Kindergarten bathroom accidents were handled in their individual classroom bathrooms?

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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?

20 hours ago, DallasRN said:

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.) ?

Yes this is exactly what the teacher does. Again I am not assisting them, except to give a plastic bag for soiled clothing. I will also call home to let parent know to remove clothing from backpack and send another set of clothing in tomorrow.

22 hours ago, DallasRN said:

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.) ?

I've been told that nurses in my district are not covered legally to change a student. If it's a self esteem destruction possibility (and it usually isn't), then I'll assist if I have time. If it happens during recess when the teacher is at lunch, I'll direct him to get his extra clothes, let him use the bathroom, and make sure he gets back to recess safely. But nine times out of ten, the accident happened when the G-tube student needed his fill, the diabetic needed his carbs calculated, kids needed inhalers and other legit visits. So call a para or an aide. I don't like having to blow off a student like that, but I really don't like being put in the position to do that even more.

If there is a teacher's aid available and a bathroom within the classroom, I believe it should be handled immediately and discreetly. If an aid isn't available then the school nurse is the next best option. If the child needs help because of learning disabilities, then that should be provided. Children come 1st. This is my motto. If nurses can look at a child as a person to be cared for, rather than a job that needs doing, this world would be a better place. I remember the humiliation of having an accident at school. The more discreetly it can be handled the better.

1 Votes
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Often times then kids get sent to me because they have no clothing and the perception by the staff if that I have an unending supply of clothing. My clothing supply usually runs out mid year, if I have anything decent to start with. Clothing I lend out usually doesn't get sent back, despite me stapling a note to please wash and return. I used to occasionally send out a request for people cleaning out their children's clothing to send in unwanted mesh shorts and sweats until it became the dumping ground for everything and started taking up too much of my time. Now I am on that border where what I have is what I have and when it runs out, oh well. I strongly advise every kid to pack a change of clothing as accidents, spills, and falls into the mud happen.

Amen c.skaggs63! We all need to work together as a team. Like the nursing profession, the teaching profession is required to do more with less. Having a teacher's aide is a luxury these days and specials like gym, art, music and guidance are being cut. There are certain students with behavioral issues I cannot imagine spending 7 hours/day with, and I'm happy to assist when I can.

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