I'm tired!

[Avill, BSN, RN]

Are you guys feeling as burnt out as I am? I wasn't planning on leaving school nursing, but now I am second guessing myself. It's been such a tough week. 

We've had a few cases at my school and had to quarantine over 200 students in total. I'm tired of being a bad guy...

I keep telling myself one more month, but I'm so mentally tired!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

It has been a long damn year!! Hang in there!

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

I've had a few of those moments the last few weeks, but I keep trying to remind myself that this is not going to last forever. Keep your head up! I hope for all of our sakes, that the news that Pfizer may get EUA for 12-15 year olds next week holds true and that acceptance among adolescents is high... If so, many of our schools will be well on their way to herd immunity by the end of Summer if that holds true!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I stopped apologizing for being the bearer of bad news.  The pandemic isn't news anymore.  People know what the symptoms are (yes-  it's everything, especially the laundry list that my malingerers love to rattle off)  The bottom line is that everyone, especially parents of school aged children should be aware of what will get their child excluded and quarantined and should not be sending them in when they are sick.  For the malingerers who are hoping to win the quarantine lottery, guess what - you win.  Your prize is getting sent home and getting tested.  I'll do that everytime, unapologetically.  It's up to the parent to reign in their kid if they think that them being sent home is nonsense.  I tell them in the nicest way possible when I get angry calls that they need to discuss further with their child.  Remember - the parents, who are mostly the issue in school nursing, are mostly griping because they are now having to deal with the consequences of the monsters they created.  

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

37 minutes ago, Flare said:

  Remember - the parents, who are mostly the issue in school nursing, are mostly griping because they are now having to deal with the consequences of the monsters they created.  

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

THIS!!

[EnoughWithTheIce]

1 hour ago, Flare said:

I stopped apologizing for being the bearer of bad news.  The pandemic isn't news anymore.  People know what the symptoms are (yes-  it's everything, especially the laundry list that my malingerers love to rattle off)  The bottom line is that everyone, especially parents of school aged children should be aware of what will get their child excluded and quarantined and should not be sending them in when they are sick.  For the malingerers who are hoping to win the quarantine lottery, guess what - you win.  Your prize is getting sent home and getting tested.  I'll do that everytime, unapologetically.  It's up to the parent to reign in their kid if they think that them being sent home is nonsense.  I tell them in the nicest way possible when I get angry calls that they need to discuss further with their child.  Remember - the parents, who are mostly the issue in school nursing, are mostly griping because they are now having to deal with the consequences of the monsters they created.  

This is so well said. Why apologize for something that we did not create and have no control over????

[palli]

This...right..here.

We have become the bad guys, and the freaking eye rolling when you talk to someone and their mask is hanging off their chin.

I'm not in any shape to retire, but honestly flipping burgers wouldnt be easier on my soul

 

[GdBSN, RN]

I have not and will not apologize for following the guidelines established by the school board. We are trying to keep our schools open in the middle of a pandemic. We have been F2F (optional) since August and have done well keeping the positive numbers low. If a student comes to the clinic c/o multiple symptoms possibly RT Covid, they are going home. It is not my job to call the student a liar and not believe their symptoms, that is a discussion the parent needs to have with their child.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

10 minutes ago, GdBSN said:

 It is not my job to call the student a liar and not believe their symptoms, that is a discussion the parent needs to have with their child.

so much yes to this!

I sent a student home just now with classic signs of a cold or allergies  -But he checks off 4 of my boxes on my list.  Mom asked me if I really thought it was necessary for him to go home, test, quarantine, send home sibling, etc... I very frankly told her no, but that I am bound by CDC and DOH.  

[cowboysandangels, BSN]

You are not alone!  We have all felt this way this year and questioned our life decisions.  It has been a bear but I keep reminding myself that if I was still working at the hospital, it would have been much worse.  This will pass or, at least, get easier.  Hang in there and remember why you loved your job BEFORE Covid.

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

2 hours ago, Flare said:

I stopped apologizing for being the bearer of bad news.  The pandemic isn't news anymore.  People know what the symptoms are (yes-  it's everything, especially the laundry list that my malingerers love to rattle off)  The bottom line is that everyone, especially parents of school aged children should be aware of what will get their child excluded and quarantined and should not be sending them in when they are sick.  For the malingerers who are hoping to win the quarantine lottery, guess what - you win.  Your prize is getting sent home and getting tested.  I'll do that everytime, unapologetically.  It's up to the parent to reign in their kid if they think that them being sent home is nonsense.  I tell them in the nicest way possible when I get angry calls that they need to discuss further with their child.  Remember - the parents, who are mostly the issue in school nursing, are mostly griping because they are now having to deal with the consequences of the monsters they created.  

Ya know, its sooooo easy to get stuck in your own mindset, especially this year! My husband and I tend to think completely opposite of each other so I truly appreciate his point of view on almost everything because he is so good at bringing to light things I hadn't considered yet or that I had just forgotten.

You just did the same thing for me, Flare. THANK YOU!! On this particularly tough morning where I was feeling just exhausted and weighed down by my responsibilities this year, your post brought a very valid and much needed reminder that THIS IS NOT OUR FAULT NOR IN OUR CONTROL. 

You turned my day around, Flare!!

[Avill, BSN, RN]

On 5/4/2021 at 7:24 AM, Flare said:

I stopped apologizing for being the bearer of bad news.  The pandemic isn't news anymore.  People know what the symptoms are (yes-  it's everything, especially the laundry list that my malingerers love to rattle off)  The bottom line is that everyone, especially parents of school aged children should be aware of what will get their child excluded and quarantined and should not be sending them in when they are sick.  For the malingerers who are hoping to win the quarantine lottery, guess what - you win.  Your prize is getting sent home and getting tested.  I'll do that everytime, unapologetically.  It's up to the parent to reign in their kid if they think that them being sent home is nonsense.  I tell them in the nicest way possible when I get angry calls that they need to discuss further with their child.  Remember - the parents, who are mostly the issue in school nursing, are mostly griping because they are now having to deal with the consequences of the monsters they created.  

True. Thank you!! Yesterday I called a parent to come pick up their child due to exposure and they said "mmhmm okay because ya'll messed up and got her exposed", I just said goodbye and hung up. LOL Mostly bc it wasn't my school haha. 

You are correct, I shouldn't apologize. I think I'm better now. I took a day off this week and it helped. I made it through the week without another positive, so I'll take it day by day!