Published
Sometimes when kids come in at that time it's because they have an activity after school that they don't want to stay for (either because they'd rather go home or because they aren't feeling well.
I tell those kids - since I deal with MS and HS kiddos - that if they feel sick enough to stay through school and not an activity, they need to find that teacher/coach and talk to them about missing because it is the adult thing to do.
Luckily, I don't have to deal with buses, but I will let them call a parent if needed to arrange transportation after school. And nope, they cannot wait in my office after school for a pick-up; often I have other after school coverage anyway. They can go to the library or the Dunkin' next door.
Have to set some boundaries.
I had a kid walk into my office at 1500 c/o headache. School ends 1530.
Me- You couldn't make it through the rest of the day?
Student- No!
Me- Well, you're about to.
No fever or nausea, I gave her an ice pack for her head and sent her back to class.
Her teacher came to see me the next AM when I was in the middle of doing a vision and hearing screen, asking why Tylenol wasn't given. Well... 1) Tylenol wouldn't have kicked in by the time dismissal started anyway 2) Tylenol is at the discretion of the school nurse, not the teacher 3) Mind your own beeswax.
One day I had THREE kids come in after 3P complaining they "didn't feel right."
All three had blistering fevers. One didn't speak English and none of their p/g answered when I made calls. Policy states nobody with a fever is allowed to ride the bus so guess who hung out until 1615 waiting for their rides? Poor kiddos.
EDIT
30 seconds after posting this I was hit with
A) A 4th grader who "felt like she was going to throw up" and then did exactly that. All over my floor.
B) A K girl who already had thrown up in a bucket and brought it to me for inspection.
C) A 4th grade kid with a headache that HAD to be addressed immediately.
Speak of the devil...
Follow up to this... this girl came back to the clinic 2 minutes later and said, "She told me to lie down." I didn't know who "she" was, but one of the office admins asked me to call her mother for pick up. I was a little annoyed, but found out later the girl reported to the bus driver that she was ALSO dizzy. That would have been an important detail to tell me.
Regardless, the mother didn't come pick her up until well after she would've already been home on the bus.
pistolchick
123 Posts
I just had a little girl in here, backpack on, "I don't feel well."
No temp, no nausea.
"Honey, aren't you going home RIGHT NOW?"
"Yes."
"Then I think your best bet is to go home."