How? Just, HOW?!

Specialties School

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I had a first today!

The first time a student accidentally stapled their fingers together...like FULL ON staple completely embedded into the pads of their fingers stapled their fingers together. How in the world does someone do that?!

The student wouldn't let me touch it, nor did I even want to attempt it, but mom wanted me to remove it. You wouldn't remove it, would you?

3 hours ago, UrbanHealthRN said:

Maybe make a 504 plan and have mom sign off on it. Let her see on paper how ridiculous that sounds!

But what if she agrees to it!! ?

2 Votes
3 hours ago, UrbanHealthRN said:

"when it happens again"...you should add this to the kid's medical history. Maybe make a 504 plan and have mom sign off on it. Let her see on paper how ridiculous that sounds!

Right?!?!

38 minutes ago, nursex23 said:

But what if she agrees to it!! ?

Good gravy, she probably would!!!

1 Votes

Even pediatricians won't do certain things in their office, they refer to a specialist. A good medical professional knows their scope of practice, limitations, and what tools they have (or in our case don't have) to do an intervention properly.

The parent is not my boss - the Nurse Practice Act and the safety of my patients are!

2 Votes

I think you were right not to remove it. If someone came into the hospital for that, I would not even think of removing them until it was seen by a doctor/PA

1 Votes
Specializes in school nursing.

In my ER experience, if there was a chance it nicked the bone, it's considered an open fracture and abx are necessary. I probably wouldn't touch it if it appeared deeply embedded either. Doubtful, but I like to err on the side of caution. If parent wants to yank it out, more power to them. Not me, though.

5 Votes

I had the same thing (kid securely stapled two fingers together) and parent went to urgent care where they did an xray prior to removal. The most therapeutic thing I did was loosely wrap it so that gawkers would stop looking and gasping out loud, thus setting off the student all over again.

3 Votes

Silly kids. They will do anything to create drama, for attention, and to avoid studying in class like they are supposed to be doing, and also to get out of class.

It's all a drama act. I think they should be disciplined by the principal for such silly distracting stuff.

On 1/23/2020 at 7:58 AM, JenTheSchoolRN said:

I might pull it out, depending on assessment. If it is two deep for my tweezers or splinter out tool, no go. And only if kid is willing. Not willing, nope.

But why I also say this is only because so many of my students would not have an adult who could pick them up and/or take them to be seen for prompt removal. Kid would be sitting in my office all day.

2 Votes
Specializes in School nurse.

My brother accidentally stabled his finger with a construction stable and it became very infected and he needed several rounds of ABX before it started to heal. I would not remove a stable.

I had a preschooler with an infected sliver it was a big puss blister with most of the finger red and swollen. Mother wanted me to remove it and I said no he needs to be seen by a doctor. I believe she took him to the car and removed it and brought him back in. The next time I say him he was bandaged.

1 Votes
3 minutes ago, Tdlerma RN said:

Mother wanted me to remove it and I said no he needs to be seen by a doctor. I believe she took him to the car and removed it and brought him back in.

?‍♀️ I wouldn't mind as long as I'm not the one they're going to look at if it becomes infected. All you can do is educate and document.

1 Votes
Specializes in Med/Surg, Emergency Room, School Nurse.

Knock on wood... I have not seen that one yet, give it time I'm at a high school.

The most I have had thus far is ear bud stuck in the ear, lead from a lead pencil in the eye, that couldn't be removed with flushing (came to me after the student tried doing it themselves).

Although I do have the occasional student come in requesting to drain their blisters or pus filled ingrown toenail. Those students get a look of "are you seriously asking that" Then I tell them to go back to class. ?

1 Votes
Specializes in School Nursing.
35 minutes ago, msilcox said:

Knock on wood... I have not seen that one yet, give it time I'm at a high school.

The most I have had thus far is ear bud stuck in the ear, lead from a lead pencil in the eye, that couldn't be removed with flushing (came to me after the student tried doing it themselves).

Although I do have the occasional student come in requesting to drain their blisters or pus filled ingrown toenail. Those students get a look of "are you seriously asking that" Then I tell them to go back to class. ?

My high school students always ask me to do an x-ray. Where in world do you think I keep an x-ray machine?

1 Votes
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