minor complaints

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i'm feeling very short fused lately with the parade of minor complaints coming into my office. Chapped lips -holy crow - i must have seen 50 kids looking for the little packets of lip balm yesterday - i just stopped charting it at one point when i got too busy with actual issues. Dry skin, stuffy noses. I can't believe that students are let out of class for these non issues. Yes, i get that dry skin is irritating, but it's also not worth leaving in the middle of a lesson for.

And, yes - i've mentioned to staff and admins that perhaps the children don't need to leave class for all of these small crises. Some of my admins are supportive, some of the teachers are cooperative - others not so much.

I had a kid who was sent to my office from his ESL class today (30 minutes a day) because "something in his mouth hurt." I took a look. Yep - he has a molar coming in. Definitely worthy of missing an English class for!

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"My mouth feels spicy" (After eating a taco.)

Yes, a monitor actually sent the child down to see me. I know they are just being careful but come on!

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I had a student who "felt hot" yesterday 20 minutes before the bell rang. The teacher said she felt his forehead and he did feel hot. I rarely shake my head at my teachers, but I really just had to at that one.

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I got a great one today. In the middle of my 5 classrooms of lice checks, I had a student come in and sit right. I asked her what was wrong.

Student: My ear hurts

Me: Did something happen?

Student: Yes. Kayla whistled into it. And now it hurts.

A lunch aide sent her in from recess for this.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Pediatrics.

I learned from these comments that I never want to do school nursing.

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I learned from these comments that I never want to do school nursing.

Yes, but as ridiculous as many of these little visits are, I always feel like I am doing something good! Oh and a week for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks Christmas, 3 days mid winter, 1 week spring break and 11 weeks for summer...that helps alot! :roflmao:

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I learned from these comments that I never want to do school nursing.

You know, I seriously need to vent her because I need school nurses who "get it."

But school nursing is also very rewarding:

When a student gets hearing aides for the first time at the age of 8 because no one ever checked her hearing

When a student can stay in school after an asthma attack because there was a nurse there to listen to his lungs and administer an inhaler

When a diabetic recovers from a BS of 30 (without glucagon) because you were there to act quickly

when you can guide a parent on the causes of her child's frequent UTIs for a proper dx and follow up .

when a staff member goes into anaphylaxis and you are there to administer epinephrine.

when you know a parents of a child with a seizure disorder can safely drop her child off at school because someone is willing to administer emergency diastat.

When you figure out a kid has belly aches every morning because there is no food in her house for breakfast and you just happen to have a stash of granola bars. ;-)

There are a lot of great things; there really are! But some days I run on sarcasm and caffeine. I'm a nurse!!!

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Pediatrics.
Yes, but as ridiculous as many of these little visits are, I always feel like I am doing something good! Oh and a week for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks Christmas, 3 days mid winter, 1 week spring break and 11 weeks for summer...that helps alot! :roflmao:

I could not NOT work for 11 weeks. I would have to get a side job. That would drive me nuts!!

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It's more like 9 weeks in my district but I have no problem whatsoever not working! I do tons of volunteer work at my church and summer camp. I finally clean the house and I log quite a few hours floating on a raft in the poolí ½í¸œ Plus, it is the most rewarding job I have ever had. You get to follow the kids for years and watch them grow and help them along the way.

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It's more like 9 weeks in my district but I have no problem whatsoever not working! I do tons of volunteer work at my church and summer camp. I finally clean the house and I log quite a few hours floating on a raft in the pool�� Plus, it is the most rewarding job I have ever had. You get to follow the kids for years and watch them grow and help them along the way.

Absolutely! I love the summer off! Main reason I took this job. Maybe if I didn't have young kids I would get bored, but we spend the days lounging at the pool and chilling! It's the best!

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Absolutely! I love the summer off! Main reason I took this job. Maybe if I didn't have young kids I would get bored, but we spend the days lounging at the pool and chilling! It's the best!

Me too! Love my summers off! My kids are in their 20's now but I have found ways to fill my summer so I don't get bored. I travel with a golf league in the summer so lots of laughs and good times with the girls!

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I could not NOT work for 11 weeks. I would have to get a side job. That would drive me nuts!!

Not me! I love my summer vacation-days spent at the beach, nights hanging with my family. It's a great chance to recharge my batteries and my brain!! Ours is usually 9 or 10 weeks depending upon breaks during the year but July and August are my ME months!!

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