Nurse Caused Student Injury?

[guest83140]

I have seen students come in the clinic and fabricate lies about injuries many times. But have you ever had a student say you caused an injury and the parent side with them? I just ended Scoliosis screening for 9th graders at my school. I and my nurse aid will usually check each other's student when we see a problem and mark them down for a referral. This one student was checked by me but the aide had left to give first aide in special ed. for about 15-20 min. The student was asked to wait for 5 min. if possible to let the aide recheck. The student sat in a nearby office chair and said she was done with her work and started to chat. She said her mom was a Pediatrician. I said oh I can let her check you. She said but she usu. still sends me to another pedi doctor. After 5-6 min. I told the student that the aide must be tied up and that I would just mail a referral. The next day her mom called and said who ever checked her daughter hurt her back. She said her daughter said the person tried to straighten her back up and she immediately heard a pop. And when she got home she had to take ibuprofen. I asked her the student's name and then said I had examined her and that didn't happen. And that the student hadn't said her back had popped. I told her I would call the student down and call her back. The student came in the clinic with no eye contact and referred to me as "she". She stood there with her legs crossed playing with her ID badge on her neck. She said she told me she heard her back pop. I told her she could go back to class. That was last week Friday. Today, Tuesday one of the head nurses called me and said the mom had taken the student to the ER over the weekend. Lots of test ran and nothing found but student has severe back muscle spasms and is on bedrest for a week with muscle relaxers. She called the head nurse to find out what was done during screening and to prevent another student from going through this. I was shocked. The head nurse told me to call the mother and tell her that the student sat and swirled in the chair and never mentioned a pop the whole time. The mother said she isn't a pediatrian and said she thought I was making everything up about being a pediatrician, daughter in the chair, et. She was very putting down and said it would be my word against her daughter's. I found it useless to talk further with her but said I had mailed a referral for slight curvature in spine noticed at the top of her spine. I asked if the doctor had detected scoliosis. She said she doesn't know yet. I called the head nurse back and told her how she talked to me. I thought the student was fine and was in class Monday and today. So the head nurse told the aide to check on the student's character with teachers tomorrow. Is there any kind of protection for a student lying on the nurse? I can't think of anything I would do different. I told the student, mother and head nurse that we don't usually touch the students but maybe to point to a higher hip or higher shoulder but never to straighten them up. Have you ever heard of anything like this?:angryfire

[guest83140]

I was told by head nurse that xrays revealed small curvature in the spine per pedi dr. Student has been caught in several lies and mom wants to believe her child. She is at home on valium for spasms and lfeels a little better head nurse said yesterday. I think student may her twisted while bending to do bend test. But makes me mad that she would lie on me. She lied and said her mom was a Pedi doctor. She lied that she said she heard a pop. She actually sat in a nearby office chair swirled a little while she chatted for 5 minutes and then went back to class. Will hopefully return in good condition after the Thanksgiving break.

[Needsmorechocolate, ASN]

I am sorry but I do not have an answer as to why that happened. It sounds to me that the head nurse is not supporting you.

I wish you a relaxing Thanksgiving break.

Sending cyber hugs to you :heartbeat

[schoolnurse1001]

I work in a middle school and sadly:o I have had students lie regarding things. This year, so far, it was that I gave the student a H1N1 without consent. The dad called the school upset that his dd had told him she got the shot. The student was my regular so I know that I did not give it to her and I also have a clerk with me in my HR room who knew I did not give it to her. When I called her down to ask her about it she denied telling him that so with her standing there I called the dad back and told him I did not give her a shot and had the student talk to him in front of me so I could hear she was not lying to him again. One year a student said she passed out and was seen by the nurse, me, the mom was upset that she was not called by me. It was a day I was not even in she school due to meeting. Middle school age is notorious for lying. I am glad I have a clerk to back me up.

[safarirn]

Geez! Scary stuff with kids lying.

I guess this proves that yes, School Nurses should DEFINITELY carry their own insurance!!!

Hope this turns out okay.