High School Sports Physicals

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I have to maintain and keep track of sports physical in my school. I have asked for sports rosters multiple times so I can ensure that all of our Athletes have them. Am I wrong for doing this? I have asked my principle since I have to maintain and track them can I pull kids from playing sports... I was told to make a list and she will present it to the AD. I still have not gotten rosters when that message was sent to both the AD and principle. I know there are students that are playing sports with out the physicals. What can I do? Am I wrong if I tell the principle that if they are not willing to pull the students without physical then the AD should be the one responsible for maintaining them? My fear is something is going to happen to a student that does not have the physical/ Consent from parent to play and it is going to come back on me since I have to maintain them.

Any advice? Help? I am open ears. I am still fairly new to the School Nursing world..

Specializes in Med/Surg, Emergency Room, School Nurse.
On 9/18/2019 at 8:35 AM, SaltineQueen said:

Why isn't the athletic trainer in charge of keeping up on physicals? Instead of emailing the AD, I'd walk to his office and tell him to get you the roster. Then, I'd email both the AD and principal with the names of students who need to be pulled (but like it will ever happen) so you have your butt covered. Then, it's up to them.

I ask the same question why isn't the AD in charge?

I do both with email and verbal the only thing I have yet to do is walk to the office as most of the time I am unable to do so. I am all about making sure that there is a trail somewhere of me doing something.

I am already at risk since I am the one who keeps track of them, but I have no control of what happens to the athletes. That is what I am really concerned about because as it stands I am the one who will get thrown under the bus if anything comes barreling down.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Go up the chain of command and document every conversation. This will take valuable time, but will be worth it. You may need to get put on the agenda to express your concerns to the Board of Education if nothing is resolved before then. This is a cut and dried issue. I am so sorry that you are in such a no-win situation. Unfortunately, I agree, you will be thrown under the bus if an issue arises. Hang in there.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
3 hours ago, msilcox said:

I ask the same question why isn't the AD in charge?

I do both with email and verbal the only thing I have yet to do is walk to the office as most of the time I am unable to do so. I am all about making sure that there is a trail somewhere of me doing something.

I am already at risk since I am the one who keeps track of them, but I have no control of what happens to the athletes. That is what I am really concerned about because as it stands I am the one who will get thrown under the bus if anything comes barreling down.

The AD should be in charge of those. I wouldn't touch the sports physicals with a 10 foot pole. I am not going to be responsible for something that I can't ensure that everyone has met the guidelines for. Plus, I simply don't have the time for it.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
28 minutes ago, beachynurse said:

The AD should be in charge of those. I wouldn't touch the sports physicals with a 10 foot pole. I am not going to be responsible for something that I can't ensure that everyone has met the guidelines for. Plus, I simply don't have the time for it.

I am so thankful that this year at the high school I go to, this has been completely handed over to the AD. The secretary and I both threw away our blank copies away. YaaaaYesssss! It just got more complicated since in Missouri it got changed to now the Sports Physicals are good for 2 years instead of just one. What a nightmare to track. I am so glad to be done with them.

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Specializes in School nursing.

So...I'm kinda glad to be keeper of the physicals this year.

As I mentioned above, I work with my AD and we work well together. But I just got an updated physical faxed to me. Student was NOT cleared for sports, indicating a diagnosis of a bleeding disorder. I know this student and was very confused as parent never reports this to me. So I called student's parent. Parent was also confused. Turns out student had markers show up in bloodwork during an ER visit several months ago, info forwarded to PCP.

PCP NEVER TOLD PARENT and info at ER was not clearly not understood either, especially the impact it could have for this student when it comes to physical activity. Parent was so appreciative and student is seeing specialist this week. I benched student, of course, which was disappointing for all, but necessary unless the specialist clears her after further testing and can lift the ban (not sure that will happen).

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
34 minutes ago, JenTheSchoolRN said:

PCP NEVER TOLD PARENT and info at ER was not clearly not understood either, especially the impact it could have for this student when it comes to physical activity. Parent was so appreciative and student is seeing specialist this week. I benched student, of course, which was disappointing for all, but necessary unless the specialist clears her after further testing and can lift the ban (not sure that will happen).

And this is the rare exception that proves the rule that I don't want to be in charge of the physicals! Attagirl, Jen!!!

If I was handed the responsibility - because I like my nursing license just the way it is - I would develop some kind of tracking mechanism and enforce the rules. I suspect that the powers that be would take this away from me during the next year.... Good luck! Let us know how it works out.

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Specializes in kids.
41 minutes ago, JenTheSchoolRN said:

So...I'm kinda glad to be keeper of the physicals this year.

As I mentioned above, I work with my AD and we work well together. But I just got an updated physical faxed to me. Student was NOT cleared for sports, indicating a diagnosis of a bleeding disorder. I know this student and was very confused as parent never reports this to me. So I called student's parent. Parent was also confused. Turns out student had markers show up in bloodwork during an ER visit several months ago, info forwarded to PCP.

PCP NEVER TOLD PARENT and info at ER was not clearly not understood either, especially the impact it could have for this student when it comes to physical activity. Parent was so appreciative and student is seeing specialist this week. I benched student, of course, which was disappointing for all, but necessary unless the specialist clears her after further testing and can lift the ban (not sure that will happen).

Well done!!! I too monitor the physicals, time consuming but have caught some things that were not ever shared by parents.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Emergency Room, School Nurse.
45 minutes ago, JenTheSchoolRN said:

So...I'm kinda glad to be keeper of the physicals this year.

As I mentioned above, I work with my AD and we work well together. But I just got an updated physical faxed to me. Student was NOT cleared for sports, indicating a diagnosis of a bleeding disorder. I know this student and was very confused as parent never reports this to me. So I called student's parent. Parent was also confused. Turns out student had markers show up in bloodwork during an ER visit several months ago, info forwarded to PCP.

PCP NEVER TOLD PARENT and info at ER was not clearly not understood either, especially the impact it could have for this student when it comes to physical activity. Parent was so appreciative and student is seeing specialist this week. I benched student, of course, which was disappointing for all, but necessary unless the specialist clears her after further testing and can lift the ban (not sure that will happen).

This is my fear that something like this going to happen to one of the students that is playing without of physical on file. We recently had a student diagnosis'd with WPW but has been playing sports. This student is the one who told me what was going on with them, but what if they didn't and played sports without the physical then we have a student during practice have a heart attack.

I don't mind keeping track of them, but if i have to continue I want a say in who plays and who doesn't! This is just about the only way I find out medical hx on these kids. I can send out messages till I'm blue in the face call and talk to parents but harsh reality is that they just don't want to give up that information. They never had to before so why should they do it now. That is why I am having such a hard time with the sports physicals for the older students. They are very resistant to change. Even if it is for the health and welfare for their student, the state rule/ regulation, mindset is that they pay to be here so they should be able to do what they want.

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Specializes in kids.
1 minute ago, msilcox said:

They are very resistant to change. Even if it is for the health and welfare for their student, the state rule/ regulation, mindset is that they pay to be here so they should be able to do what they want.

Well, the (remote) possibility of a D1 athletic scholarship makes these people CRAZY!!!!

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
2 minutes ago, NutmeggeRN said:

Well, the (remote) possibility of a D1 athletic scholarship makes these people CRAZY!!!!

It really boils down to an entitlement that paying for an education is also paying for privilege. Our private school has changed in the past two years. The demographics used to be older parents who, for the most part, let the Principals run the school. Now we have young parents with the newfound wealth of our economy coming in demanding things. You hear things from kids like "my mommy drives a Porsche so you have to do what she says" and the children know their parents will back them if they are disciplined. We are in for a world of hurt in the near future.

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I actually enjoyed doing the physicals when I was floated to a high school. Of course, the kids came to the nurse first to get cleared and get a pass to tryout. But boy, did I learn that even the best kids are great liars. LOL

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Emergency Room, School Nurse.
14 hours ago, ChristmasNurse said:

I actually enjoyed doing the physicals when I was floated to a high school. Of course, the kids came to the nurse first to get cleared and get a pass to tryout. But boy, did I learn that even the best kids are great liars. LOL

That doesn't happen here. I don't get any info regarding try outs nor do they have to be approved by me. I am a 12 month employee so I am here year round but when it comes to sports I am completely left out of the loop.

The good news is that I finally got some of the sports rosters after I physically went to the AD's office. Which in itself was a fight. Still didn't want to give them up, cause now its a trust issue (AD stated "what you don't trust I'm doing what I should"), finally when I said its not about trust its that ultimately if something happens to one of these students that is on me not you.

They have a very hard time understanding that this my license that they put at risk. Again because they haven't had any licensed medical staff in many years.

At least I got one CYA in there I sent the list of students to my principle per request and also stated that I want to discuss the role and responsibility of keeping the Sports Physicals.

With the world the way it is, It just takes one sue happy parent and BAM I'm hit with negligence for them not turning in a sports physical and not stopping their child from playing sports since we have a policy in place.

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