OK- I give up.

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Specializes in ED, School Nurse.

I just had a high school student come to my office with a sore throat. "I think I might have strep". I ask "What makes you think that? Do you have a family member with strep? Or a significant other with strep?" Nope. "My throat hurts and there's white patches." Symptoms have been going on for 2 days.

I assess. No fever. Tonsils are red and swollen, maybe 2+. I see a large white patch on her right tonsil that looks almost like a throat stone to me. I explain to student that not all white patches mean strep, and not all strep has white patches. I call home, explain what I am seeing to mom. Mom says, sure, medicate student, does she want to go home? I ask student, she says no- I'm good to stay. I'm fine with student staying or going home. She's afebrile, I don't send every sore throat home unless they really feel or look rotten, or they have a fever.

Twenty minutes later, student returns to my office with her jacket and backpack. "I have showed my throat to all of my teachers and they think I should get it checked out."

I have no problem with the student wanting to go home- I would have dismissed her after the first conversation with mom had that been the decision that mom and her and I made.

I would like to thank the student for showing her sore throat to her teachers. I also SO appreciate the teachers advising this student on the treatment of her sore throat, especially AFTER I evaluated it and made a clinical decision with mom and student's input.

I called dad (he was home, mom was at work) and sent student home. Sigh.

Vent over. Thanks for listening. :D

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Specializes in kids.

Feel your pain.....

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I think oropharyngeal assessment is part of the teacher certification curriculum, isn't it?

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I call this the "let's see how much of the nurse's time I can possibly waste syndrome."

So much of my day is just spent on stupid scenarios such as this. I will talk to a parent, come to a decision to send the kid back to class. I think everyone is on the same page - then, 2 hours later - the front office is looking for the kid because mom is here to pick up. SAY WHAT???

And since we are venting. If your mom just dropped you off 7 minutes ago, why are you in my office asking if I can call mom to bring you allergy medication?

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I would have sent her home for the white patches. Ugh. I've always felt like such crap when my own throat has looked like that.

The teachers, though. Booooooo!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Yes!!! My RN had a talk with the Special Ed Teacher, and she basically told the RN, if I send a kid to the Health Office, that means that they need to go home. Ummm really, cause you are qualified to determine that based on what? Cause you have a feeling.

This stems over a incident where a Down syndrome girl, 15 years old, might** of passed out during PE cause she got hit in the chest by a rubber ball, and had heart surgery 10 years ago. I assessed the child, called mom, and we determined she was FINE. That should of been end of story, but oh no, the teacher didn't feel like I did my JOB.

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Yes!!! My RN had a talk with the Special Ed Teacher, and she basically told the RN, if I send a kid to the Health Office, that means that they need to go home. Ummm really, cause you are qualified to determine that based on what? Cause you have a feeling.

This stems over a incident where a Down syndrome girl, 15 years old, might** of passed out during PE cause she got hit in the chest by a rubber ball, and had heart surgery 10 years ago. I assessed the child, called mom, and we determined she was FINE. That should of been end of story, but oh no, the teacher didn't feel like I did my JOB.

I had a teacher tell me last week that because she is in the classroom with them all day, she knows better than I do if they need to go home. Ahh, lady you teach art!

I'll listen to her concerns, do my own assessment, talk to the parent before making a decision about sending a kid home. If I need to decorate a wall or door I'll seek this teachers option.

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Ridiculous! I continually have teachers who are convinced a student has a fever when they don't. ("he/she feels warm.")

If only the teachers would leave the assessment to us!

My other favorite is a child with known seasonal allergies and the teacher is SURE they have pink eye. EVERY little bit of bloodshot or itchy eyes is sent to me with the proclamation "this looks like pink eye." I know it's sometimes hard to tell, but it gets ridiculous.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Yes! Yes to all of this!! Sometimes I feel like putting a big black stamp on the back of the kids hands like they do in the clubs once the kids have already seen me and it has been determined that they don't need to go home so they can't plead their case to their next 5 teachers because it's a guarantee that at least 3 of the 5 will send them. I sometimes wonder how quickly these kids will blow through their sick time once they hit the real world

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.
I had a teacher tell me last week that because she is in the classroom with them all day, she knows better than I do if they need to go home. Ahh, lady you teach art!

I'll listen to her concerns, do my own assessment, talk to the parent before making a decision about sending a kid home. If I need to decorate a wall or door I'll seek this teachers option.

I always want to respond to this comment like this:

"Fine, if you are with them all day and you think your feeling is better than my actual assessment, don't send your kids to me. You have a phone in your room, call mom yourself."

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Specializes in School Nurse.

Today I saw a 7th grade student first thing in the morning when she brought to me her immunization record from the day prior (recent immigrant on a catch-up schedule). She informed me that she had a little headache; however, upon assessment I felt she could go on to class. A couple of periods later, a teacher called to inform me that said student had her head down in class. Me: Well she had 7 immunizations yesterday and that it is not uncommon to feel a little under the weather the day following. Teacher: Yeah, I KNOW THAT. But she is not participating in class so I think you need to call home...Me: I will certainly assess her again but I think she is ok to stick it out. Besides, I know her parents both work factory jobs and likely cannot leave work to pick her up...Teacher: (whiny) BUT SHE IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN CLASS!....Me: *Sigh*

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

And... STOP SENDING ME YOUR STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING LUNCH because they are complaining of a stomach ache.

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