Field Trips

[zenman]

I'm posting in this section instead of the School Nursing section since many of you guys have kids.

Do your kids go on field trips in school? What kind of concerns do you have regarding emergency or routine care while they are on trips?

I'm asking because we go on field trips to surrounding countries and it is a hassle in planning for emergency care. Many of the tour companies only have personnel with basic first aid. Some are in areas with good medical care and EMS, others will have to be carried out of a jungle for example.

It's a big pain in the rear and most teachers and myself see little educational benefit. Most of these kids have already been to other countries and are culturally sensitive. I don't think it's worth the time and effort.

[MIA-RN]

well,. our field trips are a little more local than neighboring countries....lol

But I dont like it because I don't think they really understand that my daughter has asthma. Its less of an issue now that she is older and carries her own inhaler..but when she was little, and her asthma was worse, I worried all the time.

She has been on two overnites with school to other states for competitions and the person in charge of the meds was just a mother of one of the kids, with a list of meds the kids were supposed to take. I get really nervous with that too, because what if my daughter is not in the group with that mother when her asthma acts up. Or what if they don't realize (like much of the population) that ibuprofen (which my child is very allergic to) is the same as motrin and advil. The easy solution would be that I should go but my work schedule doens't allow it.

They supposedly have a plan for emergencies but I don't buy it.

Field trips tend to make me nervous, I couldn't imagine sending her off to another country or a jungle!

[hikernurse]

With kids who have special health needs, field trips can be trouble. One of the children in my kid's class had an anaphylactic (well, that sure doesn't look like it's spelled right) reaction to peanuts. One of the parents brought peanut butter cookies although this child's allergy was well-known. The little guy shared a cookie with a friend and when he couldn't breathe, instead of calling 911, the teacher put him in her car and drove to the hospital. He ended up being OK, but it was pretty scary.

[MNmom3boys]

My kids - esp. 9yo - go on field trips on almost a monthly basis. We live in the Mpls/St. Paul metro area, so no overnights, no foreign countries and no jungles are ever involved.

The trips arranged by our Charter school are almost w/out exception very educational and add to the curriculum being taught while in the classroom. There are so many things to see/experience here.

That being said: yes, there are times that I have been concerned about medical/emergency care issues being sufficently addressed. Particularly w/ regards to bee sting reactions and food allergies referred to by another post. And there are also ongoing medical issues i.e. diabeties that are handled by teachers/chaperones. BUT, most of these things would have to be dealt with in the course of a normal school day anyway - so why not encourage expanded learnig opportunites in other learning venues? I accompany my kids whenever possible, knowing that I need to be aware - just like any other public forum - and hoping I never need to put my skills to use.

I know this doesn't take care of you concerns - and I'm sorry for that - but I hope answered your questions.