Fustrated and school hasn't even started!

[longislandjade]

Hi everyone, I have been following the comments here for a while but never posted. I have been a school RN for 6 years in a 2 nurse building. Last year I moved to an elementary school grades 1-5 after the nurse retired, she had 450 kids (not bad for one nurse I thought). To my surprise the enrollment jumped to 750 kids. It was extremely challenging, it got done with much OT and sacrificing my free time. I reached out to my supervisor early in the year who said she would consider a float RN among the elementary schools.

So here we are, I have almost 800 kids this year some with serious health issues (4 w/iddm, seizures, cancer, heart conditions) and the usual other type of issues. I had 75 med orders (standing/prn)last year so I anticipate the same if not more. I have NO health clerk, NO aide, NO nothing! It is all on me, and with the new NYS immunization guidelines thrown into loop how am I supposed to manage it all alone...they are giving me a song and dance about getting me help.

Now, I understand that I am fortunate to be in a district that allows nurses at every school, but if the two middle schools in the district have less kids (not by much, but still less) than I do, how do they justify not getting me help?!

I'm sorry for the rant, but I worry about being put in a situation in which one child needs epi for anaphylactic rxn while another may need diastat for their seizure. In my district all meds are in my office, diabetic testing is my office. It is very overwhelming and I resent being put in situations that may affect the safety of my kids and puts my license in jeopardy.

For the nurses that have to do it all alone, how do you not lose your mind? How do you manage? Thanks

[SnowyJ, RN]

Ugh!!! I feel your pain! These new regulations have me pulling my hair out. It doesn't help that I have had MDs tell parents their child is "all set" when I clearly outlined that they need some boosters, by law. I only have 600 students, K-5, and that's enough! I do get sporadic help with vision and hearing screenings from a float nurse, but it's usually only 1 or 2 days a month. You should at least have that. I have a ton of meds too and some pretty serious health issues. Sometimes I feel like I am going on a wing and a prayer. But I keep telling myself that every problem has a solution, and that even on the toughest days, the bell rings and I get a little time to catch up,.

Do you have a nurse sub list? Would your supervisor be willing to have a sub come in to help you at least until you are rolling along?

I sure hope so.

[longislandjade]

Thanks SnowyJ, yes we do have a sub list when I asked for help during screenings last year, I was told,"If I give you help all the other elementary nurses are going to want the same" only difference is my school has the highest enrollment among the elementary and the middle schools in my district.

My supervisor attended a meeting given by the dept of health and I think is realizing the impact these new guidelines will have at our level and offered to get us the "help" as needed but only in reference to immunizations...your right though I need to breathe; every problem has a solution. TY