Not even a Louse.
Lice.
Nits.
Oh deers!
These words have been known to strike fear into the hearts of every School Nurse. For one reason, and one reason, only. The Teachers.
There are about 5 threads on the SN Board right now talking about lice. For those that don't veer shockingly off topic, the theme that comes up ad nauseum is the teachers' lack of understanding about lice. What is it about lice that strikes fear into the hearts of teachers?
A few fun facts about lice:
They are bugs
They are attracted to clean hair. If you have lice, it does not mean you are dirty.
They lay eggs called "nits"
Nits are tiny white and sesame seed sized. They cling to hair shafts and are difficult to remove. They tend to cluster close to the scalp, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck.
Yes, if you are scratching, the mere mention of lice does that to all of us SN's as well. We are not immune to the psychosomatic itch.
Lice do NOT jump from person to person. In order to catch lice, you must share grooming utensils, headwear and beds- in other words, a slumber party for 5th grade girls can result in a HUGE lice outbreak.
If your child has lice, we will send her/him home to get treated with the shampoo. I'm not an ad exec, nor am I getting paid as an endorser, so I'm not mentioning brands. "Ask your doctor." I'm also old school, so I like the fine tooth comb.
Most schools now do NOT have a "no nit" policy.
And finally, and this is significant, The whole surrounding world/ classroom/ relatives from Jersey, do NOT have to be checked for lice just because Little Cliffy may have it.
(Now, that other lice? That's a tale for another day. Talk of it can be found on the SN board. 
I will say that thanks to all things "retro" there will be a upswing in that other kind of lice.)
Are you itchy now? Me too.
I've also re-learned IV Tylenol is a hell of a drug. I am impressed with how quickly and efficiently I have seen it work not only on pain, but to bring down a fever.
I've re-learned that crazy old people are often crazier when they have a UTI. So, if Ed starts hopping the side rails, check his urine.
I've learned that Risperdal is a hell of a drug and needs to be tapered.
I've learned I can sleep HARD when I'm off, and that my cat sleeps with me because he thinks my snoring is purring.
I've learned Coquito is strong and must be tapered. (Kidding)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquito
I've learned that smells are one of the biggest triggers to memories, and have been reminded of it several times this week. Some good, some not so good.
I've learned that I am excited for my friends who are students who have time off right now. My Big Kid, too!
I've learned that even when things are changing all around me, if I have my kids and people I love I can get through the holidays. I am glad Christmas is over, though.
Bring on 2016!
Thanks to my girl, ixchel, for trusting me with her thread this week.
For all of you working over the holidays, THANK YOU!!! A close family member of mine is hospitalized and nurses like you all have made all the difference in her care.
What have YOU learned this week?
JustBeachyNurse, LPN
13,957 Posts
I don't like when my office schedulers sends out 10 texts in 60 seconds when I'm trying to sleep. Two schedulers competing for me to cover the kiddos. Finally I said figure it out and tell me where I'm working tonight.
Apparently I not only impressed a new infant client parents but my clinical manager too. Babies make me happy even if medically complex/fragile. Especially when I get to hand them back after 8-12hours. Kind of like being the aunt. I can make my nieces & nephews happy and hand them back to my siblings while they are still smiling.