Entitlement - Are We Making The Problem Worse?

[OyWithThePoodles]

In regards to the sense of entitlement that these kids have nowadays.

*shakes my granny fist*

For example, the kid that came up that hurt his ankle a few days ago, wasn't wearing his splint, played in PE and now it was hurting. He wants an ice pack.

I wanted to say, "No, you did this days ago, YOU did not wear your splint, and YOU decided to play in PE knowing it would make it hurt worse."

But instead I gave him an ice pack. If I don't sometimes the teacher sends them back or I am afraid of the sue happy parents in this world. "Why didn't you give my snowflake an ice pack for their non-existent injury!!!???"

A girl came in and said her hand was on the ground and the basketball hit it. Not jammed the fingers, but rolled over and hit it. She wants an ice pack.

I wanted to say, "No, shake it off, rub some dirt on it."

But instead I gave her an ice pack.

I feel like this is a placebo effect more than anything, and they'll be satisfied with the little bit of ice. But then it makes me wonder why can't we tell these kids, who have NO redness/swelling/bruising, normal ROM, that they will be okay without an icepack? They always refuse amputation when I offer, so....

[zombieghoast]

That's valid.

Actually, the "Run Away!" was from The Holy Grail.

[bluebonnetrn, BSN, RN]

Somewhere along the way, these kids were taught that anything less than 100% pain-free or less than 100% healthy is unacceptable and that there is ALWAYS an instant fix for everything.

YES! YES! YES! YES!

This right here is the biggest issue in school nursing. I tell my fellow nurse peeps that I am doing my best to raise this generation of kids so that they are NOT the FF, call bell every 5 minutes, seeing the Doc for every twitch and tingle adults.

I am trying at least.

So no ice packs in my clinic if there is no swelling or bruising. Occasionally I do cave but I am pretty tough. I even tell kids this is not a reason to come to the clinic and miss valuable time learning new and wonderful things”.

I have repeatedly told teachers not to send kids to the clinic for hangnails, invisible papercuts and etc. But they do because they are SCARED of these parents”. So I tell them I will be happy to speak to any parent who is upset and explain to them that I didn't think their child with a hangnail should be sitting next to another child in the clinic who has a 103 fever. I am only thinking of their best interests!

When they do get an ice pack it is ice cubes in a ziplock bag and wrapped with a brown paper towel (the scratchy kind).

I am working at a good” school that is in a good” neighborhood with good” parents. And yes, they are turning them into a bunch of crybaby snowflakes who will absolutely bleed our health system dry.

But y'all – this is the part that scares me the most – these are the kids who will be taking care of US when we are older.

**SHUDDER**

The admin supports me until I get one of those” parents that complain and then I don't get supported. Oh well. I trust my assessment and decision making skills and I refer when indicated and it's all documented.

One of the things that drives me most crazy about my district is that we have to report EVERY single head bump as a head injury. We have a quick neuro assessment, a form with warning signs for the parents and we have to call every time. I am talking about silly little regular ‘ol kids bump their heads a lot stuff. We are teaching these kids and their parents that every single thing has to be medically evaluated. When I call I either have the parent that is yeah, umm, ok” in the why the heck are you calling me for this voice or the parents who are ready to call 911 and rush them into brain surgery. How is this furthering health education in the community!? I am sure there is some story as to why we have to do this now but I don't know what it is. I feel like if a nurse missed a major head injury then that should be on that nurse and not all of us.

My hands down favorite is still the 5^th grader who got hit with a pebble. A pebble? Yes, a pebble. You mean like a small rock? Yes, a pebble. Oooooookaaaay. That is not a head injury people!

They send EVERYthing. One time one first grade boy kicked another first grade boy in the balls. So I had to check them both. I had to check the kicker's toes. Are you serious!? Was he wearing a steel cup? LOL

But I do love it! The interactions with the kids are priceless. I had a kindergartener tell me the other day the black part of my eye fell out!”

I HATE it when that happens!!

[Farawyn]

YES! YES! YES! YES!

This right here is the biggest issue in school nursing. I tell my fellow nurse peeps that I am doing my best to raise this generation of kids so that they are NOT the FF, call bell every 5 minutes, seeing the Doc for every twitch and tingle adults.

I am trying at least.

So no ice packs in my clinic if there is no swelling or bruising. Occasionally I do cave but I am pretty tough. I even tell kids this is not a reason to come to the clinic and miss valuable time learning new and wonderful things”.

I have repeatedly told teachers not to send kids to the clinic for hangnails, invisible papercuts and etc. But they do because they are SCARED of these parents”. So I tell them I will be happy to speak to any parent who is upset and explain to them that I didn't think their child with a hangnail should be sitting next to another child in the clinic who has a 103 fever. I am only thinking of their best interests!

When they do get an ice pack it is ice cubes in a ziplock bag and wrapped with a brown paper towel (the scratchy kind).

I am working at a good” school that is in a good” neighborhood with good” parents. And yes, they are turning them into a bunch of crybaby snowflakes who will absolutely bleed our health system dry.

But y'all – this is the part that scares me the most – these are the kids who will be taking care of US when we are older.

**SHUDDER**

The admin supports me until I get one of those” parents that complain and then I don't get supported. Oh well. I trust my assessment and decision making skills and I refer when indicated and it's all documented.

One of the things that drives me most crazy about my district is that we have to report EVERY single head bump as a head injury. We have a quick neuro assessment, a form with warning signs for the parents and we have to call every time. I am talking about silly little regular ‘ol kids bump their heads a lot stuff. We are teaching these kids and their parents that every single thing has to be medically evaluated. When I call I either have the parent that is yeah, umm, ok” in the why the heck are you calling me for this voice or the parents who are ready to call 911 and rush them into brain surgery. How is this furthering health education in the community!? I am sure there is some story as to why we have to do this now but I don't know what it is. I feel like if a nurse missed a major head injury then that should be on that nurse and not all of us.

My hands down favorite is still the 5^th grader who got hit with a pebble. A pebble? Yes, a pebble. You mean like a small rock? Yes, a pebble. Oooooookaaaay. That is not a head injury people!

They send EVERYthing. One time one first grade boy kicked another first grade boy in the balls. So I had to check them both. I had to check the kicker's toes. Are you serious!? Was he wearing a steel cup? LOL

But I do love it! The interactions with the kids are priceless. I had a kindergartener tell me the other day the black part of my eye fell out!”

I HATE it when that happens!!

Great post. Requoting you, because, Yes, it is that good.

[bluebonnetrn, BSN, RN]

Thanks for reading ALL that! LOL

I wrote a novel...

I love novels

[SchoolNurseTXstyle]

Haven't you learned by now to bring your standard issue School Nurse brand Crystal Ball (patent pending) to work with you - Every day!

My crystal ball and magic wand broke 10 year years ago, ironically right around the time I became a school nurse. I have been searching desperately for a repair shop ever since. So far, no luck!!! Any ideas??? Maybe wishing on the ice pack gods and stale cracker fairies will bring them back???

[bluebonnetrn, BSN, RN]

Mine are on order but they haven't come in yet

[Roy Hanson]

Kids are not entitled..they have earn it! Ice Pack..ONLY if needed. YOur the nurse..make a decision.

[Farawyn]

Kids are not entitled..they have earn it! Ice Pack..ONLY if needed. YOur the nurse..make a decision.

We are. Did you read the thread?

[Carolsteeley]

Could the FF have gone to the hospital?

[Lemon Bars]

At an an outdoor school/camp where I worked at we would wet folded paper towels and freeze them. When the kids asked for an ice pack for something minor we would give them a frozen wet paper towel instead of a real ice pack. It was easy and cheap.

[Goals1118]

As a current elementary teacher, I always have kiddos who come to me in 'desperate need of immediate medical attention' i.e. they want to take a trip to the nurse to get an icepack that will later be used as a toy or drink in class. Unless I see blood or an obvious bruise, I don't send them to the nurse right away.

I try to calm them down first and see if they want to get water. My kiddos feel like that is a treat almost as special as taking a trip to the nurses office. That usually works and then they go back to their task or playing at recess as normal. The magic water fountain cures all!

[Farawyn]

If my kids don't get to come to me, they text their parents who show up and pick them up.