I JUST NEED TO VENT!!!

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OK...I am not trying to sound whiny...but OMG! If I see one more kid sent to me for NOTHING I am going to scream! lol I think teachers sometimes think that school nurses have no other responsiblities than to apply bandaids and handout ice packs! Why send a kid to me that needs their pants zipped, broken shoe, bandaids on a bruise or asking me to call home bc they think a student isn't taking his ADHD meds at home. Really? Why can't they call and explain to the parent what they are seeing. They see them everyday not me. I thought that making the teachers fill out a health referral would weed some of my "sick" ones out...oh no! Now they just fill it out for and check bandaid or he is sneezing can you give him Benadryl! Ummmmmmm, let me see...NO I CAN'T! Geez! I know probably all schools are like this, but man! How do you deal with situations like this? I can't get my stuff done that is required bc I am applying bandaids, making ice packs etc all day! Oh and the teachers will come into my office and get a handful of cough drops and give to the kids! We can't do that!!!! Ugh! Ok...that is enough! Have a GREAT day ladies!!!! :jester:

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Specializes in LTC, acute care, school nurse.

I feel your pain...lol. Plus I am the elementary secretary due to budget cuts so my days can be pretty crazy!! Yesterday I had a kiddo come to me for an ice pack for this bruise he had on his leg since Monday...really?!?!?!? When I am at my wits end with some of the teachers I just simply escort the student back to class with the parent phone number and tell them I cannot do anything for them so if they want to talk to the parents they sure can. =-)

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Specializes in school nursing, home health,rehab, long-.

Black scrubs,

I feel your pain as well. You are not alone. How about when the parents that send the kid with a note that says, ' ... had a fever of 103 last night and his throat hurts. Can you look and see what you think?' Despite the fact that he shouildn't even be here because of the fever policy. I look inside and besides the atrocious tonsils...he has broken out in the rash. We are not CareNow, take the baby to the doctor. This is what you would love to tell them if any of the phone numbers you have for the little fella actually worked.

You may have already done this. This seems to work for us. I have all of the classes a little first aid kit. Nothing fancy. Some bandaids, gloves, cotton balls, etc... If it can't be fixed in the classroom then send them down. I also have a little dryerase pass that lists insect bite, head check, temp check, invisible boo-boo, tlc. (I have approx. 400 pre-k through first graders.) If there is nothing abnormal back to class they go. Even with the invisible boo-boo and tlc visits my office visits have been cut well in half. Maybe this will help.

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Specializes in school nursing.

I just write a note back on the referral slip that what is being requested is not appropriate or not a medical issue. This teaches the child AND the staff what is appropriate. Our job is to keep students in class and learning and letting them hover for "nothing" is inappropriate. Just a band-aid for an invisible cut can take away 20-30 minutes of instruction time if I am busy and student walks from opposite end of school.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I do the same as SchoolNurseBSN. I refuse to ice an injury that is more than 24 hours old. I refuse to put a bandaid on a wound that is not open or bleeding. I do not have any anti-itch ointment per district policy, so nothing I can do there. Sadly, it does not always stop some teachers from sending them, but it makes the visit shorter at least.

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if injury happened over w/e and parents know: NO ICE

No open wound/no blood= no bandaid

coughing= drink water

I always send them back.....the teacher will then call me and I say I am using MY NURSING judgement that I was trained AND HIRED to use and they are not sick

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Specializes in school nursing, home health,rehab, long-.

I feel like I came across wrong about the tlc and invisible boo boos. I don't sit around doing imaginary nursing all day. The teachers here cull the little fakers very well. Every once in a while I'll have a teacher drop by and say, "Can you just let them know they are all right." I check and tell them everything is o.k. and away they go. Takes about 3 minutes round trip. I started the little pass because the triplicate forms are so expensive. Most of my kiddos at school are in family situations I wouldn't wish on anybody. Some are 3 and four years old. Sometimes I think the bandaid and sticker I give them may be just about the only thing that has been given to them in a while. This is a unique situation. My campus is small. No 30 minute hikes here. I'm sure I would do it differently in another setting.

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Specializes in Women's Health.

I will often make the call re: did they take their meds. I have no issue with that. It is an opportunity to talk about medisets, and compliance. Otherwise I explain that I cannot give ANYTHING w/o an order.

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Specializes in Hospice, ONC, Tele, Med Surg, Endo/Output.

Makes me wish i had gone into school nursing years ago instead of spend 16 years in med-surg with adult babies.

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Specializes in school nursing, home health,rehab, long-.

Exactly Smiley Nurse,

I like knowing for the most part that I can if for some reason I have to pick one of these kids up, heck they can't be over 40lbs. right. Hee Hee.

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Specializes in nicu, internal medicine.

SchoolNurse BSN:

do you still have your list of medical/nonmedical for the staff?

If possible can I have a copy.

I had a teacher send me a student with referral because " has dog poop on bottom of shoe please remove it" with a smiley face. Really?

She did not appreciate me telling her it was not a medical reason.

I'd like my second year as school nurse to run a little smoother

Thank you

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