Bed Bugs

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

This is gonna become the next head lice...

Have you guys had to deal with this much yet in your area? Last week, brothers had bites that I suspected were bed bugs, suggested mom check beds. Doctor said scabies. Oldest reported yesterday that they do have bed bugs. People went into panic mode yesterday after I left, apparently. Exterminator has been called. Kids were sent to me first thing this morning with the assumption that I'd make them change clothes. Sound like principal wants them changing clothes every morning. Mind you...we haven't seen a bug in school. I did check their coats (didn't bring backpacks today) & oldest said their clothes were in the dryer this morning & put on right before they left. I don't want bed bugs in my school as much as anybody, but I think it's a little overkill for not seeing evidence of them here. Ugh...

What do you/have you all done?

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

I do what Dr. Pollack says: What should be done in schools about bed bugs?

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Wow, sounds like unnecessary panic was evoked. We don't panic until a live bug is found. lol The doctor said it was impetigo??

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.
Wow, sounds like unnecessary panic was evoked. We don't panic until a live bug is found. lol The doctor said it was impetigo??

No...scabies.

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Specializes in CVICU, SchoolRN, MICU, PCU/IMU, ED.

I actually caught a live bedbug on one of my students - teacher walked him all the way down from the 2nd story to the main office with the bedbug hanging on for dear life. Luckily it didn't fall off.

Once I caught it then it was confirmed and the specific classrooms treated while others had traps placed. Funny thing my clinic got neither treatment.

Then the parents are called and its up to them to follow through with recommendations but we can't force anyone to do anything. Now I have to look at this specific student at least once a week from now until the cows come home - Always looking for another bedbug.

It was weird because the staff was more freaked out than the parents were. I got one phone call from a Mom.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

if i don't see the bug, then I don't do anything other than treat the bite as an unknown bite. I remind the staff all the time that i am not an entomologist and i cannot id bug bites definitively nor can i make any assumptions.

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Specializes in CVICU, SchoolRN, MICU, PCU/IMU, ED.
if i don't see the bug, then I don't do anything other than treat the bite as an unknown bite. I remind the staff all the time that i am not an entomologist and i cannot id bug bites definitively nor can i make any assumptions.

I get this all the time - nurse pass reason "bug on them" or I had one teacher smash the bug in some paper and send the student with the smashed bug to me.

I mean I'm good but not smashed bug good, lol.

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