If you feel sick the nurse will call me and you can go home

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:no:

Seriously???? How can I even float the idea of staying to a 6 year-old who was told this by her mom upon arriving at school today? The kid is FINE. A little flushed, afebrile, nothing found on exam, just wants to go home. Really frustrates me and makes it hard to do my job when parents tell them this.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

Interesting Update:

Mom JUST brought her BACK :woot: Said "I could tell she was faking it and didn't want her to think she can just come home". Um, OK, 'cause that's not the message I have been trying to deliver about this whole scenario since it started this morning. But at least the kid came back.

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I actually had a few parents that have done this due to truancy issues...kid can't miss school unless I send them home or they have a doctor's note.

That was how it worked in my previous district, but in my current district it is coded differently if I make the determination that a student is going home or if the parent chooses to pick up.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

I always tell the kids their mom gave them a "get out of jail free" card with that statement. I generally say something to the same tune when I call mom to let her know her little one is in the clinic.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

I always call parents and tell them the situation, and tell them my findings and I tell them what they would like to do? "Well what do you think i should do?" I tell them, "It's all up to you, you're the parent. I don't find anything wrong with them, but as I said it's up to you." 89% of the time, they just tell them to go back to class. I let the parents worry about it, it's your job on the line, not mine.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Hmm I kind of did that this morning. My 6th grader was complaining of a HA in the a.m.; I gave him some ibuprofen and Sudafed (it sounded like a sinus HA, the way his "eyes were also hurting") and had him drink a full bottle of H2O. I wanted him to *try*...I mean what if he feels better in an hour? I don't take missing school lightly. At the same time if he was truly miserable or got worse, I wanted him to have options.

Actually I think my words were something more like "if it gets worse, go see the nurse and she'll have a look at you and call me if you need to come home." I didn't say "Tell the nurse you need to come home, and she will have me come get you."

And again, this is a 12 yr old who is a bit more mature than little ones, and knows why it's important to be in school unless truly ill.

He made it 4 hours, got his math and Chinese tests taken, and then went to see the nurse. He was in bed 10 seconds after getting home.

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Hmm I kind of did that this morning. My 6th grader was complaining of a HA in the a.m.; I gave him some ibuprofen and Sudafed (it sounded like a sinus HA, the way his "eyes were also hurting") and had him drink a full bottle of H2O. I wanted him to *try*...I mean what if he feels better in an hour? I don't take missing school lightly. At the same time if he was truly miserable or got worse, I wanted him to have options.

Actually I think my words were something more like "if it gets worse, go see the nurse and she'll have a look at you and call me if you need to come home." I didn't say "Tell the nurse you need to come home, and she will have me come get you."

And again, this is a 12 yr old who is a bit more mature than little ones, and knows why it's important to be in school unless truly ill.

He made it 4 hours, got his math and Chinese tests taken, and then went to see the nurse. He was in bed 10 seconds after getting home.

The problem is when kids abuse this system.

YOU know your kid best and it seems that you know he would not come home unless absolutely necessary. That's great!

I could easily say to either of my daughters "Go to the nurse if you feel sick" and they will only go if they feel really bad (and maybe not even then, my oldest once came home after school with a 103.5 fever. Said she didn't go to the nurse because she had a presentation to give. She was in 3rd grade). My son on the other hand, if I told him to go see the nurse if he wasn't doing well, he would bee line for there as soon as he could (unless he was distracted by a friend along the way, he likes being at home, but he likes friends too).

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
Hmm I kind of did that this morning. My 6th grader was complaining of a HA in the a.m.; I gave him some ibuprofen and Sudafed (it sounded like a sinus HA, the way his "eyes were also hurting") and had him drink a full bottle of H2O. I wanted him to *try*...I mean what if he feels better in an hour? I don't take missing school lightly. At the same time if he was truly miserable or got worse, I wanted him to have options.

Actually I think my words were something more like "if it gets worse, go see the nurse and she'll have a look at you and call me if you need to come home." I didn't say "Tell the nurse you need to come home, and she will have me come get you."

And again, this is a 12 yr old who is a bit more mature than little ones, and knows why it's important to be in school unless truly ill.

He made it 4 hours, got his math and Chinese tests taken, and then went to see the nurse. He was in bed 10 seconds after getting home.

There is a big difference between a kid that actually tries the day and gets 2 tests in vs. a kid that doesn't even let the school's front door settle or the first period bell ring and they're in your office with a big grin saying "My mom said if i feel sick (tiny cough) you HAVE to call her":sniff: Uh no - i bet mom meant TRY and if you really need it, then i'll call.

I don't mind if parents give me the head's up call if their kid is kinda sorta and they were on the fence about sending them. It makes my job easier should they come to my office to say - oh, your mom/dad already called, let's get you home.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

Mine woke up today with a sore throat. I gave her some medicine and told her to hang tight at school. If she starts feeling worse, to go see the nurse and call either mama (Grandma) or me and we'll see what the nurse says. But I know my kid, and she rarely feels ill or tries to get out of school, so if she's really feeling bad, I know it's for reals.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

Funny because my 11 year-old 5th grader has a cold. He is NOT a fan of school and loves visiting the school nurse. I often have to remind him if he hints at not feeling well that he needs to make sure not to waste her time if he goes down there. Yesterday morning he woke up looking and feeling miserable, but had no fever and really it's a cold, not much to do. I gave him Motrin b/c he said his head hurt, listened to him and gave him a plain saline neb for his cough and sent him to school (lungs totally clear) I sent the nurse a long email detailing exactly what I did and told her I would let her determine the next steps of he showed up in her office. She was very happy to have all the "background" before so she would know what to say/try/do, etc. By some miracle, he never went to see her.

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Another prime example:

Student has a chronic medical condition that will be a life long struggle (without too many details because it is pretty rare, her joints are hypermobile so she can dislocate a joint at any time from minimal impact). Her IEP is extensive with classroom accommodations to reduce impact to her joints. The problem is that she is a proven compulsive liar and frequently exaggerates symptoms for attention of to avoid classwork (ie: sudden flare up of wrist pain on test day. per her IEP she can take it later with no penalty). This morning I had a voicemail waiting for me from a parent saying that after hitting her head yesterday on her locker she is feeling lightheaded and sick to her stomach. Told me he would come get her if she came to my office... 20 minutes after the first bell she was in my office asking if her dad had called me.

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I'm guilty of telling my little boy to go see the nurse if he feels bad. Especially on days he wakes up complaining of *whatever ailment*. HOWEVER!! (please don't hate me!!) He is the type to sit in class and "handle it" (his own words) until school gets out. He's 7. Then he's in tears as soon as he gets in the car because his head hurts so bad. To this day, I've only had one call from the nurse when he was literally throwing up in her office. I guess in our house, since I am a nurse, and we only stay home if we're dying, I have to tell him it is actually ok to go if he is actually feeling really bad. But since I'm on the school nurse end of it too, I do hate those parents and kids who try to work the system. You're taking my time away from someone else that really needs it and I hate when my time is wasted. That is one of the most inconsiderate things you can do to someone, in my opinion.

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I think none of us have a problem with parents sending kids to school when they are on the fence. Heck, I have done it myself even with all of my experience.

My thought is this. Just commit to it!! Keep them home or send them to school. If you do send them and they feel miserable they will find their way to the nurse. But when you tell them to go to the nurse, they will because you planted that seed that is just to big for them to ignore!

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