Average "Wait Time" For A Parent?

[jodys-girl]

What is your average wait time before a parent shows up to pick up their sick child from your office? How old are your students and does your school have a policy for how long a parent can take? I'm curious to see what a typical or acceptable amount of time is from other school nurses.

I work at a school with almost 300 high risk preschoolers (3, 4, and 5 yr olds) and when they are sick enough to go home, it takes about 2 hours for parents to get to the school (and when they do finally get to my office, 99% of them are usually mad that I've inconvenienced them). It's extremely challenging and frustrating to keep a sick toddler in my office for more than an hour (not to mention my office is small and I only have 1 cot). At this age when they're sick what they want most is to be held, rocked, or entertained and I can't do that for hours on end while still trying to see my other sick visitors and do paperwork.

[jodys-girl]

I really like the blocked number strategy!!! I think half the time they see the school's number and don't answer on purpose (on the flip side of that is I check my own cell phone 100 times a day because I'm paranoid I might miss a call from my daughter's school)!

I spoke with my principal today and he agreed that anything over 2 hours for our small kids is completely unacceptable (of course when I mentioned to him TODAY that we had a student with explosive diarrhea and the mother said "I don't have a car" - click, he didn't offer to step in and make a call to her)......Grrrrr!!!

I have toys and have resorted to using my ipad for movies, but what they really need is to be home resting and these parents need to take responsibility and act like a parent. I don't care if they're 15...18...or 85 yrs old - if they've got a kid in school then they damn well need to have some plans in place!

SnowyJ I think I'm going to steal your "It's not a choice" response. Sometimes I think I'm so dumbfounded when they tell me they can't or won't come that I don't know what to say and they hang up on me before I've gathered my thoughts to continue the conversation....yes - they're about the rudest bunch of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Between myself, the secretaries, and the other front office staff, I'd say that we get treated like complete garbage by our families. The kind ones are few and far between.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I feel for you. We've all been there. You make a call about a sick kid and the parent literally can't be bothered. I get it. In my house we both work. Heck, for a time, i was working 3 jobs. And trust me when I say that I am very judicious when it comes to sending the children home. I am not the type to send home for any little reason, so I have the expectation that when I call (probably only one time in an entire school year) that you'll do your part as a parent and care for your child. Oh, yes and treat me with respect. If you don't treat your children's teachers and nurse and other school staff with respect, how on earth do you expect them to learn that they are supposed to? This was a lesson that i learned waaaaaay back in my days of watching Sesame Street and drinking grape juice. I'd sit and learn about "the People in my Neighborhood" and how to interact with them and my parents would sit and watch with me then take me out into the world and reinforce those lessons. Maybe we need more Sesame Street... maybe i need to get off my soapbox... maybe i just need summer break...

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I feel for you. We've all been there. You make a call about a sick kid and the parent literally can't be bothered. I get it. In my house we both work. Heck, for a time, i was working 3 jobs. And trust me when I say that I am very judicious when it comes to sending the children home. I am not the type to send home for any little reason, so I have the expectation that when I call (probably only one time in an entire school year) that you'll do your part as a parent and care for your child. Oh, yes and treat me with respect. If you don't treat your children's teachers and nurse and other school staff with respect, how on earth do you expect them to learn that they are supposed to? This was a lesson that i learned waaaaaay back in my days of watching Sesame Street and drinking grape juice. I'd sit and learn about "the People in my Neighborhood" and how to interact with them and my parents would sit and watch with me then take me out into the world and reinforce those lessons. Maybe we need more Sesame Street... maybe i need to get off my soapbox... maybe i just need summer break...

This is perfect!!!

[pfongk]

It takes me 40 minutes minimum to get from my workplace to my son's school due to fact I work that far away from the school. Some of the kids travel up to an hour and live on properties out of town, I have no idea what those parents do as if you're in the middle of harvest season, or burning off your cane, you may have no mobile reception at all and the school has to go down the list. I'm lucky in that I'm at a fairly family friendly nursing home and once they manage to reach me on my 2 way I'm able to get out of there fairly quickly once I hand off onto another CNA. Last time it took the school and hour to reach me and then work wouldn't let me leave until I'd calmed down enough to pick him up.

[ohiobobcat]

I just had a conversation with a fairly reasonable mom (based on previous interactions) who asked me to wait 2 hours until her husband woke up to come get her unwell child when mom is awake and only works 1/2 hour away. "Can she wait for 2 hours in your office?" Um, no, come get your kid. Child reported that she vomited last night after supper so she shouldn't have even BEEN at school this morning.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

Child reported that she vomited last night after supper so she shouldn't have even BEEN at school this morning.

That's when I really get annoyed. You knew you shouldn't send your child in but now it's my fault you have to get called away from work. Give me a break!