Frequent Flier Teachers

[Kschaefer90]

I have a teacher who sends multiple kids a day, almost every day down to my office for very minor things...for instance, I got 3 kiddos within 5 minutes all with tummy aches. Has this happened to anyone else? How have you dealt with this? I'm not sure how to approach the situation.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

LOL! I saw the title frequent flyer teachers and thought you meant the teachers who come down all the time needing something, bp check, Tylenol, can you check my ear, can you check my throat, I have this rash...

Those are worse than the frequent flyer kids...

[Wave Watcher]

I agree! Let me make a short list of what I have seen/been asked by staff members:

1. Lunch lady: Here's a picture of my mothers feet (picture on phone) they are all puffed up. What is it? (If the diagnosis don't start with Heart then I would be surprised)

2. After school staff member lifts his shirt up: OMG I have something gross on my stomach what is it? (it was ringworm...you can leave now and you are making me feel awkward)

3. Teacher shuts my door and whips boob out: I have this rash under my boob....what is it? (it's your boob, with a rash.)

4. Parent of student: My child has a rash and fever....what is it? (child is a sibling of student and does not even go to our school and wasn't even standing there with mom) (It's 50/50 hit or miss on rashes for me....you would be better off going to Vegas and asking someone there that has better luck than me)

5. Teacher assistant comes in crying and sits on my couch: I don't know what to do! The principal said she was switching my job role and I don't know what she meant! (neither do I but you are making me anxious).

6. Teacher: Can you take temp I don't feel good? (normal temp) Do you think I should go home? (nope. I don't have a temp either so can I go home?)

I could go on and on and on and on but I don't have the time. I need to study up on rashes.

[taydian]

"You're the nurse. You're the one who is supposed to deal with the crap I'm not hired to deal with. I teach. You deal with the yucky physical stuff.............and if I don't send this kid to you, I'll be held liable in a sue happy society".

---sincerely, Mr/Ms/Mrs. So and So.

[crynyce]

I can't count how many teachers,secretaries, teacher aides, security people and whoever else that come down to the nursing office just to ask some weird question. Everybody wants to show me something, or have their b/p checked because they didn't take their meds. Yes, I am a nurse but I don't have an answer for everything, nor do I care to see that weird bump on your stomach. How about googling this stuff, like I do, It works.

[fetch, BSN, RN]

Or frequent flyer parents! I have one day who had a "scratch" on his face - so swollen he looked like he had a golf ball in his mouth. Asked me "can you tell me if this is infected?" and I just said "I'm sorry I can't do that, maybe you should contact your doctor!" Two weeks later he's asking for a sling because he "springed" his wrist - well first of all I don't even have those for students, second GO TO YOUR DOCTOR!

[Nurse ABC]

There are a few of these teachers in every school. I found what helps most is two things: making the teacher fill out a pass that has student's name, date, time, and reason they are sending them. (Some school nurses in my district have a policy where the teacher must call her before sending a student.) This makes the teacher stop and think if it's worth taking the time to fill out a pass (or a phone call) for. A lot of times it's not so it cuts down on visits. Another help is sending a slip home with the student that they were seen by the nurse (we use a carbon copy of their pass). This lets the parent know they missed class for whatever reason. I've found a lot of parents don't know their child is a frequent flyer and when they do they aren't happy with it. Of course, this works better in grade school. I could see middle school or high schoolers throwing the paper away. In those cases, I'd call the parent.

You can't blame teachers for being afraid of missing something important in their student. You can blame them for not knowing their students well enough to tell when they are faking though. You aren't going to change the teacher (believe me I've tried) but you can get the parents involved.

Also, if I see the same student over and over I have a talk with that student to see what's going on and why they are asking to come and see me everyday. Problems at home, school, etc? Truly a health issue? I once had a girl that was coming in after lunch every day for a couple weeks complaining of stomach ache. No fever/vomiting/diarrhea. I sent a note to mom to follow-up with dr after talking to her and deciding no social problems. She ended up having diabetes. You never know.

Finally, I've learned to just not "treat" every student that sees me. I can't do much for stomachaches so I used to give crackers/juice or let the lay down. Word got out and everyone had stomach aches. If they don't have a fever, if they ate breakfast or lunch, played at recess, etc they get a pat on the back and sent back to class. They only get snack if I think they're hungry (esp for headaches an hour before lunch) or if I want to acertain if they're gonna puke. That's cut down a lot of visits too.

Hope this helps some-it does me!! :)

[Tina, RN]

Finally, I've learned to just not "treat" every student that sees me. I can't do much for stomachaches so I used to give crackers/juice or let the lay down. Word got out and everyone had stomach aches. If they don't have a fever, if they ate breakfast or lunch, played at recess, etc they get a pat on the back and sent back to class. They only get snack if I think they're hungry (esp for headaches an hour before lunch) or if I want to acertain if they're gonna puke. That's cut down a lot of visits too.

Hope this helps some-it does me!! :)

I have started to do this, too. I have a very small school, and I know the kids pretty well by now. If someone looks "off" it's usually obvious.

[smrslr]

Stomach aches are also one of the most common complaint for kids who just want out of class. If they don't have a fever there isn't much you can do. You can try to give a TUMS, but that doesn't always help and some kids come just because they like to eat them, and cough drops and everything else. You have to try to learn the ones that are for real and the ones who want out of class. But I work with older kids, so they are starting to test the waters.

[Elixer]

How about a student who comes in because she bit her tounge? No bleeding not even swollen. Or a student who twisted her ankle practicing dance on sunday and "think" she felt pain wednesday and came to complain fri just before going home.

I love being a school nurse and the humor it comes with.

[stephaniehowe]

I had a kid who hurt his wrist while washing his hands! Guess I should be proud he even washed them!