I want to share with you a scenario I experienced today at the very end of my day. Middle School 1000 students.
3:15- Counselor calls nurse says look into this situation. Student A is on his way down. Student A notified teacher his right arm is hurting and something happened at home.
3:20- examine student notify counselor of findings. Counselor comes in and speaks more in depth with student. Counselor says come to my office and YOU can make the report.
Go to her office
I said I will share the medical information. I asked where the teacher was who the student initially reported to if they would be apart of the call. She chuckled and said “No why would they come.” I said cause he was the one that suspects abuse. She said he didn’t say he suspected abuse. I said then why did he call you and not me. She said he did try to call you. I said no he didn’t. (Trust me this teacher is not afraid to send students. He will send 3 at a time, even though I’ve instructed teachers one at a time unless they both got injuried) Anyways, she said well I don’t know. She said really you need to do the investigating when a student is sent to you and report it. She said myself or any of the teachers didn’t have to be involved when the last nurse was here. (I have been here this school only-1st year) I wanted to say the last nurse quit after 2 years bc she was taking on so much, but I didn’t ! She told me I need to learn how to ask more questions and what to ask. I said I was always taught whoever the first person the student tells is the person who has to report it. I of course would then examine for injuries and make sure they don’t need further medical care. She told me teachers can’t stop what their doing in class and investigate and make the call. She basically wants me to handle all the abuse. Counseling, medical, and reporting. I do not think that is right! Of course If the child came me first certain, however I’d still get the counselor involved.
What are are your guys thoughts? Am I wrong am I right?
In this case, I prefer to report together. Otherwise I fully expect EVERY adult who had suspicions to call. I imagine one full report is easier for CPS to handle than 3 separate reports each missing info. If we can't do a group report, I report what was volunteered to me and my physical assessment and I expect that the counselor and teacher will do the same. Because that's what our law expects. If I document something about Mrs Guidance they better receive a report from her, too!
In our state whomever suspects should call. Most of the time they are uncertain if it's really something and I have to explain, it doesn't matter if they are uncertain because we aren't required to prove it. To say it's your sole responsibility to do all the reporting is wrong.
Here's the problem. For whatever reason, many teachers and apparently your counselor don't like calling and making the reports for some reason. So they try to get out of it by referring to someone else in the building. I had a teacher that suspected abuse and brought them to me and asked if a report should be made. I said well if you suspect then you should report but I agree it looks suspicious. I even asked if they needed help and they said no. It happened again the following week. I asked if they called last week and am told, "Well no, I just wasn't sure and it didn't seem that bad." I said well it's not up to you to decide how bad it is, just that something suspicious is going on. Ok so i'll call during my planning period in a few minutes. They "forgot" again. So I made the call.
What is it with counselors anyway? Most of the ones in the school rarely "counsel". They teach classes. They pawn so much off on the nurses. I even had a child emotionally upset and the counselor was standing BESIDE me and just looked at the kid. So I started trying to calm the child down. I'm like do you want to chime in here??? She said I don't have anything else to add. What?! The counselor we have now is much better and she'll try to fit counseling in if she has time but she said that's not what they are really hired for. Then why are you called a "counselor"?
I agree with the above. The teacher and the counselor or both skirting THEIR responsibility!!!
However, if I think they are not going to report - I will go ahead and make that report because by golly, if something happens to that kid - my concious is clear and nobody can throw me under the bus!
When CPS asks who else knows about the abuse - I give name, rank and serial number to those that brought it to me!!!!!
Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, & School Nursing.
In my states (VA), nurses, school counselors, and teachers are all considered mandated reporters. I've had teachers come ask me my opinion about situations. I'll ask them questions to help them dig a little deeper and tell them what I know about the process. I have printed out a guidance book from the state Department of Social Services, and I will help them look up things to try to determine if something is reportable (i.e., what constitutes neglect, abuse, etc...). In the end, I remind them they are mandated reporters (I conveniently have that state statute printed & tucked in the Social Services document) and that they can remain anonymous. Are we not just reporting our concern over a child's well-being? Why wouldn't you? I'd much rather be wrong and have SS find nothing, than to not report and find out something terrible happened to that child and wonder if it could have been prevented.
teachers can’t stop what their doing in class and investigate and make the call
That's why they have 24 hours to report. Teachers are mandated reporters. The counselor is a mandated reporter. If he/she suspected abuse, he/she is MANDATED to report it, not pass the buck.
I've had many teachers try to pass this on to me and I've told every one of them, if you suspect, you need to report it. I will happily show them how and if I suspect I report too.
I have a teacher (who I do love and get along with) say to me, "Why haven't you called CPS yet for my student?!?".. (student wore the same dirty clothes everyday).. I asked her why she hadn't called, her response, "I've never called CPS on a student in my 20 years of teaching, but I guess I'll have to if you won't".. smh
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Exactly what everyone is saying. EVERYONE is a mandated reported and it helps the case when you have the teacher, counselor and the nurse calling about the same student. She should of not pushed it on just you.
And don't be afraid to be wrong, it will not be held against you due to Good Samaritan Law, if you are doing it for good intentions, you will not get in trouble if it seems false.
With the issue I had this past semester, it was a medical abuse case, but either way, I know how some feel, should I call? What if I'm wrong? But the way things were going, and as the only medical authority here at my school, my student is in pain, parent has not done anything since last year, something needs to change!
And happily things have gotten a bit better, student is homebound now, which I'm glad because not only can she stay at home and have her pain cared there and not miss any more school, but it will be easier for her mother too. Mother has stopped harassing us too, so things worked out.
But things would not worked out, if I wasn't the only one reporting. Because her teachers, the counselor and I, worked together. More evidence and more witnesses on the abuse and on the account from the student.
CampyCamp, RN
259 Posts
In this case, I prefer to report together. Otherwise I fully expect EVERY adult who had suspicions to call. I imagine one full report is easier for CPS to handle than 3 separate reports each missing info. If we can't do a group report, I report what was volunteered to me and my physical assessment and I expect that the counselor and teacher will do the same. Because that's what our law expects. If I document something about Mrs Guidance they better receive a report from her, too!