Kindergarten bathroom accidents were handled in their individual classroom bathrooms?

[halohg, RN]

So how do you all feel if I enforce that bathroom accidents be handled in the classroom bathroom for kindergartener students verse the health office bathroom? Each student has the change of clothing in the classroom and they each have a bathroom within the classroom. It baffles me why the current process if for the student to leave with a buddy and come to the health office with their clothes and change by me. I don’t assist other than to give a bag for the soiled clothing and call home. Thoughts?

[Cattitude]

Pee is a PEEve of mine. Why on earth they send these soaked kids to us when our district policy is that it's NOT a medical issue is beyond me.

I will not assist in changing clothes but will call home. Very frustrating especially when the child has no change of clothes.

[dosharn, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Call home.

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

We have a preschool in our school, so we have a lot of bathroom accidents. Our teacher's aids handle it for the most part. I'll help out from time to time if the aid is out.

[AutumnDraidean]

honestly it shouldn't be a nurse thing at all. Be matter of fact and deal with it in the classroom!

[tining, BSN, RN]

Reason #1 to move to middle school. ?

[2BS Nurse, BSN]

I worked at a school that was lucky enough to stock extra clothes (hand-me-downs) in the health room (underwear were new and donated). The student would be sent there because most didn't have an extra set of clothes at school. If your 5K classroom is lucky enough to have an aide, she/he can take care of it. If no aide, the teacher cannot leave the class alone to assist with one student in the bathroom (Have you spent time with a flock of 5 year olds?). Many times the students having accidents have developmental issues as well and may not be independent or get lost on their way to and from the bathroom. It's a crazy age and I don't know how those teachers do it!!!

My one concern with calling parents is that I've seen kids manipulate up, down and sideways to have their parents called from school. My goal was to get them back to the classroom as quickly as possible!

[ChristmasNurse]

Not a nursing thing, not a nursing thing, not a nursing thing.....I had to keep that in my head when I began in elementary because it took the kindergarten teachers a while to get that I wasn't changing students. The nurse's bathroom is supposed to be for sick children too. So you can use that excuse if they ask.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

sometimes i am "too busy" to make that call just then - especially if the accident happens at the end of the day so i push it back on the teachers.

[2BS Nurse, BSN]

Is it typical for 5K and preschool classrooms to have a bathroom within them? I've not seen this.

[DallasRN]

I am a million miles away from being a school nurse - much less for a group of young kids. Therefore, this is purely a curiosity comment/question.

So...a 4-5 year old child is soaked with urine (or feces?) and made to traipse down the hall wet? Wouldn't this do something to the self-esteem? Not to mention it seems kind of nasty. (and a PS: I didn't even know young ones brought a change of clothes to school...never had kids. Clueless.) ?

[peacockblue]

I have been in school nursing for 17 years. When i started, K kids were potty trained. This is less and less the case. In my schools these kids get sent to the nurse. We have tried to change things but without luck.