I just can't!

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I just can't take the stupidity anymore. Nope, I'm done! Four weeks to go...I can do this!! Sorry for being so vague but I'm tired of the ridiculous reasons the students are coming to me for, the ridiculous parents and going completely out of my way for them and am so tired of being behind on documenting.

Today is an early dismissal!

Specializes in School Nursing.

Haven't hit 100 in one day yet. Our record is 80 in one day. Our norm is 55 to 60 a day. This week we've been hitting the upper 60s all week. Everyone is just done.

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Specializes in Sub-Acute, School Nursing, Dialysis.
I saw over 100 students today. Someone started yelling on the walkie about an emergency during recess and was unclear about where they were so I ran outside with the wheelchair (after taking another student out of the wheelchair who I had just wheeled in minutes before), ended up having to run around half the school, accompanied by the principal (the yelling was that disconcerting), only to find a student who was embarrassed by the fuss and angrily trying to avoid assessment. So I pleaded with him to allow me to do the most focused assessment ever before allowing him to go to lunch and returning to the packed health office.

I mean, has anyone else seen over 100 students? We had 80 one day last week and 90 one day the week before that... I think I sent home 4 today? What kind of crazy ratio is that.

I just started in January but am so ready for summer vacation :eek:

So much respect for those of you who have been doing this for years. I work with great staff but maybe it's because we're all tired that I still feel like everyone's running over me because what's "one more student" in the grand scheme of things

I just can't either. :cry:

Oh my goodness, I feel for you!!! That is a lot to deal with during the short school day. I'm always behind with documenting. How do you keep up?!

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Specializes in kids.
I saw over 100 students today. Someone started yelling on the walkie about an emergency during recess and was unclear about where they were so I ran outside with the wheelchair (after taking another student out of the wheelchair who I had just wheeled in minutes before), ended up having to run around half the school, accompanied by the principal (the yelling was that disconcerting), only to find a student who was embarrassed by the fuss and angrily trying to avoid assessment. So I pleaded with him to allow me to do the most focused assessment ever before allowing him to go to lunch and returning to the packed health office.

I mean, has anyone else seen over 100 students? We had 80 one day last week and 90 one day the week before that... I think I sent home 4 today? What kind of crazy ratio is that.

I just started in January but am so ready for summer vacation :eek:

So much respect for those of you who have been doing this for years. I work with great staff but maybe it's because we're all tired that I still feel like everyone's running over me because what's "one more student" in the grand scheme of things

I just can't either. :cry:

Yikes! Deep breath! Maybe you need to set up guidlines for visits? Also do an incident debrief re the "emergency" try to set some parameters or guidelines?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Thank you all for your kindness. I know we all have our bad days but yesterday was crazy!

Oh my goodness, I feel for you!!! That is a lot to deal with during the short school day. I'm always behind with documenting. How do you keep up?!

I actually document as I go, which helps me to keep up--like bedside charting in the hospital. When I was a new nurse I often focused on my patients exclusively and then stayed after work every day (for literal hours) to chart all my care and rounds based on my scribbled notes and I learned a valuable lesson that to not hate myself and my job I have to chart on the go. So even when I have seven students in the health office, I keep each one until I have charted their visit. It helps me not to feel overwhelmed. This may be the one case in which it helps to have paper charting instead of an electronic record because I can scribble on the go! I also have a health aide who helps with the minor scrapes. I should give her credit because without her I probably wouldn't make it through.

Yikes! Deep breath! Maybe you need to set up guidlines for visits? Also do an incident debrief re the "emergency" try to set some parameters or guidelines?

I have discussed with my supervisor a few times about guidelines. She did email the staff once when the health office was overwhelmed long before I started. But never has it been like this. I know because my health aide and the other nurses in the district are flabbergasted. I am not supposed to email all staff unless approved/directed by my supervisor so my hands are kind of tied. I think she is also "done" and may not see the use of a schoolwide email so close to the end of the year. Instead I am trying to educate our students about appropriate reasons to come but I feel like their teachers educate the opposite way sometimes ("Why didn't you go to the nurse sooner??"). I did discuss the "emergency" with the lead recess supervisor who was also blown away by how bad it was and assured me it wouldn't happen again.

Just a couple weeks left at my school! Recess calmed down for the first time in ages today, I think because yesterday was such a mess that others finally noticed! So glad for us all that we are almost through. (I'm working summer school at another district but it's just 4 hours 4x/week!) Thanks again to everyone here for always putting up with my venting! Couldn't do it without you!!

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