If you have filed a report for Medical Neglect

[MHDNURSE]

What was it for and how did you decide it was time?

I have a student here who is possibly nearing that point. I have a meeting scheduled with his 504 team and have several staff aware and involved, but we are feeling like it isn't "quite time" yet, for lack of a better description. It is sort of a grey area, nothing easy/obvious like a parent failing to bring in an epi pen after repeated attempts. Just curious from those of you who have BTDT, what was your experience?

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

Remember you don't have to prove neglect, just suspect it, and document what you see. I will say that the reason I didn't do a neglect report last year was that mom had proof she took the student to the doctor several times. It wasn't care that I would have provided my kid, but that isn't the standard; reasonable and prudent is the standard. You're doing right by getting your admin team involved. I found that having my administrator call the parent often moved the parent in the right direction toward care.

I guess my tipping point is that I imagine myself on a witness stand being questioned by a lawyer. If I can justify comfortably that I met a standard of care, I feel good about what I did. If you think the lawyer is going to say "MHDNurse, you didn't provide the standard of care," then I'd change my mind.

Good luck.

[SugarHigh]

IMO--If you are contemplating whether it's time, then it's time.

I always assume that I am seeing half the problem at the most. There are probably issues that go deeper than what you are seeing, and without an intervention, they will not be seen.

Filing a report can help the family get the resources they need to help their child, even something as simple as transportation to the doctor.

It doesn't have to be seen as a threatening thing. You are helping somebody who needs help!

[OldDude]

Ruby and Sugar...TRUE AND TRUE! File it and get it over with. It's better to file and "the xray be negative" than not and let them walk around with a fracture. "Isn't quite time" could be the ticking you hear from the upcoming explosion.

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

I filed one last year for a child with a rash that we knew was scabies although, of course, we can't diagnose. The child was sent home per our protocol for rashes and we told her mother that she couldn't return to school until it was diagnosed and treated if it turned out to be something contagious. The mother did not take her child to the doctor. She said she didn't have health insurance but also would not accept any of the resources we offered to help her. After the child had missed several weeks of school and we had an officer do a well child check at home we ended up filing a medical neglect complaint.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

I personally haven't but a previous nurse at another school did several times. The child was medically fragile and would come to school very dirty, mouth a mess, and was losing weight. She had to be weighed everyday at school. The powers that be never did anything about the complaints and the child ended up passing away. Very, very sad and unfortunate situation.

I personally haven't but a previous nurse at another school did several times. The child was medically fragile and would come to school very dirty, mouth a mess, and was losing weight. She had to be weighed everyday at school. The powers that be never did anything about the complaints and the child ended up passing away. Very, very sad and unfortunate situation.

Horrific!

[OldDude]

I've filed plenty of reports. Most of them have turned up as no intervention required; others, not so lucky.

[SaltineQueen]

I agree that if you're questioning whether it's time, it's time. You don't need others to be in agreement with you and you don't need anyone's permission to report.

[SchoolNurseTXstyle]

I agree. Just do it!!! All you need is a concern/suspicion.

[peacockblue]

Filing a report may get much needed services into the house. Sometimes parents appear neglectful because they don't have the resources or skills to do what needs done. Filing the report may be just what they need. The child welfare system does not desire to be punitive. They want to help.

[audreysmagic, RN]

Agree with those that are saying that it'll help bring needed resources. When I was a school nurse, I did exactly that on a kid with bedbugs that weren't being dealt with, and the poor child was bitten to kingdom come. The mother was plenty irritated at first, but later grateful when the help they needed and couldn't afford arrived. Other parents will never be grateful, but that's the right thing to do. I still work in a field with a lot of reporting (child/adolescent psych) and always remind my staff that you don't need proof, just a reasonable suspicion. Or a direct report from a child, whether you actually deeply believe it or not. Better to be safe - I love getting reports back marked "unfounded." If you've got a gut feeling, go with it.