Do you keep clothes in your office?

Specialties School

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I'm sorry, I'm sure that this has been addressed before.

I had a girl come in yesterday about 15 years old, overweight and wearing TIGHT pants. You could see everything. And I don't think that was the look she was after. She wasn't sent to me, she came down for ice.

I know she is lower income and may not have appropriate clothes. I did talk to a SW about it, and she said the old nurse had clothes in her office.

Um...whose? Should I bring clothes in?

And how would you broach it- with the parent?

I have pre-K (3) through 3rd grade in my school so I do have some clothing. I came in half way through last year and there was an expectation from teachers that I would simply re-cloth a child who wet himself or spilled milk all over himself. I write NURSE in huge letters all over the clothes but I still get very little back. I guess people think it's disposable clothing. Now I call parents for a change of clothing. If I can't get a hold of a parent or if the parent can't get to school in a reasonable amount of time, I will use the clothes I have in the office. it's very annoying though. I usually have 2-5 "accidents" a day.

I have pre-K through 5th grade. I do keep some extra clothes, but people keep bringing in more which I wish they wouldn't do. I"ll give out clothes for the smaller kids who have "accidents", but if it happens alot with the same child I will call home and ask them to send in some extras to keep in the child's backpack.

This drives me crazy - the older ones coming up because they spilled milk/water/juice or whatever. Sorry, get a wet paper towel and dry yourself off. I'm not the mall!!!

I really would like to just get rid of everything, and parents would be responsible for providing extra but I know that will never happen............

mc3 :cat:

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i have to say though - i read this article and the first thing that crossed my mind was, "i'll bet they at least get them back"

Education World: Unbelievable School Decisions: Kids Don Prison Jumpsuits

i've thought about purchasing some scrubs in various sizes and sending the child home with a note explaining that the clothing needs to be washed and returned or the student account will be charged (like they do with the library books). I do think the prison jumpsuits are a bit extreme... and besides they don't make them small enough for the kindergarteners ;)

Specializes in Emergency Department; Neonatal ICU.

Oh I don't mean to derail the thread but I misread the title and thought the question was "Do you keep your clothes on in the office?" I thought, well this will be interesting....

Seriously, I like Flare's idea of having an inventory and a notification to parents that their account will be charged if they don't return them.

I keep clothes ON everywhere. :/

I keep clothes ON everywhere. :/

You're a nevernude too? ;)

Somehow when I signed onto this job I inherited the infamous Lost and Found closet. Once a quarter when the thing is literally busting at the seams, I will clean it out and set aside clothing that could be lent out. Unfortunately I lug it all home to wash it first but it seems to keep a steady supply in my office. I also have a sign out sheet when a student borrows clothing and I send a letter home in the mail after a week of not seeing it returned. It's been a pretty good system thus far for me.

A sign out sheet is a great idea! I just consider the clothes I give out as gone the minute they walk out the door. I do send a note home stapled to the bag asking for them to be washed and returned. We get a lot of rainy days here and the minute the rain stops, they're out there for recess as if everything has dried up already. On those days, I've begun sending out school-wide emails that if any of your students get wet or muddy, YOU will need to call the parents for a change of clothing. We do not have the supply nor the time to accommodate a line of dirty students. It may sound rude, but I am fed up. One day we had almost 10 from one class alone. At what point do you exercise some common sense and realize it might not be a good day to go outdoors? Despite the warnings, there's still always a teacher who sends in their muddy students.

Do you also get the dress code violations? Every morning my assistant principal sends students straight to my office as they walk through the door. Why is this my responsibility? Arrrrrghhhh! This, plus a thousand other reasons is why next week is my last week as a school nurse. They don't pay me enough for this foolishness. God bless you all, you have the patience of saints!

Specializes in kids.
At what point do you exercise some common sense and realize it might not be a good day to go outdoors? Despite the warnings, there's still always a teacher who sends in their muddy students.

common sense....a commodity I often find lacking.......

I do not keep clothes in my clinic. Our guidance counselor keeps items in her office and handles any situations where clothing is needed. I also do not allow children who have wet/soiled their clothing to sit in my office. I realize this is not your situation. I have to put down rules and stick by them or before I know it teachers will be calling me to the classroom to clean up poop/pee. Not doing it. I just don't have the time.

This is just a question, where do these students go? I am not disagreeing with your policy, btw, just asking a question. I would say that I hope it is somewhere where the student isn't "on display."

I have K-5th grade and keep a small amount of clothing - mostly for the younger kids. I stopped buying extra stuff last year - since I rarely get anything returned. If a kid comes in soiled with BM/urine I will call parents first and if I can't get ahold of anyone I try and find something for them. Those kids that are spill accidents, mud, water etc - all that stuff will dry - I will call parents but send the kid back to class, usually by the time a parent arrives for the spill kids whatever was on the clothing has dried and it is no longer an issue.

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.
This is just a question, where do these students go? I am not disagreeing with your policy, btw, just asking a question. I would say that I hope it is somewhere where the student isn't "on display."

:-) Yes, they are in the guidance counselors office. I would rather have them there than in my germ-infested clinic. Great question....I would have been wondering the same thing.

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