Every year, once the mornings get cooler and the jackets start rolling in, we have our regular run with all the frequent flyer head lice children and you would think that the faculty and staff have never even heard of such a thing. Like, "What do you mean they have head lice" as the panic is already registering on their faces and they are scrambling to be first in line to have their own heads checked. Sheesh. It makes me bonkers, each and every year!
I'm sending a little reminder to faculty and staff today, just saying hey, guess what time of year it is and remember, this is not uncommon. UGH. Do you send some sort of reminder to your teachers or just go through the whole spill every time? What do you say in the reminder? I kind of just want to send:
It's head lice time again. Yes we will have it in the school. No we can't stop it from entering the doors. Yes I know that Tom, Dick, and Harry have it and no there is nothing else I can do about it, since they have had it since Kindergarten. Don't let your kids hug each other and for heaven's sake don't let them play with each other's hair. And PLEASE, don't act like we are dealing with nuclear invasion when I tell you someone in your class has it.
It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that the management of pediculosis (infestation by head lice) should not disrupt the educational process. No disease is associated with head lice, and in-school transmission is considered to be rare. When transmission occurs, it is generally found among younger-age children with increased head-to-head contact (Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010).
Children found with live head lice should remain in class, but be discouraged from close direct head contact with others. The school nurse should contact the parents to discuss treating the child at the conclusion of the school day (Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010). Students with nits only should not be excluded from school (American School Health Association, 2005, Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010, Pollack, Kiszewski & Spielman, 2000), although further monitoring for signs of re-infestation is appropriate. It may be appropriate to screen other children who have had close head-to-head contact with a student with an active infestation, such as household family members, but classroom-wide or school-wide screening is not merited (Andresen & McCarthy, 2009). In cases that involve head lice, as in all school health issues, it is vital that the school nurse prevent stigmatizing and maintain the student's privacy as well as the family's right to confidentiality (Gordon, 2007).
The school nurse, as a student advocate and nursing expert, should be included in school district-community planning, implementation, and evaluation of vector control programs for the school setting. School nurses are also in a pivotal position to dispel myths and stigmas regarding pediculosis by providing education on the life cycle of the louse, methods of transmission, treatment options and care of the environment to the student's family, school and community at large.
It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that the management of pediculosis (infestation by head lice) should not disrupt the educational process. No disease is associated with head lice, and in-school transmission is considered to be rare. When transmission occurs, it is generally found among younger-age children with increased head-to-head contact (Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010).
Children found with live head lice should remain in class, but be discouraged from close direct head contact with others. The school nurse should contact the parents to discuss treating the child at the conclusion of the school day (Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010). Students with nits only should not be excluded from school (American School Health Association, 2005, Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010, Pollack, Kiszewski & Spielman, 2000), although further monitoring for signs of re-infestation is appropriate. It may be appropriate to screen other children who have had close head-to-head contact with a student with an active infestation, such as household family members, but classroom-wide or school-wide screening is not merited (Andresen & McCarthy, 2009). In cases that involve head lice, as in all school health issues, it is vital that the school nurse prevent stigmatizing and maintain the student's privacy as well as the family's right to confidentiality (Gordon, 2007).
The school nurse, as a student advocate and nursing expert, should be included in school district-community planning, implementation, and evaluation of vector control programs for the school setting. School nurses are also in a pivotal position to dispel myths and stigmas regarding pediculosis by providing education on the life cycle of the louse, methods of transmission, treatment options and care of the environment to the student's family, school and community at large.
How do y'all keep from catching it yourselves? I'm sending kids home 2 days a week (more or less) from this pest and I am constantly itching at the thought...
Per NASN position statement: "No disease is associated with head lice, and in-school transmission is considered to be rare. When transmission occurs, it is generally found among younger-age children with increased head-to-head contact (Frankowski & Bocchini, 2010)."
So, as long as you refrain from head-to-head contact and are not using your student's hairbrush, transmission of lice from a student to you is very unlikely.
Nooo waaaay. But, I do cover it at the beginning of school during my Universal Precautions chat. I speak their language... "It is NOT need to know information what student has lice in your classroom(s). They need to use "Lice Universal Precautions". Then I proceed to remind them about what not to let their little lovelies do in class. I do have a general parent reminder that I send out..just to try to continue to educate and move the process along from the dark ages. I do not do class wide head checks.
For those of you who are suffering in the dark ages and want to move forward. Educate yourself beyond all measures, so that you have a concrete answer for pretty much anything that gets thrown your way. Hang in there...it is well worth the ride.
I guess I am a little strange...or a tadbit ornery about it. Sometimes, I just have to be amused at what silly ideas teachers hold on to. And, I have been known to have a little bit of un with that. But, I press on
Ugh. I am not sure which are worse: lice or people. I am trying so hard to educate. It's very difficult to overcome social media. One of my principals asked me yesterday to go speak to the school board about lice, as some of them are being approached by parents who don't agree with our policy. The board members don't understand why we don't exclude students or do classroom checks. Are you kidding me? You are in charge of school decisions. That's big stuff. Do some homework.
Seriously, I had one teacher not believe me that there is no disease associated with lice.
I just presented a bunch of material to the other nurse's in my district and quite a few are resistant to keeping kids in school with lice despite the CDC and NASN paperwork clearly stating what their position is. Ugh.
I just presented a bunch of material to the other nurse's in my district and quite a few are resistant to keeping kids in school with lice despite the CDC and NASN paperwork clearly stating what their position is. Ugh.
It sounds like we work with the same type. I feel like I am the only one here that doesn't want to send them home.
My principle got up in my face when I sent out our board policy on lice to the staff. She basically said I was going to create panic, and lots of phone calls, she did not want to deal with.
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
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NASN Policy: Pediculosis Management in the School Setting