I started working at my school in February. Some time in March I had a child brought to me because she fell in the playground on her own, wasn't pushed, and broke her wrist. When the child was brought to me, the teacher was beside her the entire time, and I gave her ice and kept her wrist straight without a splint. I called the mom to come pick up the child to take to the ER. The mother picked up the phone right away and was able to come within a half hour.
Fast forward to a month later, the mom starts asking the school administration for an incident report. The prinicipal then forwarded this request to me, which made me very concerned for the school and for myself, so I took matters into my own hands and went to my other boss whom I report to, the Safety Manager, a move which I now regret. I asked her how we should approach this and she told me I should hand over to the mother my online nursing treatment notes which is erroneously titled an 'incident report' on the software, although, it's really my treatment notes. So, when she suggested this, I had to explain to my boss explicitly that those were my nursing treatment notes and not an actual accident report and I told her I was concerned of potential lawsuits. I still do not know what the mother wants the accident report for. There was a separate incident report written by a teacher who was there at the scene and I insisted, that is probably the better and 'safer' choice to give to the parent. After going back and forth with my boss, she contacted her off site boss who went to consult with the company lawyer and supposedly the lawyers are saying that it is indeed my nursing notes that should be handed over to the mother. I am really beyond baffled about all this. Never in 3 years of working as a school nurse have I ever been asked to hand over my nursing notes to a parent, who is, btw, a nurse herself. I just foresee some bad things happening. The family, btw, is having some legal and financial problems themselves.
I feel like I'm being thrown in the lion's den by my own boss and all I hear is her laughing her way through the halls. This is an international school and they're not well versed on American law or culture one bit. I smell disaster and I'm ticked off.
Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.
Is there a reason that you feel you shouldn't hand over your documentation of the incident? If you did what needed to be done and documented everything fully then you should have no worries, IMO. Why think the negative immediately?
In our district, a copy of the notes or accident report is required along with the insurance claim form in order for the parents to be reimbursed through the student insurance we carry. Without the documentation, there is no reimbursement.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, Hospice, School.
I had something similar happen to me last year as well. Kid fell out on the playground and fractured his arm. Mother came back several weeks later asking for MY nursing documentation as the insurance company was requiring it before they would agree to pay. I was told (by the parent) that a mere documented teacher account of the incident would not suffice. I too was hesitant it about handing it over - we got our district attorney involved and indeed, the parent does have a right (according to the attorney) to any and all documentation concerning their child. So, I handed it over as instructed and nothing else ever came of it (on my end anyway).
*To clarify - the documentation I am speaking of consisted of my nursing assessment and treatment of the injury. That is what the insurance company wanted to see.
Every incident/accident report go to the admin office, so it is on file there. Never have been asked to produce "Nursing documentation" but my notes would reflect what is the report anyway. and I do one on anything other than the usual everyday boo boos. Head injury, anything that n MD needs to follow up on, ER referral ETC.
I would argue that as long as your were completely objective in your report it shouldn't be a problem. Patient's have a right to their medical record and I would assume that would include visits to the school nurse. Now if you had written something in the report that isn't objective like "it wouldn't surprise me if the teach hit this kid" then that would certainly be cause for concern.
It is our school policy that a copy of the accident report go home with the student THE DAY it happens. Talk about rushed when the kiddo falls on the way to the bus. Sheesh.
Central Office, the teacher, and a big binder also get copies. Over 650 accident reports this year, lots of trees killed.
I was advised somewhere along the road that a parent can request records - but they have to put their request in writing for board approval. The only thing that does not need approval is a parent requesting a copy of the front of their a-45 (vaccine card).
But - if they are asking for the incident report to me that sounds like it would be the teachers account of what caused the injury and prompted the visit to your office rather than calling in the care you gave - despite what heading your EMR may call your nursing reports. Just my 2 cents.
I was advised somewhere along the road that a parent can request records - but they have to put their request in writing for board approval. The only thing that does not need approval is a parent requesting a copy of the front of their a-45 (vaccine card).
But - if they are asking for the incident report to me that sounds like it would be the teachers account of what caused the injury and prompted the visit to your office rather than calling in the care you gave - despite what heading your EMR may call your nursing reports. Just my 2 cents.
That's what I keep saying, but my boss and boss's boss keep insisting that my nursing documentation is indeed the incident report. My boss's boss even went on to say he doesn't want to get the teacher who wrote the 'accident report' in trouble. Mind you it doesn't even occur to them that they're potentially throwing me under the bus under my very eyes. He was arguing with me that the form we use, entitled the 'accident' form, is not standardized in all of our schools and therefore not valid and therefore he does not regard it as an 'incident' report. I feel like it was an argument over semantics. We just had a conference today. Sigh.
Supernrse01, BSN
734 Posts
Is there a reason that you feel you shouldn't hand over your documentation of the incident? If you did what needed to be done and documented everything fully then you should have no worries, IMO. Why think the negative immediately?
In our district, a copy of the notes or accident report is required along with the insurance claim form in order for the parents to be reimbursed through the student insurance we carry. Without the documentation, there is no reimbursement.