Parent Pick-Up of Sick Kiddo

[SchoolNurseK]

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.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

4 minutes ago, BeckyESRN said:

I see the most umm...liberties being take by the upper parents as opposed to the lower; the latter are generally very apologetic when they can't be here in a timely manner.

I've had one situation where every backup plan fell through all at once, perfect storm type situation. Husband was working, in-laws were on vacation(which meant all 4 extra adults were gone), family friend was supporting a parent during surgery, my parents were both down with the flu...all at once. My own kid had to sleep in the clinic with me until I could care for my students here and safely go home for the day; stuff happens. I get it, just be reachable and be honest.

This is my world view, I am very understanding of perfect storm contingencies, but at least have back ups, it is immature to not. We are available 99% of the time, and we still have four options if necessary.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I feel quite blessed to have had friendly, helpful neighbors when my boys were in elementary school, who could pick up the kids and keep them for until one of us could get home (work commute sometimes 45 minutes alone).

As a school nurse, I do not fault parents who are working or take a while to reach their sick child. What I struggle with is when a parent says, 'I'm on my way' and never show. Or the parent that can't be reached with no other contacts. I don't check my phone sometimes for hours at a time. HOWEVER, my work number is listed, my husband's work and cell phone, my inlaw's, family friends and neighbors. If there is an emergency, I want someone to know as soon as possible.

I have to agree with MrNurse(x2) on this one, it's irresponsible not to have a backup plan. LIST your work number and put (FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY). I promise, no school nurse is going to use this unless they need to communicate with you ASAP. Even if your response is that you won't be able to get there for 2 hours. A means of communication should always be available.

[tining, BSN, RN]

30 minutes ago, BeckyESRN said:

My frustration is with parents that 1.) don't/won't answer 2.) have several non-functioning numbers 3.) tell me that they be here in 20mins but take 2 hours, and 4.) medicate their child's 103 temperature and tell them not to come to the nurse until after 11 because they refuse miss hot yoga and thus expose the entire school to the flu for their convenience(this has happened 3 times, 3 different students). I see the most umm...liberties being take by the upper parents as opposed to the lower; the latter are generally very apologetic when they can't be here in a timely manner.

This.

We are not being judgmental, just frustrated with the above situations. Extenuating circumstances, whatever the reason, we simply need better communication. The kids waiting with me are constantly asking, is my parent here yet, did you call them, could you call them again. What else can we do to comfort your child when they are feeling their worst?

[Godsgirl73, MSN, NP]

11 hours ago, tining said:

This.

We are not being judgmental, just frustrated with the above situations. Extenuating circumstances, whatever the reason, we simply need better communication. The kids waiting with me are constantly asking, is my parent here yet, did you call them, could you call them again. What else can we do to comfort your child when they are feeling their worst?

I think it's reasonable to be frustrated with those type of circumstances! Communication is key!

The occasion when it took awhile for me to get to the school was actually a factor of the admin staff who didn't read my child's file. Even though I have given the office staff both my cell phone number AND the Office Manager's number, they only called and left a message on my cell phone number. There is a note on both of my kids' files that for the 2 6-hour days a week that I work, I'm often unavailable by cell phone and that they are to call the Office Manager and have her find me. Unfortunately, that didn't happen that time. I guess it was a perfect storm that neither my mother-in-law nor my friend were available that day to pick up my child. At the end of it all, everyone managed just fine.

In a thread like this, I think it's important to note that there are some people who truly can't just drop everything and pick up their kids IMMEDIATELY as some people have recommended. I suspect most parents don't intend to harm their kids or "abandon" them when they are truly sick. (I know that's not my intent!) And while I can't speak for every possible career, I can say that for me, I at very least have to arrange to have my patients rebooked, and/or see the one or two that have truly urgent needs before I can leave the clinic for the day. It seems like the majority of nurses responding to this post recognize that. (Personally, I wish our school HAD a school nurse!)

I wish all people could be blessed to have multiple options to pick up their kids! Not everyone is as fortunate. I'm certainly not. But between my husband and I, we do our best.

[Godsgirl73, MSN, NP]

11 hours ago, lifelearningrn said:

I have to agree with MrNurse(x2) on this one, it's irresponsible not to have a backup plan. LIST your work number and put (FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY). I promise, no school nurse is going to use this unless they need to communicate with you ASAP. Even if your response is that you won't be able to get there for 2 hours. A means of communication should always be available.

What happens when the backup plans fail? Please know that I'm not at all trying to be antagonistic. I'm sincerely asking. Or, what happens when the school staff do not, despite a note on your child's file, call the number that you have advised them to call while you're at work? I'm not sure what else to do in those situations, so am thankful that I have only had the one experience I posted about earlier in this thread.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

9 hours ago, Godsgirl73 said:

What happens when the backup plans fail? Please know that I'm not at all trying to be antagonistic. I'm sincerely asking. Or, what happens when the school staff do not, despite a note on your child's file, call the number that you have advised them to call while you're at work? I'm not sure what else to do in those situations, so am thankful that I have only had the one experience I posted about earlier in this thread.

I understand that back ups fail. My complaint is when there is no plan at all. Here's my take, and it is a societal issue, follow the logic. There was a time when people were told that slavery was wrong, but the financial implications would collapse the economy, so they swallowed the bitter pill. It wasn't until industry could replace the agricultural economy that real change began. Americans ignored an injustice because they couldn't afford justice. That's the way we are in dual income homes. My affluent parents put the dollar first at the cost of their children. My wife and I work two jobs, a night shift job and we split the school, one of us is ALWAYS available for our children. We sacrifice our own comfort and career promotions for our children, both of us, but we are the minority in our circle. We have become a selfish generation and it shows, the question is, are you willing to change the generation?

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

43 minutes ago, MrNurse(x2) said:

I understand that back ups fail. My complaint is when there is no plan at all. Here's my take, and it is a societal issue, follow the logic. There was a time when people were told that slavery was wrong, but the financial implications would collapse the economy, so they swallowed the bitter pill. It wasn't until industry could replace the agricultural economy that real change began. Americans ignored an injustice because they couldn't afford justice. That's the way we are in dual income homes. My affluent parents put the dollar first at the cost of their children. My wife and I work two jobs, a night shift job and we split the school, one of us is ALWAYS available for our children. We sacrifice our own comfort and career promotions for our children, both of us, but we are the minority in our circle. We have become a selfish generation and it shows, the question is, are you willing to change the generation?

I don't think it's always so cut and dry.

I stepped out of school nursing for two years. I worked in the hospital. If the school called, I couldn't just up and leave. My son had a babysitter, but she wouldn't pick him up if he were sick. I would have to wait until my job could find someone to cover my patients before I could leave.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

1 minute ago, SchoolNurse91 said:

I don't think it's always so cut and dry.

I stepped out of school nursing for two years. I worked in the hospital. If the school called, I couldn't just up and leave. My son had a babysitter, but she wouldn't pick him up if he were sick. I would have to wait until my job could find someone to cover my patients before I could leave.

My point is we have allowed dual income to be the norm. I am guilty, our lifestyle demands dual income, but we make allowances that reduce our comfort to allow security for our boys. I could go on for hours how our greed from the 80's has brought us here, I bought into it myself. The truth is, I see the desperation in these child's eyes as they wait every minute for pick up, they can't relax until they know their parent is here.

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

Just now, MrNurse(x2) said:

My point is we have allowed dual income to be the norm. I am guilty, our lifestyle demands dual income, but we make allowances that reduce our comfort to allow security for our boys. I could go on for hours how our greed from the 80's has brought us here, I bought into it myself. The truth is, I see the desperation in these child's eyes as they wait every minute for pick up, they can't relax until they know their parent is here.

I'm a single mom, so I don't have the comfort of a dual income. The sad reality is a dual income is needed. It's not always greed. It's necessity. I'm almost at the point where I need two jobs.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

... and, as stated earlier, single parent and low income do not pertain to this discussion.

[Nursesusu]

I have no problem keeping sick kids until parents can pick them up, within reason. It's the parents who can never be reached or say they're on their way, and show up 4 hours later (at dismissal time) that cause the most frustration!

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Just like in the hospital, it is never about me being put out when someone needs something. It is about the effect on the "patient" that concerns me.