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.
True, I had a school nurse also that flirted with our principal when I was in school years ago. Eventually they ended up having an affair,so when you went to her, she let you do whatever. However, this teacher here should have valued your professional opinion and let you do your job as you left the teaching up to her. I can see why you felt the need to vent.
Officially on Spring Break so…. Let the drinking begin! I can drink as much coffee as I like and not have to consider when I'll get a chance to pee :)
Officially on Spring Break so…. Let the drinking begin! I can drink as much coffee as I like and not have to consider when I'll get a chance to pee :)
My break is next week and as someone else has said before in this forum, my favorite part of any vacation is no steady stream of people in my house asking me if they can poop in my bathroom.
Just returned from break. I slept from Saturday til Tuesday. I avoided the beach...there were SO many kids there and I was so afraid someone would get hurt and my family would look at me like I should help or something. Nuh uh, no way.
We had a blood drive at my school, but they did it on a Saturday so I was not involved AT ALL- other than donating. I watched a kid go down, too. Too bad I was hooked up to the apheresis machine and had no obligation to help said student..
Had a lovely cold while on vacation. Oh well, at least I could rest!
automotiveRN67
130 Posts
When I was a kid, our school nurse used to drink all day. So when you went there for something, she let you do whatever you wanted.