I was approached by one of the HS assistant principals regarding a 12th grader who they think looks like she might be pregnant. Thie issue is that they want me to meet with the student and inquire about if she is pregnant or not ( in the manner that the teachers noticed changes and are concerned ). I happen to like this asst. Prinicipal very much but I think it is a little intrusive of the student's privacy especially since she is a senior and is graduating in less than 2 months. Even if the student is pregnant I think it is a violation of HIPPA and FERPA which doesn't require me to share this information with anyone else in the school. I don't see how this student being pregnant is pertinent to the remainder of her senior year.
What are your thoughts?
PS There is already a pregnant 11th grader who is openly pregnant in the school. Also I'm a very experienced nurse in Labor and Delivery.
I'd like to think that I would know if my child was pregnant. I would also be highly offended if my child came home and told me that the school nurse asked such an intrusive question. I really have to question your coworkers as well. A pregnant belly looks very different than general weight gain. Methinks the faculty might be gossiping about the kids too much and creating senseless drama.
I'd like to think that I would know if my child was pregnant.
As a parent of 2 teen boys, I'd like to think I would know these types of things as well. However, I work in a high school, and my answer to you is, don't count on it. My kids are "good boys" but kids make mistakes and kids also hide things from adults. You really can't pat yourself on your back about your kids until they are, oh...40?
As a parent of 2 teen boys, I'd like to think I would know these types of things as well. However, I work in a high school, and my answer to you is, don't count on it. My kids are "good boys" but kids make mistakes and kids also hide things from adults. You really can't pat yourself on your back about your kids until they are, oh...40?
Who said anything about back patting? You can throw out that platitude and it may very well be true in general. I still believe that I would know if my daughter(not son) were pregnant. The physical indicators are fairly obvious in my experience and at some point all of the room hiding and baggy clothes in the world wouldn't be enough to stop me from inquiring. Along with visiting the GYN, if need be.
Many parents have no idea what their kids are up to because they don't want to know. Work becomes a convenient excuse.
This seems to be veering off topic. We aren't here to discuss parenting, but the role of the school nurse in a potentially pregnant student.
OP, I'm sorry you got put in that position by other staff members. This made me look up the regulations in my area:
E. A minor shall be deemed an adult for the purpose of consenting to:
1. Medical or health services needed to determine the presence of or to treat venereal disease or any infectious or contagious disease that the State Board of Health requires to be reported;
2. Medical or health services required in case of birth control, pregnancy or family planning except for the purposes of sexual sterilization;
3. Medical or health services needed in the case of outpatient care, treatment or rehabilitation for substance abuse as defined in § 37.2-100; or
4. Medical or health services needed in the case of outpatient care, treatment or rehabilitation for mental illness or emotional disturbance.
A minor shall also be deemed an adult for the purpose of accessing or authorizing the disclosure of medical records related to subdivisions 1 through 4.
F. Except for the purposes of sexual sterilization, any minor who is or has been married shall be deemed an adult for the purpose of giving consent to surgical and medical treatment.
G. A pregnant minor shall be deemed an adult for the sole purpose of giving consent for herself and her child to surgical and medical treatment relating to the delivery of her child when such surgical or medical treatment is provided during the delivery of the child or the duration of the hospital admission for such delivery; thereafter, the minor mother of such child shall also be deemed an adult for the purpose of giving consent to surgical and medical treatment for her child.
(Emphasis mine.) So to me, that's pretty clear, an adult has the right to determine if anyone else accesses her medical records. But man, I'm glad I don't work with high schoolers and don't have to deal with that!
Who said anything about back patting? You can throw out that platitude and it may very well be true in general. I still believe that I would know if my daughter(not son) were pregnant. The physical indicators are fairly obvious in my experience and at some point all of the room hiding and baggy clothes in the world wouldn't be enough to stop me from inquiring. Along with visiting the GYN, if need be.
Many parents have no idea what their kids are up to because they don't want to know. Work becomes a convenient excuse.
Who said anything about work being an excuse? You can throw out that platitude and it may very well be true in general.
All I'm saying is, working in a school, parents are often the last to know. Kids hide things well.
This seems to be veering off topic. We aren't here to discuss parenting, but the role of the school nurse in a potentially pregnant student.
OP, I'm sorry you got put in that position by other staff members. This made me look up the regulations in my area:
(Emphasis mine.) So to me, that's pretty clear, an adult has the right to determine if anyone else accesses her medical records. But man, I'm glad I don't work with high schoolers and don't have to deal with that!
Yes. And the adult is a student consenting to sex, according to that. So, a 13 year old who has sex, her mom doesn't need to be told? And then what is the school's responsibility toward her, wait until her water breaks and hope for the best?
I'm not being flip, I'm really not. My tone here is not combative, or at least I don't mean it to be.
I worked in a clinic and it was pretty cut and dry. I'm just trying to figure out if that changes in responsibility to a "student" as opposed to a "patient".
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Yes, and that being said- that doesn't mean she doesn't care or isn't involved. Even the best kids hide things.
Oh trust me, she loves him! She even taught him in school. I think that just proves how well kids can hide things when they don't want their parents to know.
Yes, kids hide "things," but the "thing" is this case is pregnancy and as I said, it's fairly difficult to hide a pregnant belly for most girls/women. Though sure, we hear cases of teen girls that hid the pregnancy and gave birth in the bathroom at prom, but I seriously have to question what was going on in the home to the point that the parent(s) didn't notice any changes(physical or otherwise) in their child?
This seems to be veering off topic. We aren't here to discuss parenting, but the role of the school nurse in a potentially pregnant student.
Surely, as adults we can hold more than one topic of discussion in our span of attention, right?
I have to wonder exactly how OP broached the subject with the student? I agree that the school counselor would've been a better choice to ask. Also, had the child actually been pregnant, who is to say that the parent wasn't aware? I'm throwing out hypotheticals, obviously.
I work with public health nurses in my county and we met up once a month during the school year for a general meeting.
In my county is a program that helps first-time moms with everything basically and I have that poster on the door to my office. So far, no takers.
As a parent, I do have a problem with the school knowing something and not telling me. I simply don't think that is the school's role and I feel between a rock and a hard place sometimes as the school nurse.
The privacy issue is almost a daily battle for me - the admins and staff want to share personal medical information about students with everyone in the school and don't understand HIPAA or FERPA.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
One of my old nurse friends used to say "You don't ask a woman if she's pregnant unless the baby's head is crowning!"