Help - GI bug

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Hi All!

First year as a school nurse. Officially "christened" into the job yesterday by a Kindergarten student with a belly ache. For over a week now, so many kids with GI illness. I sent 12 kids home today which is huge for my little school of 140 (PreK and K). I'm definitely monitoring handwashing, sending the sick ones home, and have spoken to the custodians about bleaching all surfaces. All nap time blankets are being sent home today to be washed. What else can/ should I do? I'm thinking if the situation doesn't turn around by next week having the drinking fountains shut down and requesting all kids bring a water bottle from home.

Specializes in ICU, Adventures in school nursing.

Thank you all for your input. Thankfully, I think this bug has run its course for now. We had almost a week off with our recent snow storm after our custodians had gone through and thoroughly bleached all that could be. Knock on wood...

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

I'm not a school nurse, but I am a mom. (and a nurse! LOL)

One thing that had a huge impact on my own kid was explaining *exactly* what is meant by "fecal-oral route".

Any time he had nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, I explained that it was because he ate someone else's poop: Someone didn't wash properly after toileting and they got poop-and-germs on any number of surfaces that they touched after that -- bathroom stall door latch, sink, paper towel dispenser, doorknobs, walls, chairs, tables/desks, pencil sharpener, communal crayons/markers/paintbrushes, yada yada yada. Then he touched that object and got the poop-and-germs on his hands, then he touched food or his mouth or a stick of gum or something that went in his mouth and he ate the poop-and-germs and got sick.

When I explained that the ONLY way he caught his tummy-bug was from eating someone else's poop because those germs are only found in poop, his hand-washing compliance increased greatly! He uses paper towels to turn off the faucet and open the door in a public restroom, too. It's been years since he puked.

Now if only I could get a job teaching this little gem to adult cruise ship passengers! LOL

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Specializes in School nursing.

I put up this little poster from the CDC in ALL of my bathrooms, including the staff ones :).

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I put up this little poster from the CDC in ALL of my bathrooms, including the staff ones :).

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LOVE IT!!!

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Jen-Elizabeth, I love that poster! I have one in all the bathrooms here too!

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I have a Facebook Page for our school health office. I let parents know what is "trending." So far it has been very well received.

Love that poster! I need to order some.

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