Need advice

Jolie, BSN · Oct 7, 2015

What, if anything, is the teacher's "need to know?"

If the student came to you for a health-related issue that impacts classroom activities, then by all means, share relevant information with the teacher. (Which you probably would have already done.)

If she's fishing for other information, it's a no-go.

I usually start out with a vague response like, "Thanks for asking about little Jimmy. He was fine when he left my office." If she keeps pressing, flash a big smile and remind her that you don't ask for spelling test grades, nor do you want to burden her with unnecessary health stuff.

If she has a serious question or believes that something needs to be addressed, it is her responsibility to make that known by some method other than being nosy.

kidzcare · Oct 7, 2015

If it's relevant to the classroom, I will give some info. If not, I flat out say that I cannot discuss a student's condition because of privacy laws.

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2015

If relevant, I will give some info - especially because I have found out they can be asking because the student asks to go to the nurse a lot during their class. This has actually led to some great planning to reduce unnecessary frequent fliers and some return information - i.e. there was a math test today when the student came to my office with a stomachache after they told me point blank they had no tests today.

Of course, it also depends on the teacher. I know which ones are asking because it is relevant and some are just nosy. I will go back to privacy laws if a teacher is asking for too much information. Even when it relevant to share, I stick with basics, not too much detail. (Like the poster above, something like: "Oh, that student was fine to go back to class" and leave the conversation.)

huffmannurse · Oct 9, 2015

If she keeps pressing, flash a big smile...
.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS>>>>>and we ALL have seen one of these...many times :snurse:

RatherBHiking, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2015

I think the teacher has a right to know if a student has a health issue and if they come in frequently. Why shouldn't they? They're working directly with that child and need to know what to expect and if the student needs to come to the nurse when asks or if it's something that needs discouraged.

However, I respect the student's privacy if they told me things during an assessment that will not benefit the teacher knowing. I work in grade school so it's more black and white than middle or high school teachers. I could see an older student esp confiding things to the nurse that are not the teacher's business. It depends on the grade and condition how much I share and when teachers start pushing past boundaries I just tell them it's not anything they need to worry about and walk away or change the subject.

I had one teacher walk into my office, go straight to my health files and pull one out without asking before I even realized! The front of the file said confidential and she asked why it said that and I had to explain health info is protected by law as I gently removed the file from her. She just wanted to find a phone number and I'm like then go to the main office! Stay out of my files!!

lvnforschool · Oct 9, 2015

I had a student that had her tonsils removed and I called the Cafe Manager to tell her a soft-diet was ordered for her. I had no problem until she started questioning me about the girls living situation and other non- health related stuff. I AM NOT a gossip queen, and usually I do not find stuff out till last anyway! :dead:

TGIF