The age old question for my SN Peeps......So we strongly recommend that if a student has Vomited, had Fever or Diarrhea, they should stay home and be free (from either malady) for 24 hours.
Now the problem is: This is only as STRONG SUGGESTION. We do not have a written policy for this.
Most parents will adhere to this. Some do not.
The problem is when the parents send them back to school the next day and the teacher becomes irate with me because they are here.
I tell the teacher that if the parent sent them, then there is nothing we can do. Of course if they get sick again and are not acting normal...then of course I will call the parent.
I get dirty looks from teachers about this, but what in the world can I do ? I have asked that we get something written in stone about this SUGGESTION, but the powers that be are not wanting to do this.
How is this situation handled in your school system. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Oh, and have a great weekend to all of my School Nurse's !!
We have the 24 hour rule written into our school policy but my nursing judgement trumps that rule. I assess the kids individually and instruct the parents accordingly. If I tell them the student can't attend school tomorrow and the kids shows up I call the parent to come pick them up. I am the "perfect attendance" grim reaper.
This is what I am proposing goes in the handbook this year: (there is nothing currently)
Vomiting: Students who vomit in school (witnessed) will be excluded and parents/guardians notified. There may be exceptions if it can be determined that vomiting was caused by factors such as nervousness, excessive crying/anger, phlegm in throat, ect. Children who vomit at home should not come to school until free from symptoms for 12 hours.
Your kid's perfect attendance ribbon can kiss my grits!! 24 hour rule is in effect!
Until perfect attendance garners receiving a Ferrari - KEEP THEM HOME. Our kids get a ribbon for Pete's sake. I want to have ribbons made: "I stayed home when I was sick and did not get any of my friends sick." This is my go to speech when mom says, "but they wanted to come to school."
PoP!! Proof of Puke! I have had so many come in this week saying they puked in the toilet and of course flushed it. Not one of them got sent home...and not one of them puked again :)
Until perfect attendance garners receiving a Ferrari - KEEP THEM HOME. Our kids get a ribbon for Pete's sake. I want to have ribbons made: "I stayed home when I was sick and did not get any of my friends sick." This is my go to speech when mom says, "but they wanted to come to school."
Who's the parent?
Can o' worms in my 'hood.
We all know who holds the cards.
What ever happened to telling your kid "NO, Because I said so, and NO, I don't need to to give you a reason, this is not a democracy!"
I learned early in the year it's good "practice" to educate that they are fever/vomit/diarrhea free 24 hours before returning to school but it is not a policy and if I actually "educate" the parents on this good practice parents would never send their children to school! (This is what my admin told me when she heard me "educating" the mother of a child with a 103 fever. She asked me to find the "policy" on this "rule" and after 4 hour of searching the policies and procedures for the district and calling the heads in health and medical, I found out this wasn't a policy at all but just good "infection control" practice. Well, working for a school that has a goal of 98% attendance and teachers that will tell parents to medicate fevers so kids are in school l have had an uphill battle. My office is next to the registrar, who, BLESS HER HEART, is held responsible for all absences, legit or not, who gives me the stink eye when I send kids home sick prior to attendance, and because she knows when I send a kid home, chances are, tomorrow they will not be in school.
It kind of sucks being torn between good health of all the students, and the school losing funding every day a kid is absent!
My district has a policy in place that states that a fever of over 100 degrees must stay home for 24 hours. They had the 24 hour rule for vomiting, too, but scrapped that one, which I tend to agree with. This is one of the few things my principal will back me up on. It saves the principal from getting sick, after all :)
Happened to me a couple weeks ago...tei in the same day! LD#1 puked at school, LD#2 had a temp of 101.3. Both were back the next morning. Of course, teachers were ticked at me. Since I retrieved them from their homes and brought them back to school.
With th full support from my principal, I called parents and told hem LDs needed to be picked up. "Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't know the rule." Really? Cuz I told you when you picked up your kid LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO!!!
This is what I am proposing goes in the handbook this year: (there is nothing currently)
Vomiting: Students who vomit in school (witnessed) will be excluded and parents/guardians notified. There may be exceptions if it can be determined that vomiting was caused by factors such as nervousness, excessive crying/anger, phlegm in throat, ect. Children who vomit at home should not come to school until free from symptoms for 12 hours.
I like this. I am not a huge fan of the one puke rule. I wish we were given a bit if leeway to use our nursing judgment. Big difference between gastroenteritis puke and spinny toy Jackson Pollack rivaling puke.
I like this. I am not a huge fan of the one puke rule. I wish we were given a bit if leeway to use our nursing judgment. Big difference between gastroenteritis puke and spinny toy Jackson Pollack rivaling puke.
OldDude
1 Article; 4,787 Posts
We have the 24 hour rule written into our school policy but my nursing judgement trumps that rule. I assess the kids individually and instruct the parents accordingly. If I tell them the student can't attend school tomorrow and the kids shows up I call the parent to come pick them up. I am the "perfect attendance" grim reaper.