday business.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

I'm with you. I just wouldn't do it. Too much of a liability. I would ask if they encourage teachers to be in a locked room, potentially with lights out, one on one with student. If it were my office where I have a huge window and the office staff is in the same area, maybe. But it sounds like you are pretty isolated.

You could also say that in the event of an emergency and someone needs to get in, unlocking the door is wasting precious seconds (a stretch, but hey).

[OldDude]

I keep the latch mechanism locked so if I shut my door it will be locked. Otherwise it remains open. Many have come through with security assessments and have approved this. I'd discuss it with the security people and have them intervene. Classroom doors are to be locked all the time.

[Farawyn]

No. The Health Office is OPEN.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

It would be a deal breaker if I always had to be in a closed room with a student. One accusation ruins my whole life. The world today, you just need to accuse, doesn't even need to be in the realm of truth.

[WineRN]

I keep the latch mechanism locked so if I shut my door it will be locked. Otherwise it remains open. Many have come through with security assessments and have approved this. I'd discuss it with the security people and have them intervene. Classroom doors are to be locked all the time.

I do the same as OD and our security here says that's good enough. All classroom doors are supposed to be locked, but this year we got Magnets that cover where the door latches that are to be removed during an emergency. This way no one needs to open the door for anyone locked out that was at the bathroom or somewhere else. I have mixed feelings about that. Most teachers still get dinged for not locking their doors.

Due to where your office is, I would be really hesitant to shut the door. I'm in a similar situation, and my admins HATE whenever I need to close the door because I'm really here for emergencies and a closed door takes up time.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

You're not overreacting. One size doesn't fit all. Hang in there!

[AdobeRN]

We are supposed to keep our doors closed and locked - fire code issue - they do a yearly check with us - walk thru the building making sure everything up to code from the amount of paper on the walls, all window treatments sprayed with fire retardent spray to not having anything within so many inches of the ceiling, etc etc and they check the doors. I keep my door open but locked as Old Dude does - I gave the reasoning for my open door is that I have a little one that uses a walker and/or wheelchair that comes to see me twice a day and that child does not have the strength to open the heavy doors.

[LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN]

I magnet strip over the lock hole and my door handle stays locked. I rotate between an open/closed door while in, like others stated, due to confidentiality purposes. My office is in a frequently trafficked hall and has a window. Elementary level. I feel comfortable with this set up.

The Health Office door is so much more than just a door. I feel like it is worthy of a love poem. Definitely worthy of its own rules.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I would not also close my door. (I'm also in a basement with pretty much no windows and every single heating pipe that runs through the building goes through my office - so it is kinda like being in a tomb!) Like OD, my door automatically locks behind me. My door actually has a keypad entry and it will lock a user out after so many failed code attempts after which the door can only be unlocked by a key that only a couple of people have.

[CrazySchoolNurse, LPN]

My door does stay locked but open. So all I have to do is lift the kick stand and it shuts.

My clinic is essentially a broom closet with a bathroom. I'm isolated in the way that there is not a classroom right next door. On one side is another entrance to the main office with a short hall and on the other side is the faculty lounge. The clinic is located in the corner of a L shaped hallway. The long part is the main hall that leads to the front of the building and the short hall is our Math Wing with 6 classrooms 2 rooms are always empty as one of them is now used as an office. The other is a Lab. Normally only about 3 of those 6 are occupied during the day.

Like I told my husband last night I'm okay with losing my job because a rumor was started about me and another adult but I am not okay with losing my job and my license because of a rumor that was started about me and a student, but I would rather not give the opportunity for either of them to be started.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

my door tends to stay closed by unlocked, but i'd say a good 1/3 of the time i lock and chock. it gets hot in here, even with the a/c on.