I am lamenting my job these days... I am feeling so fed up with these kids and their arbitrary complaints.
Last week I had a girl in pretending to have visual/auditory hallucinations. Of course I can't say that I think she is faking it, but my experience and the convenient on/off quality of the hallucinations raise enough suspicion that I wanted to tell the girl to quit it and buck up. Meanwhile, I can't do anything else in my office or even really treat other kids because WHAT IF?? What if she isn't faking? What if she is experiencing an episode of psychosis? What if I ignore it? What if she leaves my office and hurts herself? What if.... argg!!!!!
Kid after kid crying about a belly ache and begging to have me call home for something that they never should have even left the classroom for.
I know I will stay because I am not giving up this schedule/pension. But I am so salty about it all for the whole last week. I need a vacation....
Edit to add- I am also fully aware that this is a stressful time in my personal life with holidays, graduate classes, single mom life, etc.
Neosporin actually has sulfa in it, some people are allergic.
Indeed. It is way I don't use it in my office. Just alcohol wipe and sometimes some petroleum to protect if needed. Wounds I see are usually fresh and keeping it clean keeps it infection free. If parent/guardian wants to use it at home, go for it.
Any time I see an older wound I suspect is infected, I'm calling home anyways :).
We can't use any abx ointments here. We don't use alcohol on students either, unless they want it to clean an earring or piercing. Soap and water, bactine, and J&J first aid cream are our go-tos for abrasions, cuts, invisible injuries, etc.
LOL...I'm dying at the "well, I can break it for you if you like" comment. I'm dying.
I currently have a pregnant teacher who is driving me bonkers although, let's be honest, she has historically driven me up the wall pregnant or not. She wanted to send a kid back home yesterday at 8 a.m. because he'd vomited exactly 24 hours earlier. She knew I'd say no & keep him at school so she bypassed me & called the administrative assistant who said, "oh, maybe he shouldn't be here. He could still be contagious!" So teacher sent him packing for me to call mom. Uh, no...I called her back telling her I won't be making that call & little guy is heading right back to class. "But Sally says he's contagious!"
"Oh yeah? So, my job as the only medical professional in the building is to clean dog poop off footballs & let your sleepy kids nap on my cot but when there's a question of disease communicability, those calls go to the school secretary? I just want to get this straight."
It sounds like you are a school nurse. I don't know much about school nursing but can you arrange a referral to a psychologist or someone who can say BS?
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
"But Sally says he's contagious!"
"Oh yeah? So, my job as the only medical professional in the building is to clean dog poop off footballs & let your sleepy kids nap on my cot but when there's a question of disease communicability, those calls go to the school secretary? I just want to get this straight."
It sounds like you are a school nurse. I don't know much about school nursing but can you arrange a referral to a psychologist or someone who can say BS?
I think this is in reference to the original post.
Yes, I am a school nurse (this is in the school nurse forum, but I know it was trending). This particular student is closely followed by the social worker here who also feels the hallucinations are not legit. Mom thinks the hallucinations are made up. The student was recently hospitalized for 3+ weeks for other psych issues. Per mom, she very much would like to be readmitted because she does not want to be at school (bullying issues along with a lot of social awkwardness).
That's what this teacher thinks...I had to clarify with her last week that she isn't to send sleepy children to me as "tired" isn't a medical issue.
This is what I wanted to send out to my teachers on Thursday- I'm in Chicagoland and the Cubs won the world series at midnight the night before. I had several students tell me that they stayed up and ran out at midnight to get World Series shirts. Most of our schools had no students on Friday but the high schools were in session but over 2000 students were absent due to the Cubs rally/parade downtown Chicago.
Specializes in clinic, ortho/neuro, trauma, college.
I think I've reached nurse burn-out. I feel like I give, give, give constantly. If I'm not at work, then I'm at home doing laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning house. Or I'm driving girls to volleyball games, volunteering as line judge, or helping build the set for the upcoming musical, or feeding my neighbor's dog. Someone always wants something from me. But does anyone ever ask what I need?
Who takes care of the nurse? Who takes care of mom?
Late to this conversation, but I just wanted to pop in to scream AMEN!!!!
JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN
3,035 Posts
Indeed. It is way I don't use it in my office. Just alcohol wipe and sometimes some petroleum to protect if needed. Wounds I see are usually fresh and keeping it clean keeps it infection free. If parent/guardian wants to use it at home, go for it.
Any time I see an older wound I suspect is infected, I'm calling home anyways :).