Help! Parents don’t submit paperwork!!

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I work at a high school and I am looking for Any suggestions on what works for getting parents to turn paperwork in?? I’ve sent home forms at the end of the previous school year, emailed parents over the summer, and still so many parents do not turn in action plans and med forms for students with seizures, severe allergies etc. at the beginning of the school year. I’m hoping someone has some insight to a process that actually works!

How frequently do you call, email, or mail home forms requesting completed forms? What do you do when student has epipens in their backpacks but parents don’t provide documentation for it?

Any help is appreciated!!Thanks!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Orthopedic, M Surg, School RN.

Good morning Nurse Dew.

Do we work at the same school? ? Same over here.

Seems like you've done well by using all modes of communication.

How supportive is your administration (Principal, VP etc)? I find that the majority of schools that have success with this have specific processes in place and admins that assist you with incentives for parents. I've heard some schools wont allow students to complete registration without health forms, some wont allow for classes schedules to be distributed until health forms are submitted, no sports unless forms are submitted...etc. Would they help you in this way?

What is access to medical care is like in the community you serve? In my last job, access to services, cost of medication and no insurance were big. Fortunately we had several public hospitals nearby and MD's and NP's working in the medical room to offer sports physicals, renew medication orders and etc. Although that was very helpful there were STILL parents who did not supply medical orders and or medication for their children. In certain cases and after parent meetings we had to involve social services for medical neglect.

Someone suggested to me to request a medical meeting (maybe it needs a better name) with the parents who do not bring in the required items, show them what you need to keep their kid safe and maybe they will share what the difficulty is or bring it in? Seems like a good idea but I'm an introvert so this terrifies me a bit.

If all fails then document document document all your efforts.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

You absolutely cannot care more than the parent does. I have a three tries rule and then, as Tadaaaa says, I document document document.

In the third try I get real with the parent, either by phone or email. "I do not have stock medication to treat your student. If an emergency occurs, my only recourse is to call EMS and then call you."

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I don't chase these types of parents down anymore. In our district every year parents are required to fill out a medical history form online - if they put in their kid has allergies, asthma etc it automatically sends them a link to print the required forms. When I review the medical info and I have not received any forms/communication from parent I will send the forms again via email and call for clarification if needed. After that I don't reach out any more. If I don't have emergency meds on hand - we just call 911.

I don't have any advice regarding self carrying - I am at elementary, its a bit easier for us to enforce our medication policy regarding self carry.

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Specializes in school nursing.

Welcome to HS! I chased and chased and chased last year. I think I called parents monthly until March. Now, I'm implementing the three strike rule like Ruby said... document your efforts!

If I do not have paperwork for a medication that a student has on them/in their belongings, I confiscate said med per district policy. Then I contact parents and let them know they need to come get it or provide me with paperwork for it ASAP.

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The only way we get forms from a handful of parents is threats. Threaten that the child can't participate in sports, clubs, after school events, then school exclusion. I've had parents straight up tell me "no" when I ask for updated forms.

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Specializes in school nursing/ maternal/child hospital based.

This has to be one of the most frustrating parts of this job!!! The amount of time it takes to keep contacting, sending paperwork etc is shocking. I didn't know it was an "option" as a parent to not send emergency medication or send appropriate documentation so my child could safely be taken care of?!?! Im starting my 5th year of school nursing and have gotten to the point where I try the 3 attempts( document like crazy) and then spend my time elsewhere. This job is far too hard to keep beating a dead horse. For me, no difference between elementary school and middle school when it comes to this issue.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

Three. At least one call, at least one email if I have it. I have, on occasion, resorted to certified mail. Document, document, document. God forbid, something happens, call 911 and when the parent questions why you tell them because you didn't have their current emergency plan on file.

If a student had meds on their person without appropriate paperwork, that seems to me like a violation of policy which would be an issue for the principal or SRO.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
21 minutes ago, SaltineQueen said:

If a student had meds on their person without appropriate paperwork, that seems to me like a violation of policy which would be an issue for the principal or SRO.

It is a violation. And I take away everything but EpiPens and HFA inhalers because I do not want to be that nurse....but I document, document, document and get admin involved.

My favorite story: HS junior had his HFA inhaler in his glove box. Drug dog sounded on it. Long story short.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

I have pretty good luck contacting the providers directly for updated asthma orders, if they have current ones, they will fax them to me. Of course I let the parents know I'm doing this, and of course they're fine with it (less work for them). Of course, then I still have to actually get the inhaler....sigh....

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Specializes in kids.
On 9/4/2019 at 12:40 PM, ruby_jane said:

It is a violation. And I take away everything but EpiPens and HFA inhalers because I do not want to be that nurse....but I document, document, document and get admin involved.

My favorite story: HS junior had his HFA inhaler in his glove box. Drug dog sounded on it. Long story short.

And it WAS a regular inhaler canister, not one of the fake ones?

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i am in the camp of "no longer chase". If a parent isn't ponying up an epipen, i will ask them for either an updated order or a note from MD stating they no longer need it, but it's rare I get that - then i document. If a child had an order for something else last year- tylenol, midol, etc, i definitely don't chase those. My forms are online - help yourself.

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