Parent Pick-Up of Sick Kiddo

Published

How long do you give parents to pick-up their sick kiddo? I am going on one hour with a student with terrible diarrhea. I've called Mom and Dad. Mom said she would be an hour and a half. No. Dad told me 40 minutes. No.

Specializes in Geriatric Home Health, High School Nurse.
44 minutes ago, Mavnurse17 said:

We're at an advantage here, working with the older kiddos. Most of the time when I'm sending a kid home I have them make the call from their phone and then I'll hop on the line and talk to the parent. 15 minutes of trying to find a phone number that will answer from my office phone, but parent will pick up immediately for the child's number ?

I do this as a last resort. We've been having issues with students texting their parents that they are sick and then they don't even run through the clinic.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
21 minutes ago, SchoolNurseK said:

We've been having issues with students texting their parents that they are sick and then they don't even run through the clinic.

I have soooo many kids that do this. They'll pop in and say "my mom's coming to get me... she told me to wait here." I tell them mama is more than welcome to come sign you out for the day, but it's not an excused absence through the clinic.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatric Home Health, High School Nurse.
1 minute ago, Mavnurse17 said:

I have soooo many kids that do this. They'll pop in and say "my mom's coming to get me... she told me to wait here." I tell them mama is more than welcome to come sign you out for the day, but it's not an excused absence through the clinic. 

Ooooo that is a good answer! I am totally going to do this now!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.
3 hours ago, SchoolNurseK said:

How long do you give parents to pick-up their sick kiddo? I am going on one hour with a student with terrible diarrhea. I've called Mom and Dad. Mom said she would be an hour and a half. No. Dad told me 40 minutes. No.

Do you have much of a choice? I've had a couple times where it's been a couple of hours. I call all contacts and hope for the best but sometimes it is a problem.

2 hours ago, SchoolNurseK said:

I do understand that some parents are coming from very far away or sometimes there are circumstances that necessitate me keeping the child in the clinic longer, but I feel like this family was just not making it a priority. I know the parent was coming from 15 minutes away...I think that is what irritates me the most.

OK... That would annoy me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing.
2 hours ago, Mavnurse17 said:

I have soooo many kids that do this. They'll pop in and say "my mom's coming to get me... she told me to wait here." I tell them mama is more than welcome to come sign you out for the day, but it's not an excused absence through the clinic.

Yes, same here! Pet PEEEEEVE.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing.
2 hours ago, Mavnurse17 said:

I have soooo many kids that do this. They'll pop in and say "my mom's coming to get me... she told me to wait here." I tell them mama is more than welcome to come sign you out for the day, but it's not an excused absence through the clinic.

The only ones I ever allow to wait in here after they called their mom without seeing me first are the ones that have bled through their pants. Or if they're obvious ill, I suppose I would too. But in the general sense, I totally agree--that's a big NOPE!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse.

I just told a parent:

You are more than ok to pick up your child, however I am not sending them home sick. Child has congestion and headache, no fever. Mom continues to question, you wouldn't send home for a headache? A headache with fever - yes, no fever - no. So I can't pick her up? . . . and repeat x 4.

I need a recorder or a parrot. ♻️

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

I reserve a special place in hell for employers that do not allow cell phones to be carried and will not answer the company phone. Ok, I get the not carrying the cell phones, but when the second is true as well, Memo to wearhouse, there is something called a portable phone, foremen should carry one if you are too cheap to hire a receptionist!

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
50 minutes ago, Mavnurse17 said:

I have soooo many kids that do this. They'll pop in and say "my mom's coming to get me... she told me to wait here." I tell them mama is more than welcome to come sign you out for the day, but it's not an excused absence through the clinic.

Unless they're legit sick, I won't usually even let them wait here. If they didn't feel they needed me for the call home, then they are fine to wait in class. Also, I don't generally excuse these kids either. I also don't excuse the kids that came in knowing they were sick only to beeline here to get sent home "excused"

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

I strongly dislike the "Straight off the Bus" visits. No, go have breakfast and settle into class, then we'll talk. In winter country with them all bundled up and riding in a heated bus they probably are overheated and motion sick and if I did take their temps it be in the 99 range.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in kids.
16 hours ago, tining said:

I need a recorder or a parrot. ♻️

Get the parrot, totally!!!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
21 hours ago, CanIcallmymom said:

Yes, I do this more often than not nowadays.

Just sanitize that phone first!!! ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion