Get your kid some glasses!!!

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I have mentioned this situation before and I have just reached the end of my rope. Student was vision screened last year as a 3rd grader and was 20/80 both eyes. Numerous follow up calls made, kid never saw an eye doctor. So, this year I re-screened her even though we do not routinely screen 4th graders. Now she is 20/100 and 20/80, so vision worsening. Sent referral home, left numerous messages. Finally around Thanksgiving I talked to her and she said that her parents would not allow her to get glasses AS PUNISHMENT for failing a class. Hello??? You think she might have failed because SHE CAN'T SEE??? At that point I got admin involved. Principal and Asst. principal talked to father. He asked for assistance. I sent home an application for free glasses and eye exam. After over 2 months of hounding them for it, it was finally returned in January. I got it approved and sent home a voucher for free exam and glasses on 1/20/09. Today, the child brought the voucher back to me and said the asst. principal was going to come talk to me about it. When I talked to her, she said that the parents say they do not have time to take her to the doctor and basically they are not going to do it. :angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:banghead::banghead:

So, I have had it. I put in a CPS report for medical neglect. I can understand not having resources but when someone gives you FREE exam and glasses and you STILL cannot find an hour to take care of your kid's MEDICAL NEEDS!!! Aaaargh! I have bent over backwards for these folks. Now the AP is even trying to see if SHE can bring the kid to the eye doc. I told her that it between her, the principal and the parents, but it is NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY! We are not her parents! What is happening in the world that parents just don't give a darn??

OK, vent over. I feel better. Anyone have a situation like this, or creative ways you have gotten the parents to pony up with some glasses?

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

purple, i have no quick solution to your problem, but i do empathize with you. even when you do everything in your power to help them, they still resist. so much for going above and beyond the call of duty. i see a trend lately where parents just don't give a crap about their kids. not all, but quite a few !

at this point, i would just stop all that you are doing, and hope that one day they will come to their senses. hurray for you trying to help the poor child. have a good day .

praiser :heartbeat

[SchoolNurseBSN]

Out of 430 kids.........I have roughly 127 that need glasses. I do not have the time or the energy to call 127 parents and hound them to death!!

Unfortunately, you cannot make parents care............you just do the best you can!!

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

It is just so frustrating. When we do our state vision reports Health Services wants to know why more kids don't have corrections done. Well, this is why! Parents really don't seem to care!

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

I think part of the rant we have is that these are the kids we see. The parents who take their kids to the doctor/optomitrist/dentist, never hit our radar. Right now I'm in immunization H*#L trying to get all of my students in compliance with the Allegheny County regulations. I have sent home a total of 4 letters beginning last April. I still have over 25% of my kids who don't have one or more of the "new" shots (Tdap, meningitis, varicella #2) I even tell the parents that if they are opposed to immunizations, all I need is a letter stating such, we don't force anyone to get immunizations. I give them phone #'s for the state and county health department which both provide free immunizations and have local clinics. "Can't you just give it at school?" Uh, NO, besides, it's not my job, I took MY kids to the doctor...

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

OK, here is the update on this situation.

FINALLY got the parents to take the kid into the eye doctor, with free voucher. Get a call from Eye doc. Student is "faking it". Her vision is 20/20. :stone I do not even have words for how I feel about this. She could barely read the top line of the Snellen in my office, or so she told me. When I heard this my first reaction was "I want to quit". I felt so defeated. I worked and tried for 2 years to get this kid some glasses, thinking her vision was horrible and she was PLAYING me all along. So, now I look like an idiot to admin and the doctor, not to mention CPS, her parents are frustrated (not with me, they understand that she was faking), and I have WASTED a free voucher when there are kids who really need glasses and really need financial help. AND wasted valuble CPS time and resources.

I am just beat down. Defeated. Even though I am not quitting, (can't if I wanted to), I feel like I am just done. Done trying so hard. Done chasing parents down and advocating so hard for these kids. Done caring too much. I really do not even have the words.

Part of me wants to give this kid a good talking to about wasting our time and resources and taking glasses away from another kid who really needs them. The other part of me just does not want to deal with her anymore.

I just feel...done. Any thoughts or words of encouragement (other than 10 days till spring break?)

[SchoolNurseBSN]

Purple scrubs-

I am so sorry this happened. Just keep in mind, no matter the outcome........you were an advocate for this child!!!! You did what you thought was best and I commend you for that. Obviously, this student has some issues to lie about something like that!!

[kidsnurse1969]

I feel your pain! This can be a very frustrating job.

You need to look to the kids that you have helped (and continue to help) to renew your faith in the job. Visit with a student or two that have really benefited from your services. Remind yourself that you are making a difference.

I know that you have helped many kids. Some of them in a small way by getting them through an "ouchie". Others on a much larger scale by helping them to be more available to learning or giving them a listening ear when no one else could or would. What we do is important!!

Don't let the ones that manipulate the system to get you down.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

purple, i commend you on your hard work with this child. you did your best by them and that is the most important thing. don't let it get you down. you are loved ! :heartbeat

praiser :heartbeat

ok, here is the update on this situation.

finally got the parents to take the kid into the eye doctor, with free voucher. get a call from eye doc. student is "faking it". her vision is 20/20. :stone i do not even have words for how i feel about this. she could barely read the top line of the snellen in my office, or so she told me. when i heard this my first reaction was "i want to quit". i felt so defeated. i worked and tried for 2 years to get this kid some glasses, thinking her vision was horrible and she was playing me all along. so, now i look like an idiot to admin and the doctor, not to mention cps, her parents are frustrated (not with me, they understand that she was faking), and i have wasted a free voucher when there are kids who really need glasses and really need financial help. and wasted valuble cps time and resources.

i am just beat down. defeated. even though i am not quitting, (can't if i wanted to), i feel like i am just done. done trying so hard. done chasing parents down and advocating so hard for these kids. done caring too much. i really do not even have the words.

part of me wants to give this kid a good talking to about wasting our time and resources and taking glasses away from another kid who really needs them. the other part of me just does not want to deal with her anymore.

i just feel...done. any thoughts or words of encouragement (other than 10 days till spring break?)

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

Thanks everyone for the kind thoughts. I am feeling a little better about things now. Just trying to find that magic balance between not caring enough and caring so much it destroys me. It is a work in progress!