Daycare center for sick children? What would you like to see?

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 9, 2004

They have those here. And they cost a pretty penny. But there is a need. I have never had to use one, thank God. A neighbor does a homeday care for sick-kids. I have to ask her how much she charges versus well-child care....but I know it's plenty.

veteranRN · Sep 9, 2004

What about contacting the local industry to see if maybe they would offer it as a benefit to their employees and contract services through them. It seems there would be a great need for it, especially for employees who are threatened with job loss related to attendance policies.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2004

a nurse friend of mind considered this type business but the liability ins. was so high she decided against it. That may vary from state to state. You would need a nurse to be there at all times, not just on the Board of Directors. I know of a hospital that provided a 24 hr service for staff, but it was expensive. However, might not be as expensive as losing a job. The trick is having the appropriate number of staff present for the number of children there, without having any idea how many kids will be there!

LadyBugLass · Sep 9, 2004

You are kidding, right?

You will go to work to take care of sick strangers, and pay a stranger large amounts of money to take care of your sick child?? :confused:

If you have a note from a doctor stating that your child is indeed ill, what is your employer going to do?

Isn't it just a wee bit traumatic to the sick kid to be "dropped off" for the next 8-12 hours in the care of someone they have most likely NEVER met?

Prioritize, folks.

careerdejour · Sep 9, 2004

You are kidding, right?
You will go to work to take care of sick strangers, and pay a stranger large amounts of money to take care of your sick child??
If you have a note from a doctor stating that your child is indeed ill, what is your employer going to do?
Isn't it just a wee bit traumatic to the sick kid to be "dropped off" for the next 8-12 hours in the care of someone they have most likely NEVER met?
Prioritize, folks.

Ok, LadyBugLass, Thanks for your reply. I do think you have made a few assumptions here about the message and the poster's circumstances. Please read it again, if you have the time. I am still interested in hearing your suggestion.

Thank you.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Sep 9, 2004

We've all been there..."mom, I don't feel too good", and it's 3 a.m.! "But I need to go to work/clinical/school!" you say.
If you had a place where you could drop a sick child on days like this, what would you like it to be like? How much would you expect to pay?
I am contemplating a center like this for when I finish nursing school. If you have any comments, suggestions or warnings, I will love to hear it.
Thanks.

There is a real need out there for parents. I remember when my kids were little and they would get sick, it would be one at a time. The first one would get sick, be out of school for 2 days, then the next kid would get sick, be out of school for 2 days and then the younget would get sick. For some reason, the last one to get sick was always the sickest! And, don't even get me started on how many days I missed when they had chicken poxs .... trust me, it would have been over a month if I had not hired a CNA to care for them so I could go to work.

If I took all the time off from work to be at home, they would have fired me. My hospital (at the time - in Florida) offered a program called Kids Under the Weather. It was a great program and it was staffed by nurses. They took wonderful care of the kids and it helped me, because it was located in the hospital and I could take my breaks and visit with my kid and even have lunch with them. They were able to watch TV, get pampered and also have some fun (as much as you could have being sick). The program cost $75.00 per day. While it was costly, my wage for the day was significantly more than $75.00, besides the fact that I wanted to keep my job.

As a single parent without much support in the area, it was a wonderful alternative. :rolleyes:

For those who think a parent can stay home with a sick child every time they are sick, they need to get a grip on reality! Single parent hoursehold are plentiful and parents need to work. Yes, it would have been wonderful if there was some magic situation that would allow me to stay home and care for my sick child rather than go to work :crying2: . But that is fantasy land :uhoh3: and most real people need to work for a living regardless of whether there kids get sick or not.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents and I certainly think it is a great idea and I hope you move forward on it.

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 9, 2004

You are kidding, right?
You will go to work to take care of sick strangers, and pay a stranger large amounts of money to take care of your sick child??
If you have a note from a doctor stating that your child is indeed ill, what is your employer going to do?
Isn't it just a wee bit traumatic to the sick kid to be "dropped off" for the next 8-12 hours in the care of someone they have most likely NEVER met?
Prioritize, folks.

If the choice is to drop your child off at daycare, or miss a day of clinical and get booted out of the nursing program, there's not a lot of choice THERE, is there? Sometimes you're between a rock and a hard spot, and having a loving caregiver who can watch your sick child for 6 hours would be a godsend.

To the OP, I would easily pay twice the going rate of regular daycare for a sick child daycare (and as a student, I've often wished we had that here, but we live in a small town - thankfully I have a husband who can shoulder part of the burden, but I'm not sure what single parents do!). So where I'm at, that would be around $40 for a day.

LadyBugLass · Sep 10, 2004

Sorry guys...I am not budging on this one. I WAS a single parent who worked 24-hour shifts, and yes, my child DID get sick on more than one occasion.

1. DO NOT abuse your sick leave!! If your boss knows that when you are calling in sick, you or your child is REALLY sick, you most likely will not have a problem. Get a doctors note if necessary.

2. Offer an alternative. Switch days or shifts with a co-worker. Do a "make-up" assignment. Take work home to help out others. Be creative.

3. The minute you know that you cannot be at work, CALL IN and give everyone time to replace you. Don't wait until 0659 to say "Oops...my kid's fever isn't coming down."

4. Single parent or parent with primary custody? Trust me, the other parent can step up to the plate and use sick time too. Consider grandparents, good friends, aunts/uncles, regular babysitters, etc. Trade favors if necessary.

5. Establish this when you are interviewing for a job..."I schedule around my family." You work FOR your family; your family DOES NOT come in second place. If it is a problem, look for a new job...there is a shortage that can work in your favor.

6. Work out a plan of action BEFORE the kiddos get sick. It WILL happen, guaranteed.

Think about it...when you were ill as a child, who did YOU want to take care of you, someone that loved you or someone who is "qualified"?

I dislike the idea of making others angry, but I feel very strongly about this. I believe that I CAN put my family first and still be a reliable, responsible employee. I have years of work history to back that up, and I do not work or live in a fantasy world.

Trauma Columnist · Sep 10, 2004

To the OP: as the mom of a son who had severe asthma when he was a child and used a nebulizer frequently and needed po meds often - I often used ill child care in Las Vegas - 24 hour care is commonplace there for well children also. However, the center I used (this was in 90-92) had separate rooms for the ill kids and the chronically ill kids...if my son was at all acutely ill - one of us stayed home with him. However, it was nice to know that my son received his meds on time and that I would be contacted if anything was out of order or if he wanted to talk with me.

LadyBugLass - Although I certainly feel your passion for this subject - it is not possible for ALL parents to take off when their child is ill. In my own case when my oldest son was an infant both hubby and I were in the military, overseas with little support. When our son had an ear infection, we paid extra for someone to come to our home and care for him - so that he could be held all day if necessary.

BTW - you worked 24 shifts? Were you in EMS? Just curious.

LadyBugLass · Sep 10, 2004

To the OP: as the mom of a son who had severe asthma when he was a child and used a nebulizer frequently and needed po meds often - I often used ill child care in Las Vegas - 24 hour care is commonplace there for well children also. However, the center I used (this was in 90-92) had separate rooms for the ill kids and the chronically ill kids...if my son was at all acutely ill - one of us stayed home with him. However, it was nice to know that my son received his meds on time and that I would be contacted if anything was out of order or if he wanted to talk with me.
LadyBugLass - Although I certainly feel your passion for this subject - it is not possible for ALL parents to take off when their child is ill. In my own case when my oldest son was an infant both hubby and I were in the military, overseas with little support. When our son had an ear infection, we paid extra for someone to come to our home and care for him - so that he could be held all day if necessary.
BTW - you worked 24 shifts? Were you in EMS? Just curious.

Yes, I was a paramedic for 7 years, and I had a wonderful boss. I just really disagree with the idea of dropping your ill child off somewhere. The idea of someone else coming INTO the childs home ( a familiar environment) is better.

My stepson has chronic asthma, too. It IS a pain to make sure that everyone is giving him his meds properly. :rolleyes:

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Sep 10, 2004

Sorry guys...I am not budging on this one. I WAS a single parent who worked 24-hour shifts, and yes, my child DID get sick on more than one occasion.
1. DO NOT abuse your sick leave!! If your boss knows that when you are calling in sick, you or your child is REALLY sick, you most likely will not have a problem. Get a doctors note if necessary.
2. Offer an alternative. Switch days or shifts with a co-worker. Do a "make-up" assignment. Take work home to help out others. Be creative.
3. The minute you know that you cannot be at work, CALL IN and give everyone time to replace you. Don't wait until 0659 to say "Oops...my kid's fever isn't coming down."
4. Single parent or parent with primary custody? Trust me, the other parent can step up to the plate and use sick time too. Consider grandparents, good friends, aunts/uncles, regular babysitters, etc. Trade favors if necessary.
5. Establish this when you are interviewing for a job..."I schedule around my family." You work FOR your family; your family DOES NOT come in second place. If it is a problem, look for a new job...there is a shortage that can work in your favor.
6. Work out a plan of action BEFORE the kiddos get sick. It WILL happen, guaranteed.
Think about it...when you were ill as a child, who did YOU want to take care of you, someone that loved you or someone who is "qualified"?
I dislike the idea of making others angry, but I feel very strongly about this. I believe that I CAN put my family first and still be a reliable, responsible employee. I have years of work history to back that up, and I do not work or live in a fantasy world.

You have certainly earned my respect and can appreciate your position and respect your position. Family does come first and I will not argue that fact at all!!!!! You did not make me angry, but a good debate is always healthy. :) Thanks for standing your ground - I respect that! :)