Junior High opinions

NursChu · Feb 24, 2013

I LOVE Junior High! I have worked with all age groups and all present with challenges and perks. In Junior High they are a little more independent and you can be direct with the frequent flyers. Most of the time I can ask them what is wrong and they are able to tell me and what normally works for them. I also love sports medicine, psychology, and preventative medicine and I do a lot of "patient education." You do have to deal with drugs, pregnancy, and emotional problems, but most of the time it is a blast.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Feb 26, 2013

A lot of bullying ends up as complaints that are based in three areas...the head- headaches; the chest-asthma like symptoms. Short of breath wheezy. But with an o2 sat of 98. And in the gut....stomach ache or diarrhea or vomiting ....good times!

delianelson · Feb 26, 2013

I am a substitute school nurse in a k-8th grade school and LOVE the junior high age group! THey usually come down with an underlying issue but present with complaints like a belly ache or headache. Its exciting to get to know them because they have more developed personalities than the youngsters.

mandm97, RN · Feb 26, 2013

I too went from an Elementary level to Middle School (jr) and LOVE IT...LOVE IT:yes:................for all of the above reasons!

Flare, ASN, BSN · Feb 26, 2013

nhnursie is spot on there. Try to keep track of when your freq fliers are coming and look for patterns. You'd expect that the kids are just coming to skip their academics because they didn't study for a quiz of forgot homework, but i always take a moment to consider the ones skipping the classes i wouldn't want to miss (like art or cooking ) were doing so due to peer issues. Middle school / junior high is a trying age - kids can get vicious with each other. But it's also a really fun age to work with. I miss my middle school only school terribly!

Tina, RN · May 14, 2014

I am revisiting this thread, because the possibility is presenting itself again. LOL

Thanks again for all the input!

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · May 15, 2014

So much menstrual period teaching and having a stock of pads/tampons handy for the girls! But, in all seriousness, I handle grades 7-12 and the bullying is much worse among my 7th and 8th grade girls.

Making note of your frequent fliers is key, and as someone pointed out up above, the symptoms usually present as a stomachache/nausea, headache, SOB - but I've also seen dizziness, sore throat - any complaint that will warrant a visit to me in their teacher's eyes. The approach that has gotten me the furthest is to examine first, then explain my findings when nothing rings true, and ask how their day has been. 9 times out of 10, they spill all. Build good communication between you, your school counselor, and dean of students.

Of course, I also sometimes get the ones that enter in tears, emotionally distraught. My patience level has increased 150% percent after working through so of those situations :). But I love my MS kids. Wouldn't trade working with them for the world.

OldDude · May 15, 2014

I've said this before but if I had to move to Junior High, I'd quit and try to get a job on one of those crab fishing boats like on Deadliest Catch or some other similar job that's easier than dealing with Jr High hormones.

fetch, BSN, RN · May 16, 2014

All my teacher friends are in high school and they look at me like I've got three heads when I say I want to move to middle school. They call it H-E-double hockey sticks!

I just have more patience with students I can actually talk to, get info out of, re-direct, etc. The little Pre-K and Kindergarten kiddos drive me up the wall most days when they just sob at you and expect you to know what that means.