2 Field Trips..1 Day...1Nurse

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Hello,

This is my first year as a school nurse so I'm still trying to figure out all of the legal stuff that surrounds our job. I work at a Charter School with no other nurse available. I do have two sub nurses who have a contract with our school but they both have hospital jobs making it difficult for me to find coverage.

Anyways, I have 2 field trips coming up involving three different grades (a school nurses worst nightmare). I also have two diabetic students, one going on each trip. One of the diabetic students is going on a four hour long hiking field trip. The other diabetic student is going to a science museum. Neither of the parents can accompany their student on the trip. One parent demanded that I specifically be on her son's trip because "you know him best and he is the worst off diabetic".

My question is: Can a sub nurse go on one of the field trips with a diabetic student? I do have my certificate for field trip delegation but I didn't think I could delegate emergency glucagon to another nurse.

Thank you in advance for your help.

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Specializes in cardiology, community, school nursing.

Hiya! I don't know about charter schools and the requirements for having trained unlicensed personnel caring for your students but because these would be licensed RNs (I would assume) you would not be delegating. They would be operating under their own license.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Field trips are the purpose for my sub nurses!! I don't typically go on field trips. I stay home and "guard the castle" and send the sub nurse off with my students. It's much easier for me to explain the needs of one or two students than a whole school.

But here's my question - if you're going on one trip and sub nurse is going on the other, who will be "guarding the castle"? Is your school ok with leaving the rest of the school unattended for a field trip?

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I just spoke with my director. He said if neither parent can accompany their child on the trip, neither of them can go. I feel awful :(. This just doesn't seem right. He said we are not legally obligated to provide a nurse on the trip and refused to play with the idea of getting a sub nurse to go on the trip. He also asked me to be the one to break it to the parents. I'm not looking forward to this :(.

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I guess my question is this: if you tell a student with a medical condition like diabetes they can't go on a trip is that not discrimination? I'm just basing that question on what I read in my "Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed" manual from the USDHS. The manual states that it is nice to have a parent go, but the student should not be told they can't attend if parent can't attend. I understand that's not law and I'm not accusing you of discrimination, just asking. We have similar predicaments at my school district. Too many field trips, not enough nurses to cover trips and schools. It is very frustrating to say the least.

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Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.
I just spoke with my director. He said if neither parent can accompany their child on the trip, neither of them can go. I feel awful :(. This just doesn't seem right. He said we are not legally obligated to provide a nurse on the trip and refused to play with the idea of getting a sub nurse to go on the trip. He also asked me to be the one to break it to the parents. I'm not looking forward to this :(.

Why do you have to break it to the parents?? The principal or director should do it, it's their policy. Now the parents are going to give you a hard time about it. :no:

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I guess my question is this: if you tell a student with a medical condition like diabetes they can't go on a trip is that not discrimination? I'm just basing that question on what I read in my "Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed" manual from the USDHS. The manual states that it is nice to have a parent go but the student should not be told they can't attend if parent can't attend. I understand that's not law and I'm not accusing you of discrimination, just asking. We have similar predicaments at my school district. Too many field trips, not enough nurses to cover trips and schools. It is very frustrating to say the least.[/quote']

The children can go if a parent can accompany them, theyre not being prohibited from going. Its the parents choice.

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So, if this was your child and you, as a parent could not go because you don't have a sub nurse for your school.....or because your job does not provide paid time off and missing a days salary means that your family is not eating for 2 days...Parent's choice?.....It is NEVER ok to exclude someone based on their medical needs....

All the parent has to do is ask for a 504 and request the accomodation that a trained person from the school accompany the student on field trips, and the school must provide it. Inform the parents about that. That is the purpose of 504's....to provide accomodations that allow the student to access ALL the education that is being provided to students.

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Yes. Exactly. This is a charter school.... do they even operate under the same guidelines as a traditional public school? Its not discrimination in my opinion, there are options the school has offered.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health, Home Care.

In Wisconsin, this would be considered denying the student equal access unless you are asking all parents to attend. We can delegate to UAP and that's who does field trips. Looks like teachers have to claim "dibs" on field trip dates.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

oh, the director is setting himself up for some tongue lashing from the parents. and it really stinks that he's using you to take the hit for him. Cripes, man up dude and take your lumps.

I am sorry in advance for the crap that those parents are going to give you over this. In a lot of other schools in a lot of other districts in other states (without knowing where you're from) a nurse would be provided without question - even if it was just one student with medical needs.

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Specializes in kids.

Ugh I do not envy you....and Flare is right, he needs to man up, maybe a "friendly concern" reminder about the kids rights to accomodations and equal access might get him thinking a sub would be a good choice.

I think I would rather be with the hike (exertion, increased caloric needs etc sounds a little more in need of direct nursing care with someone who lnows the kiddo) than on the field trip to the museum, but not knowing the kids I guess I cant really say.

Do you have a SpEd/Student Services coordinator who might campaign on your behalf?

Good Luck!

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