Most Frustrating Thing ?

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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 ?

"But I NEED a list of all the students' medical problems." I know this topic has been hashed out on several threads here. I just can't come up with a solution that makes both staff and me happy, or at least happy enough. The frustration over this topic today gave me such a terrible headache and nausea, I briefly wondered if I just ruptured a brain aneurysm.

What happened to the "smiley" face that's running into a door?

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How about teachers sending kids to the nurse because they feel asleep in class? Student has no illness, assessment done to make sure there is no illness. Send them back to class and teacher wants nurse to write a note to parents that student is sleeping in class... this student may have fallen asleep in class but by the time they come to me they are laughing and giggling and bouncing off the walls of my office. Ummm, no note from me to parents, sorry, doesn't seem to be a medical thing here.

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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?!

It's kind of like childbirth. You forget how crazy it is so you actually come back and do it again. In my mind I know it's going to be crazy but I'm always shocked at how crazy those first few days are. If I truly remembered I might not come back. LOL.

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How about teachers sending kids to the nurse because they feel asleep in class? Student has no illness, assessment done to make sure there is no illness. Send them back to class and teacher wants nurse to write a note to parents that student is sleeping in class... this student may have fallen asleep in class but by the time they come to me they are laughing and giggling and bouncing off the walls of my office. Ummm, no note from me to parents, sorry, doesn't seem to be a medical thing here.

It's very mysterious how these kids are falling asleep in class, and coughing all over everyone, and nearly puking in a trash can . . . but as soon as they walk down the hall to the clinic they because chipper and happy! HRMMM. (The sleeping one especially -- have the kid stand up and walk to the bathroom and walk back, that'll probably wake them up again.)

"This student is sneezing a lot, I think they need to go home." No, they have allergies, and they need a tissue.

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Specializes in School nursing.

Some of you here actually get health forms and physicals before the first day of school? ;) Seriously, I will be spending this entire month tracking that stuff down. It gets sent out way before the July 31st deadline and for 50% of my kids, I will not have by the first day of school.

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Specializes in kids.

Congrats!!!

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?!

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Some of you here actually get health forms and physicals before the first day of school? ;) Seriously, I will be spending this entire month tracking that stuff down. It gets sent out way before the July 31st deadline and for 50% of my kids, I will not have by the first day of school.

Mine come in the first weeks of school :eek:. I have over 900 I have to go through! Another thing that really, really annoys me? When I find on the medical sheet the child has a "severe" peanut allergy, or wasp/bee sting allergy, but parent has not brought in medication, or even mentioned it to anyone. It's only written on the sheet. :uhoh3: I've followed up on them making numerous phone calls (yes, some #'s already don't work) to make sure that parent understands what could happen. I'm still waiting for about half to call me back.....I don't want to be in the position of having an anaphylactic reaction and no meds here!!! (I've found about 20 such sheets already...)

(sigh)

mc3:cat:

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When I find on the medical sheet the child has a "severe" peanut allergy, or wasp/bee sting allergy, but parent has not brought in medication, or even mentioned it to anyone. It's only written on the sheet. :uhoh3:

Yeah-This one always blows me away!

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Specializes in School nursing.
Yeah-This one always blows me away!

I've gotten told by parents that an Epi-pen is too expensive for a "might happen" thing. Now, I realize that they are not cheap, and I work with several low income families, but all children in my state qualify for state health care and I even have coupons and resources to share to cut down co-pays significantly, sometimes even to $0. But even after sharing this, I get nowhere.

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Specializes in Emergency.
I've gotten told by parents that an Epi-pen is too expensive for a "might happen" thing. Now, I realize that they are not cheap, and I work with several low income families, but all children in my state qualify for state health care and I even have coupons and resources to share to cut down co-pays significantly, sometimes even to $0. But even after sharing this, I get nowhere.

Epi-pen pricing is all over the place. Full price for a 2 pack is $311, I paid $34 with insurance (last week) and the coupon saves you $100 on the 2 pack (not sure if it can be used with insurance).

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Specializes in School nursing.
Epi-pen pricing is all over the place. Full price for a 2 pack is $311, I paid $34 with insurance (last week) and the coupon saves you $100 on the 2 pack (not sure if it can be used with insurance).

Yeah, the pricing is inconsistent. In my state, all students can be on our state plan and through that Epi-pens are covered, usually with a lower co-pay. The coupon can be applied to co-pays, but not for those on Medicaid. (For those curious: https://activatemysavings.com/epipen/).

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Specializes in family practice and school nursing.

The inability to reach parents as you all stated.. Also parents not following the guidelines for meds in school (Drs Rx, parent's permission, original container,etc.) This is all spelled out in the letter that goes home before school starts. Not only that but I work in a special needs school and have a lot of the same kids year after year who take meds .. and their parents KNOW the policy... and just choose not to follow it!

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