How to help coughing student?

[sydcarverrn]

Any non pharm tips for helping students with a cough!? ? .

[iggywench, BSN, RN]

I've heard that having them suck on a marshmallow will help, but then students will find out you have marshmallows... I usually make them some lemon ginger tea with honey, and that seems to help. Besides that, I have a spiel about sinus drainage and the symptoms it can cause, blowing their nose instead of sniffing, and drinking lots of water to thin the mucous.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

I have told my own children for years that pushing fluids is the best treatment. All I ever heard was thanks for nothing from them, until my oldest tried it out of desperation. He is now a disciple on the hydration gospel. Cough drops don't work and phenergan liquid works, but I don't like the side effects for my kids and despite two nurses, we really dislike pharma solutions.

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

I give peppermints. I explain it to the kids that their throats are irritated, much like when their lips get chapped, and the peppermints offer a barrier that usually stifles the coughing for a bit as well as soothes the throat. I also do the hydration talk and blowing rather than sniffing everything back up in their heads to avoid any more irritation d/t drainage. I know many don't do the peppermints, but its literally one of the only things I CAN do without MD orders so I keep it in my back pocket. 99% of the time, the placebo effect works wonders.

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

Hydration station, all the way - though, if they have their own cough drops, I let them have as many as they want, but they have to come see me to get them; If they don't, they get one from my supply and then its water water water.

[mainecoonRN92, BSN, RN]

I too push for fluids. I do not give any OTC/hard candy due to district policy/DHS regulations. I will give some warm water and set a timer (preschool age students) and explain that I want them to try to drink slowly over a minute or two.

Other than that, my state guidelines note that exclusion is recommended if the child is experiencing severe, uncontrolled coughing or wheezing, having difficulty breathing, etc. If the student has tried all my tricks and is still coughing after 15-20 minutes, I call home for pick up.

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

A bottle of water on the desk and little sips every few minutes. If they're older I'll run to the staff room and get them warm water for their water bottle.

[ihavealltheice]

Lots of warm water and have them blow their nose. That tickle is an awful feeling!

[Eleven011]

I've had them gargle with warm salt water for both coughs and sore throats. Also push the hydration. But that's about all I got.

["nursy", RN]

Never mind the coughing student, what about the coughing NURSE!!!!???? I'll take ANYTHING.....pharm, non pharm, mainstream, alternative, ANYTHING! Nothing is working and i'm dying?!

Seriously, after 15 minutes if they're hacking, I call for dismissal. I wish someone would call my mom to pick me up......

[DeeAngel]

Do they have cough variant asthma? This is how my asthma manifests.

[BeckyESRN]

Just send them to the nurse's office, lol. I had a stream of "hasn't stopped coughing all day" visits yesterday and I never heard a single cough.

Water, water, and more water.