Parent and school nurse

[BeckyESRN]

I know a few of you guys have kids in the district where you're the nurse, so I'm hoping you'll have some advice.

There has been a lot of conflict in our district this year between parents and administration, some nursing related(head lice) and most not (redistricting, policies, expanding buildings). It's been one thing after another all year; everyone is tense. Here's where it gets difficult: parents want my opinion on different things, but I honestly think most of these parents are crazy! Parents expect that I will "side" with them because I'm a parent, but really all of their outrage is misdirected/overreaction. At the start of the school year, I would just say what I thought about some of the minor things, but as things got heated, I found that people were saying things like "Well, the nurse said..." and then inserting some absurd, made-up stuff. It puts me in a seriously awkward situation. Field trips and play days have become interrogation time to these parents. I dread summer sports because I know it's not going to stop! Does anyone have any tips for treading this minefield? I'm afraid it's going to negatively impact my kid's school experience!

[Farawyn]

Unfortunately, these women are very catty and immature. If you don't join in with their bashing of administration, policies, or whatever it is this week, they hold a grudge. I've already seen the way these moms treat some other students (loudly declaring that she could see lice "crawling" on a student, it was glitter BTW). I've been on the receiving end of personal attack e-mails, which were forwarded to my principal and not responded to by me. I just worry that it will carry over into their treatment of my child, since, of course, these women are also very active in the school.

I'm sorry. They are Mean Girls. Sooooo not fetch.

Hold your ground. Document everything. Stay with your true friends.

[SnowyJ, RN]

I just laugh and tell the parents I have ZERO jurisdiction over any of it.

Which is true.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

My standard response is "You ALL know how low on the food chain I am, I have no say on such and such". or "If I told you,I would have to kill you" and 99 x out of 100 they get it.

I tend to stay out of the drama and post kitty and doggie pics when it gets intense online...

[feelix, RN]

The surest way to ruin friendships and careers is to gossip. Learn to turn on your widest smile and tell them "I am trying to have some fun here." If they persist, change your friends/circle/hangouts.

[ohiobobcat]

Unfortunately, these women are very catty and immature. If you don't join in with their bashing of administration, policies, or whatever it is this week, they hold a grudge. I've already seen the way these moms treat some other students (loudly declaring that she could see lice "crawling" on a student, it was glitter BTW). I've been on the receiving end of personal attack e-mails, which were forwarded to my principal and not responded to by me. I just worry that it will carry over into their treatment of my child, since, of course, these women are also very active in the school.

Well that's just plain cattiness on the part of those parents. Some (not all) of my high school kids are more mature than that! I'm sorry that you (and your kids!!) are being put in this situation.

"That's my supervisor/coworker you are talking about, and I like my job, so I am not going to say anything."

Repeat as needed.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

The parents that i've become friendly with will sometimes bust my chops -like when i had to do my most recent puberty class and their sons all came home with the phrase "nocturnal emission" now in their repertoire thanks to my trusty DVD from p&g. That's all in good fun. I like good fun.