How many kids do you see in a day?

halohg, RN · Mar 28, 2017

I have worked in prekindergarten thru 2nd grade and average 30 per day approximately 450 students. And have also worked middle school 6th thru 8th approximately 700 and would average 55 per day. Frequent flyers are always an issue but I call home after 2nd visit and speak to the parent reguarding student avoidance. I also educate the student what is and what is not appropriate reasons for seek health office assistance. Educating teachers will frustrate you so go the other route. I also work closely together with social workers and school psychologists if the frequent flyers are an ongoing issue. No you should not have to take work home, if the office is that busy I would ask administration for a second pair on hands during recess time. have students come to the HO with passes always, no pass, return to class. GL

RNLisaC · Mar 29, 2017

Thank you halogh! This is going to be so helpful in my gathering information to bring forward. Where I am, there are 300 students and I see anywhere from 35-46 per day. I have spoken to a couple of parents who said they would talk to their children. Talking to the teachers has not been helpful, as I have had the same child in the same grade come to me for nearly 6 days in a row, sometimes more than once and there was a time "I forgot why" (she was there). I have been asked to talk at a meeting to the teachers and provide them with a guideline that I'm working on. We will see how this goes. I think you may be right about this route being frustrating. I already asked admin if it was ok to not see a child without a pass and this has been getting better. I plan on asking for help in the future. I want to continue to see how things go and also collect some data. This forum has been very helpful.

Please keep the answers coming!

NurseBeans, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 29, 2017

I think the most important thing I have learned in this job is that I am allowed to have rules, and it is my shop to run. It is up to you to set your policies and procedures and follow up with enforcement. Hopefully you have admin backing. If you want kids to have a pass to come see you, insist on it. I mean, make exceptions as necessary, but yeah...your shop, your rules.

Of course, I struggle every day to get compliance with my own rules but I think that's the nature of the biz.

RNLisaC · Mar 29, 2017

Thank you Nursebeams. I hope to work on some policies. There aren't any. How many kids are in your school and how many kids do you see a day?

Schoolnurse73, ADN · Mar 29, 2017

680 in my school. I see about 30 per day, not including my daily med kiddos.

halohg, RN · Mar 29, 2017

What grades are you managing? It is okay in your meeting to give some general guidelines for the most common complaints. For stomach aches, teachers should ask how long they have not felt well and if less than 30 minutes, then send students to the bathroom, hydrate and rest at the desk and if after 30 minutes still not well then send. Headaches, same ask how long, hydrate and wait 30 minutes prior to sending. It truly still amazes me how many times the answer to that question is discomfort for less than 5minutes. Make up bandaids bags for each class and tell the teachers replacement bandaids or injuries that are simple can be washed in the bathroom and give student a bandaid. You want the active bleeders or playground abrasions, but not the picked cuticles, etc. Sore throats; as long as they do not have a fever, I usually give them a good salt gargle and they never come back, but I ask the teachers to have them drink some cold water before sending. Allergy season is coming so I like to remind the teachers that sneezing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, dry throats are normal and encourage water be allowed desk side to push fluids. likewise bug bites are coming and the little angels can use one of your bandaids you gave them and during recess or snack time they can come down for some anti itch lotion, but that is not a reason leave a math lesson. The bangs and ice seekers 80% of the time they don't need ice and are trying to make the classmate that accidentally hurt them feel bad or are attention seeking. I usually ask the student to demonstrate on my arm how hard they were banged and after they demonstrate a light tap, I reassure them they are not bruised, swollen or bleeding and send them back. If they really wind up I pull my arm away before I need ice...but that is rare. What paperwork are you bringing home? It is a process to find your own way, patience. It's really a great job and out of the mouth of babes will have you smiling more than anything else...for example. Kindergartener comes in for I forgot reason but had untied shoes so I ask him to lift his foot on my open draw because "I am an old lady" to which he responds you don't look too old, you don't even have a beard yet! I laughed so hard my gum flew across the room.

ohiobobcat · Mar 29, 2017

I have 650-ish in my school. I see about 30 per day, plus daily meds. I have never taken work home at night or over the weekend. It definitely sounds like a talk with the teachers is in order. Good luck!

Flare, ASN, BSN · Mar 29, 2017

I have around 800 - usually see 45-55 a day.

SassyTachyRN · Mar 29, 2017

560 in my biggest school and when I'm here a full day I see about 30-40. I have 225 in my small school and I'm there a half day a few times a week and I see around 10 on average (some days just a handful, the max is 18 this year). I don't take work home. Definitely keep educating the staff and kids, eventually they will catch on. My kids knew after my first year that I won't give an ice pack for an "invisible" injury. They quit asking.

MHDNURSE · Mar 29, 2017

I am really lucky b/c this year my school is K and 1st, a total of 240 kids. Last year was just K. I see maybe 10 kids/day. My worst day so far this year was a day I saw 20 kids in the first hour I was here, all with high fever, sore throats, etc. I have zero kids on daily meds right now which I know is a major blessing. Part of that is because they are so young. I am sure next year when I have K-2 there will be some. I also made big tupperwares for the teachers at the beginning of the year with lots of ice packs and lots of bandaids. This significantly reduces my visits. I have a few frequent flyers that I am managing with the teachers and parents. My school has a LOT of kids with stressful social/home issues so some of my visits are more social/emotional than anything else and I try to remember that when I get frustrated with the same kid coming in to see mt three times. Yesterday I had a little girl who has had some major behavior issues in the classroom, also has really awful eczema and complains of stomach aches a lot. Some hygiene issues as well. Found out yesterday she is now homeless and staying in an emergency shelter So while I might not see a lot of kids on a daily basis, when I do, I am often doing more than "nursing" stuff, which most of us do as school nurses. I think the important thing is for you to make sure your job is respected, as well as your time. If the same kid is coming 4 times a day all for stupid stuff, time to call home and speak with the teacher. You need to be able to see kids and get everything done and no way should you be taking work home with you.

momto5RN · Mar 29, 2017

Small Catholic school. 200 students, Pre-k to 8th grade. Average visits 15-22 per day. I occasionally get a day where I hardly see anyone but those are outliers. When I first started last year I would treat everybody, even those invisible boo-boos. I was always nervous to get a phone call from an angry parent saying how I didn't do anything for their baby.

But this year, I'm a little more practical and I am tired of being behind on everything. No bleeding, no visible scratch, back to class you go no matter how much they says it hurts. Stomach ache with no fever, giggling and talking my ear off...water and rest for 10 minutes and out the door. If I'm not too busy of course, I will place a band aid on a non-existent injury.

It can be tough though because teachers send for everything!! But what really gets to me is the important stuff they won't send in. Like yesterday for example. About 3:00, student comes in saying my teacher thought I didn't look good all day. School gets out at 3:30. Sure enough, 102.7 fever. But she will send a student because of a tiny microscopic paper cut. Or another one that drives me nuts is when a teacher sends someone where they do need immediate attention and then they send another student in from their class asking what is taking so long!

As I'm typing this, the infamous third grade teacher (most of the frequent flyers are from her class and the class is big!) sent a student in because another kid accidentally hit his eye. Really?? There was nothing going on!! Ice pack number one sent out for today. It better come back to me and not end up on the floor!