Most Frustrating Thing ?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

School Nurse's, I would like to know what frustrates you with your job as a School Nurse?

Me......Parents who bring in an inhaler for their child to use, because of severe asthma, and the box the inhaler comes in reeks of cigarette smoke >>>>> :eek:

So what get's to YOU ?

Not being able to get in touch w/parents because they have a new cell phone every other month and they never update the school. Ditto for the six additional relatives/friends who have changed phone numbers! It is the #1 time waster in my very busy clinic. :(

mc3

Mybiggest stresoor..well, its a tie.Parents and staff.

Parents who need to complain about their health issues and staff who really belive I am their own private practitioner.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i'm with mc3- not being able to get in touch with parents. there will be a dozen phone numbers listed and nobody will pick up because they see that the school is calling. I'm not calling to ask how your day is going, i'm calling because your child is ill. this is especially frustrating when there is something serious going on. when i get resourceful and have the child use their own cellphone (if they have one) or use my fax line (i use that trick sparingly as i don't want people to know that number too!)

Isn't there a way to make phone calls through a proxy number via google or something - i thought i read that somewhere once...

Oooh and I agree with donnacee too about being the community clinic too - why pay copays and wait at the doctor's office when Nurse Flare can see you with no wait - then get annoyed when i tell you I can't diagnose you or write out any scripts (yes, people have actually expected that I can write out scripts for antibiotics for them and gotten mad at me when i tell them i can't). if you want that out of me, then raise the moolah to send me to med school (and still pay my bills!).

Specializes in Peids.

I agree with all of the above about the phone number changes. I am not sure what its like in other states but in my state they change numbers and or phones with other people off of the streets at least once a day if not more. Or the phone will be cut off. That is the Biggest frustration that I have. That would be followed by the teachers and all staff (at school and district) thinking that I did not have a hard time in school with hours and hours of class and homework and that they have more schooling that the nurse has. The teachers will come into my office and set there telling me this as they then tell me that I do nothing all day and they have TONS of things to do. Then why are you sitting in my office chair while I have a room full of kids?!

Specializes in retired LTC.

If it's any consolation to all you school nurses out there, the same phone problems happen to us in LTC.

Family contacts and employee staff are both equally at fault as y'all comment.

Specializes in retired LTC.

If it's any consolation to all you school nurses out there, the same phone problems happen to us in LTC.

Family contacts and employee staff are both equally at fault as y'all comment.

Specializes in Pediatrics, school nursing.

It's a toss-up between the sick kids who have no working phone numbers and my kids don't have cell phones (very poor area) or teachers/administrators bringing kids in for changes of clothing because they are out of dress code and they don't want to bother the parents. Needless to say, I never see those clothes again.

I always call, or have our secretary call home. I keep the clothes I have for the kids who really do need them - not dress code violations. I am not the Mall...

mc3

Specializes in TeleHealth Nurse.

I agree with everyone else- its the phone calls home. No number works. I do the kids cell phone thing too!

or when no one can pick up a child. They want them to stay until the parent gets off work. So they want me to keep the puking kid in my office all day and then I get to stay two hours after work day is over until someone can pick them up. Not gonna happen. They sure expect you to be able to do that though. shift

Silly frustration: trying to figure out my new initials after getting (legally, FINALLY) married! I've got my old initials down to a very nice pattern, now I've gotta stick an extra letter in there, it doesn't work with cursive as well, PLUS I keep forgetting to do it!

Serious frustration: parents who decide the first day of school is the best time to drop off meds/forms/vaccinations/physicals. And then act annoyed when I don't have half an hour to spend going over everything and tell them I'll have to call them back with any issues/questions.

Worst frustration: teachers. They are both a blessing and a curse.

This post brought to you by the total amnesia I developed last year about the first day of school! How did I forget what madness this was?!

Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.

My biggest frustration right now are the orders from Doctors. Some of theses Doctor's write the most hair pulling stuff. Example, on the med form it states the form is good for one school year. I have had doctors write, "Good for all school years". No! Doesn't work like that. I also had a doctor write an order for a student to have accommodations which includes a "back-to-front paper fill with notes the student can use for all class exams (AP & Honors), plus more time on exams, and the use of electronic devices in the classroom i.e. student's iPhone and laptop. Wifi should be provided to student at District's cost." :no: Then you have to explain to the parents that just because a physician writes something on a piece of paper it does not make it law. We are not legally abide to follow any and all doctor's orders. We have the right to question them and we have our own laws and regulations to follow through with. Ugh! And not it's not okay for the Dr. to write orders that the student is to have lunch in the Nurse's office everyday because it's hot and the student doesn't like being in the cafeteria. No medical issues. Student is just "hot". Your physician does not own my office okay.

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