I'm over the nonsense...

Specialties School

Published

Hello my school nurse friends

I sent a student home about 2 weeks ago for throwing up in the classroom after lunch. The day I sent her home, she did not have a fever or anything. So the student came back to school the next day and the teacher sent her up. I checked he fever again and no fever. I also spoke with mom and mom stated that she did not throw up once the whole time she was home and that sometimes she throws up after lunch because she doesn't like something. So per policy, it's suggested that a student go home for illness and suggested that students be kept out of school for at least 24 hours fever free and vomiting free with no medications. So I went to the principal and asked her does she want me to enforce the policy on sending students home for saying they threw up or if they throw up after lunch and if they threw up and returned the next day. The principal said no. So mind you this was 2 weeks ago. The teacher of the student comes in the office yelling and blaming me for kids being out sick because of that incident that happened 2 weeks ago. She was also in the break room blaming me. I will be talking to the principal about her behavior. Any other suggestions...I'm just not for this nonsense anymore.

Those plastic lanyards gross me out whether it's the nursepass or it's the bathroom pass. TBH, the bathroom pass probably grosses me out more as I am inclined to spray the nurse passes from time to time if a kid is sitting here. I will not touch a pass without a glove on:yuck:

You would lose your mind if you saw the bathroom pass at the MS/HS campus at our school. I was shocked to see it is a laminated 8 x 11 clipboard that says "bathroom pass" on it. I asked why it was like that and they said "so it doesn't get lost". Meanwhile the thing is huge so the kids get into the bathroom and put it on the floor because there is nowhere else to put it- gross.

You would lose your mind if you saw the bathroom pass at the MS/HS campus at our school. I was shocked to see it is a laminated 8 x 11 clipboard that says "bathroom pass" on it. I asked why it was like that and they said "so it doesn't get lost". Meanwhile the thing is huge so the kids get into the bathroom and put it on the floor because there is nowhere else to put it- gross.

Reminds me of high school - some of the teachers were creative with bathroom passes. PE coaches would have the football boys carry a huge cinder brick; my history teacher actually had a toilet seat that was the bathroom pass.:roflmao:

Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

I like the wording of our vomit policy. If a student vomits 2 times in 24 hours, they go home/stay home.

Specializes in CPN.

I'm in the other camp... I verrrrrrry rarely have kids stay if they vomit in the middle of class/clinic, and if I do, it's only in cases where I pretty sure it's what they ate (hot chips for breakfast, anyone?). Usually, I use take the opportunity to inconvenience the parent, so they will take their kid to the doctor. I have way too many parents tell me that their kid "just throws up" sometimes. Sorry, but that's not normal. I want to see some documentation from a healthcare provider on that. Then again, I'm in middle school. The random vomiting kinda slows down by the time they get to me.

I can't believe the teacher was bad mouthing you in the break room. SMH. Actually, I can. Sadly. Some people can be so ridiculous. I had a SPED teacher at my school take a whole week off last minute because he was pissed they were combining his classroom with another (including an additional teacher, so it wasn't like he was getting more responsibility, just sharing the space). Then he lied about tripping outside the school - he was going to try to report it to workers comp that he "tweaked" his back. The AP looked up the video of him walking in the school... no stumbles!

Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

1. You followed policy, the parent did not.

2. You sought help from the head of the school, who did not enforce the policy.

If/when it happens again, shake your head in sympathy with the teacher. "I know - it really chaps my spurs that the parent and the principal aren't on board. Isn't it awful??"

Regarding the break room - you're going to have to let that go. The best defense I've found is to treat every situation with consistency and live so that when some small-minded person says something negative, nobody will believe him/her. Hang in there. We have eight school wake-ups until break!!!

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

If/when it happens again, shake your head in sympathy with the teacher. "I know - it really chaps my spurs that the parent and the principal aren't on board. Isn't it awful??"

Love this!!

Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
Yeah the student went home the same day but came back the next spoke with mom and explained to teacher but it didn't matter because she still blamed me for her students being sick because of this incident that happened 2 weeks ago. I guess no win win for me smh

Can you address this directly with the teacher, and put it in writing. Then if needed the principal?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

I'm sorry but vomiting is a "symptom" of something and not a diagnosis of an illness. Some kids just have sensitive stomachs and vomit easily. I do send them home (I'm in grade school) each time because we don't always know right away if it's due to a virus or coughing a lot or whatever but I tell the parent if they do not vomit again, are able to eat normally and hold it down and are playing all evening then by all means send them to the next day. However, if these random vomitings (is that a word? LOL) keep happening I do recommend a dr follow up.

I hate when teachers second guess me. I had one throw a fit because she brought a kid down with an obvious cold that was "coughing all over the place making every kid in there sick". Well first off, it's a common cold (and the cough was minor) and secondly don't worry, everyone has already been exposed by now. She wasn't happy but come on.

As for those stupid laminated passes or whatever, I tell the teachers I don't accept those and if they send them anyway, well I can't help it if I don't remind the student to take it back to class with them and it gets "lost" in my drawer for months. ;)

Specializes in kids.
I'm sorry but vomiting is a "symptom" of something and not a diagnosis of an illness.)

Last block today it was a symptom of not wanting to do a presentation in Mth...busted...back to class they went! I told them if they booted, they could return.

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