Parents, parents, parents.

[JustRNingAlong]

Hi guys.

Quick question!

What do you guys do when the parent of LD refuses to come in and pick up the child?

Do you have any magic vernacular you use?

Help your fellow school nurse out!

Thanks all.

P.s.- and just like that, Thanksgiving break is over.

[OldDude]

If it's not an excludable condition, I don't see there's much you can do. We cannot care more than that parent. It's tough - especially since we know when a kid probably needs more of an assessment than we can provide. Have you gotten your administration involved?

This sums it up...until you see some "sign" of illness versus symptom. Don't spend too much energy fretting over this.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Also for the latter (especially if I suspect school avoidance), I let the parent know that the student is stating they are too ill to stay at school and would they like to talk to LD about this, because they can't stay in my office all day. I then hand the phone over to the kid and while they usually do their best to "sound sick", the parent usually ends up agreeing (pushovers) or the kid hangs up and says they'll go back to class...

I have told parents and students when it seems like avoidance that I can not excuse their dismissal and all work missed will not be able to be made up. This normally changes LD and parent's attitude towards dismissal. Admin backs me up on this, thankfully.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

Yesterday, I handed the parent of the vomiting child the district illness policy (written in English and Spanish, with helpful emoji faces even kids can interpret). She brought the kid today (teacher stated the student told her "My mom made me come.") I called her. She declined to pick up the student twice on the phone. Then I said "If you're declining to pick up your student I will have someone from my administration call you." And she took that as "ugly" and complained to the principal, who, fortunately, supports the illness policy. But I am irritated on 10 today.

[kidzcare]

1 hour ago, ruby_jane said:

Yesterday, I handed the parent of the vomiting child the district illness policy (written in English and Spanish, with helpful emoji faces even kids can interpret). She brought the kid today (teacher stated the student told her "My mom made me come.") I called her. She declined to pick up the student twice on the phone. Then I said "If you're declining to pick up your student I will have someone from my administration call you." And she took that as "ugly" and complained to the principal, who, fortunately, supports the illness policy. But I am irritated on 10 today.

Grrrr