Missed a fracture.

[Farawyn]

7th grade girl came in, banged her hand in gym. She had no swelling, good movement, good hand grasps and low pain level. I gave her ice since hands tend to bruise and sent her on her way. She came back later in the day holding her hand like a wounded baby bird.

I called her parents immediately, but ugh. They are not easy parents.

I feel like an idiot.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

A similar thing just happened at my school. A 3 1/2 yr old Pre-K fell on the playground. Staff carried her in to the office. She was crying and couldn't point to where it hurt. We reassured her, and I started assessing. When I got to the left ankle she winced when I touched it but no redness swelling or unusual presentation. I continued to calm her and iced the ankle for 10 min. She played with toys while resting on cot with ice. After 10 min I asked her to stand on. She refused to put wt on it. I called parents and they were there in 10 min. When student saw mom she started crying. I told mom what had happened and said she may need an x-ray since she refused to try to stand on that foot. I told her I thought the problem was her ankle. Mom said she would take her for an x-ray. Next day my Principal received an e-mail from the mom saying I was uncaring and cruel to try and make her daughter stand on a broken ankle (x-ray confirmed it was broken). How was I uncaring? She later apologized to the teacher and principal for her e-mail but said nothing to me about it. I get to see mom 2 x dly when she drops student off and when she picks her up. It is impossible to please everyone. And I cannot tell if bones are broken.

You did NOTHING wrong! There are some people you will NEVER please. Don't give it a second thought!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

7th grade girl came in, banged her hand in gym. She had no swelling, good movement, good hand grasps and low pain level. I gave her ice since hands tend to bruise and sent her on her way. She came back later in the day holding her hand like a wounded baby bird.

I called her parents immediately, but ugh. They are not easy parents.

I feel like an idiot.

You are not an idiot, you made an assessment that was essentially negative. Did she do anything to exacerbate the injury after you saw it?

You called the parent when your assessment changed.

If you have not called at all, then beat yourself up.

Difficult parents are going to be the death of me.....

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

Difficult parents are going to be the death of me.....

truth!!

[NanaPoo]

Ahh..thank you for the resource!!

Add me to the missed fracture club.

I had a girl who's had 2 buckle fractures in the past year and I missed them both. She showed minimal pain after a fall (well, two falls) on her wrist. She had full ROM to her hand, wrist, and arm but still refused to go to class and wanted to sit in the clinic with an ice pack. She's a frequent flyer so I charted it up to her crying wolf again. I had no nurse intuition bells and whistles going off at all. Called her helicopter mom anyway who came flying in to take her for an x-ray and good ol' NanaPoo was proven wrong yet again.

But don't ya love it when they sit in your office chatty and happy but, when mom walks in, they're a sloppy, crying, fall-apart mess??

[100kids, BSN, RN]

But don't ya love it when they sit in your office chatty and happy but, when mom walks in, they're a sloppy, crying, fall-apart mess??

So true!!!