Do you ever do nothing for your student?

kidzcare · May 19, 2017

I had a kid come to me with pain from a regular run of the mill ingrown toenail. There was nothing I could do. I don't have anything to set up a foot soak, I technically can't do nail care outside of cleaning nails, not enough nail to do the wet cotton trick. So I just explained how to properly trim toenails and sent him back to class.

That's not nothing... you educated :)

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · May 19, 2017

That's not nothing... you educated :)

Agreed. Was the parent aware? If parent knows and the kid is not asking for symptom relief, I chart:

No medication in clinic, student declined call to parent for symptom relief.... and then my education. Because not every discomfort is mission-critical. I guess the answer changes if it's the fourth day in a row student has come in complaining.

BeckyESRN · May 19, 2017

education and verbal reassurance, sometimes that's what they actually need!

OldDude · May 19, 2017

My biggest "I can't do anything about that" is mouth ulcers.

SaltineQueen · May 19, 2017

I did the other day. Chronic complaining snowflake came in because they were playing kickball in gym class and she got tagged and fell down into the sand onto her knee. Walked into my office just fine. Zero redness, zero swelling, zero bleeding, not even as much as a superficial abrasion. I know she was fishing for an ice pack. I don't let those go outside. And I'm not about to put a bandaid on nothing. She just stood there. I told her YAY! for being tough and resilient and to watch out for gravity. Brushed a tiny bit of dirt off her knee and told her to get back to gym class. Same snowflake had an accident last week and was unable to change her undies because she had shoes on. (facepalm) I had to walk her through taking off her shoes, taking off pants, etc...you know the rest of the steps.

Flare, ASN, BSN · May 19, 2017

according to my students, i "do nothing" for all their complaints. of course, if i'm not calling their parents to send them home then i did nothing.

SchoolNurseTXstyle · May 19, 2017

I had one just come a few minutes ago. He said he had an air pocket in his shoulder, his friend popped the air pocket for him and now he has absolutely no pain at all. Not sure what he meant by air pocket or how his friend went about popping it and I don't care because it is Friday with only 30 minutes left until the last bell with only 9 more days until summer break. Since he was waving affected arm in air the entire time he was describing this, I figured nothing was all he needed. I told him, glad you are better - here's your pass.

moreoreo · May 19, 2017

There are quite a few students who have grown accustomed to weekly/biweekly ice packs, and since enforcing stricter ice pack rules, I now often send them back without doing anything.

"I bumped my knee on a chair yesterday."

"Well, I'm glad you are able to walk well and there is no swelling or redness. You are stronger than you think! Go back to class!"

"My side has been hurting this week."

"Does your parent know?"

"Yes"

"Well I'm glad to see there is no bruising, redness, swelling, or tenderness when I touch it and you are walking well, so you can go back to class!"

(without hesitation) "The other day, a boy opened a door and it hit my cheek and it still hurts."

"Well, it's great news that there is no redness or swelling or anything there. I believe you that it hurts but it looks like it is healing great, you can go back to class!"

Or, today's 4th grader who should make it into the "Good Kids" thread,

"My eye is red because I have allergies, this happens a lot. I splashed water on it already, which is what I usually do, and it feels better."

"That's great! Has there been any drainage?"

"No"

"Did a teacher send you here?"

"Yes"

"Would you like a cool wet paper towel to take with you?"

"No, it feels better"

"Well, you did a great job! You can go back to class."

But we should never underestimate the importance of our teaching! One kindergarten teacher asked us today to explain to a scared student who had been told "if that gets infected your arm is going to get chopped off" that his elbow scrape was not infected and his arm was not going to be chopped off--and I went through all the signs of infection and how I did not see any of them present. He assessed his own elbow and seemed to calm down. That was exciting!

abc123RN · May 19, 2017

Today I had a second grader that c/o a splinter that "no one can do anything for". So I pulled out my trusty splinter getter tool (tweezers with a magnifying glass attached), a flash light for the student to shine a light on the splinter, put on my extra strong special splinter finding glasses and...nope still can't see a splinter. Touched kid's hand around area of c/o a couple times and she lights up and says thanks! It fills better now! I never did see anything so I guess I literally did nothing but she thought I did. This one just needed a little attention today, so sometimes nothing is everything.

Tencat12 · May 21, 2017

I love the ones that you make suggestions to (gargle with warm salt water, suck a sugar free candy, lay down for a few minutes) and they choose to do nothing that you suggest except "go back to class". It is a pet peeve of mine that I am not allowed to give out cough drops, however.

Windchaser22 · May 21, 2017

I had a student with recent knee stitches removed. Wound site looked perfect. He was complaining about itching. Taught natural wound healing process with kid friendly pictures. He was still mad that I "didn't do anything". Oh well.