Phone Calls

LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN · Feb 22, 2019

I got burned once with something similar, but maybe I have more volume in my office because there is no way I could call for every rolled ankle that presents fine in front of me. (I'm seeing 70-90 visits, just me in the office).

I call for visible injuries, all head injuries, 2nd+ visit for same complaint (which all start with "No potentially contagious symptoms, I just wanted to touch base that LD has been here twice today for XYZ and thought you might want to talk to them," and the preemptive phone call as described by previous comments!

I figure that 1-2 irate parents a year when I have over a thousand kids on my case load are pretty good stats. No need to give myself even more work. That's such a fractional percentage. I'll let them have at me. My administration supports this. If it ever becomes a bigger pattern, I'd entertain the idea.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2019

1 hour ago, LikeTheDeadSea said:
(I'm seeing 70-90 visits, just me in the office).

SWEET BABY MOSES!!! When do they get you an aide?

aprilmoss · Feb 23, 2019

Reaching people on phone these days is harder and harder. Unless it is something really serious that needs a confirmation I'll either leave a message or if I have an email listed, email them.

LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN · Feb 25, 2019

On 2/22/2019 at 3:23 PM, ruby_jane said:
SWEET BABY MOSES!!! When do they get you an aide?

I don't. This last week I was averaging in the 40s-50s and felt like I as on vacation!!

100kids, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2019

I always figure if they're going to get off the bus and mom look at them and say "What happened..." then I need to call. And some parents grill their kids when they get home, looking for all the ways their child was wronged during the day. I usually call on these kiddos too just as a CYA.

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Feb 26, 2019

On 2/22/2019 at 9:14 AM, ruby_jane said:
Because no parent is ungrateful for a heads up phone call.

I had a crotchety parent tell me in the rudest tone "Well, he's a kid. That's part of life, I really wish you all would stop calling me." Mind you this is the first time I had ever called this parent for an injury. So for any subsequent injury I documented "In the past, when calling mom, she states....."

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2019

32 minutes ago, OyWithThePoodles said:
I had a crotchety parent tell me in the rudest tone "Well, he's a kid. That's part of life, I really wish you all would stop calling me." Mind you this is the first time I had ever called this parent for an injury. So for any subsequent injury I documented "In the past, when calling mom, she states....."

Sweet Baby Moses. My parents are nicer than your parents..... Did you want to say "be careful what you wish for, Crotchety Parent?"

Keeperofthebandaids, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2019

This is great info! I have a question about emailing parents.. how much information do you send them? I stick to phone calls because I don't want to send personal, written health info to the wrong person. But it is getting harder to reach people by phone.

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Feb 26, 2019

1 minute ago, Keeperofthebandaids said:
This is great info! I have a question about emailing parents.. how much information do you send them? I stick to phone calls because I don't want to send personal, written health info to the wrong person. But it is getting harder to reach people by phone.

I email more than I call. Here is an example of what I might say "Miss Susie fell at recess and scraped her left elbow. There is a pretty big scrape, but it isn't deep. I cleaned the area and applied a band-aid and ice pack. I just wanted you to be aware!" Of course my name and title and information is at the bottom of the page.

Another example: "Johnny has been complaining of his stomach hurting. My assessment checks out okay, he also said that he just wanted to stay home today so I think he will be just fine. If anything changes I will be sure to give yo a call."

I never email a head injury. Small little twists that are very obviously nothing, I will email, otherwise some parents I would be calling and interrupting their work day EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. lol

And you learn the parents to call no matter what it is.

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Feb 26, 2019

We use renweb, now FACTS, a web based school suite that allows me to email my documentation to parents. Sucks because you shouldn't use abbreviations like SOB, but easy, takes the same time as saving the note.

BrisketRN, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2019

My clinic manual says "parents will be contacted at the discretion of the nurse." So I rarely call unless it's an injury that may need follow up or if it's an injury on the face. I'll send emails when younger students have visible injuries or hit their head or if they come multiple times with the same complaint of illness but no excluding symptoms. The email will usually look like this:

Hello Mr. & Mrs. Smith,

Bobby was in my office today with a minor injury. He collided with another child during recess and has a small bump on his head. I've given him ice to put on his head, and he felt well enough to return to recess. Please contact me via email or call me at (#) if you have any questions.

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Feb 27, 2019

17 hours ago, MrNurse(x2) said:
We use renweb, now FACTS, a web based school suite that allows me to email my documentation to parents. Sucks because you shouldn't use abbreviations like SOB, but easy, takes the same time as saving the note.

Jealous. I suggested something like this to the boss lady a couple of years ago, but we use a different computer system.