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I know there has to be more to this story. I really hope that nurse documented everything she saw and did.

Early on in my school nurse career I went to a workshop put on by the local children's hospital. I asked the respiratory therapist if all values were normal (no wheeze, no cough, good PSO2) and the only symptom the student was complaining of was chest tightness, should I withhold the inhaler? Nope, the answer was never withhold the inhaler....ever. Words I still live by: "You don't want to be that nurse, the one who took the inhaler away."

Boy in hospital after mother says he was denied inhaler at school

Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.
Yikes.

I never withhold an inhaler even if the kids seems perfectly fine. That said, and it's easy to play Monday Morning Quarterback...the kid didn't have the proper paperwork filled out. And then it's somehow the nurses fault. The parent didn't do HER job. So, if it had been me and the child was seemingly fine, I'm talking VS, WOB, lung sounds, and if the kid had the original box with his name and directions, I probably would've given him a dose, regardless. If just a random inhaler I would've called mom and said "Johnny said he feels like he can't catch his breath, this is what I observed, if you feel like he needs his inhaler you will need to come and give him a dose or I can call EMS." Had he been struggling, I would've given him a dose. I'm not letting a kid struggle over paperwork.

BUT, this is why it is so important to have your child's paper work completed. Don't put it on someone else, and then blame them for doing what they are legally supposed to do. What would this mom say if the inhaler hadn't been his, but Uncle Joe's and the nurse gave him a dose and he had some sort of reaction.

Exactly...you could be accused of practicing medicine without a license. Bye-bye career.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Wonder if mom will decide to bring in that paperwork now...

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Totally off topic and don't want to be sassy but those of us who live here like to point out that Pittsburgh is spelled with an "h". We are quirky like that. í ½í¸

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
Totally off topic and don't want to be sassy but those of us who live here like to point out that Pittsburgh is spelled with an "h". We are quirky like that. ������

My first thought was "where the "h"" and don't live there. I'm just a Pens fan!

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I've been on both sides of this being both the School Nurse and the mother of a diabetic student. I'm sorry but I have to side with the parent. There are certain times when a child of reasonable competence should be able to carry and self-administer medication without bureaucratic interference. It took the threats of a 504 lawsuit to budge the bureaucracy in our student over my son carrying his insulin and meter. It's an abuse of the student's right under IDEA and ADA and it's medically unsound and dangerous to the child.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I've been on both sides of this being both the School Nurse and the mother of a diabetic student. I'm sorry but I have to side with the parent. There are certain times when a child of reasonable competence should be able to carry and self-administer medication without bureaucratic interference. It took the threats of a 504 lawsuit to budge the bureaucracy in our student over my son carrying his insulin and meter. It's an abuse of the student's right under IDEA and ADA and it's medically unsound and dangerous to the child.

I don't know about your state but in Texas all we need for a student to self-carry is a note from his/her doctor along with the management plan. Bingo - done!!

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^^^Yes!^^^ If this student has had this condition since 1st grade, why did Mom not have the proper paper work completed in the clinic. Parents get lazy and don't do what they are supposed to, and then want to blame someone when something happens. Our policy clearly states, that a student is not to have an inhaler at school unless proper documentation has been submitted. Not to say, I would not let them use there inhaler if they were having an asthma attack and address the paperwork issue with parents when they came to pick them up. Technically, I could probably lose my job for letting them use the inhaler, but I guess I would take that chance if the attack was severe enough.

And a nurse should not have to work under those conditions. Parents need to get the paperwork to nurses or come give the inhaler themselves or 911 should be called. Of course, will anyone back up the poor nurse?

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I've been on both sides of this being both the School Nurse and the mother of a diabetic student. I'm sorry but I have to side with the parent. There are certain times when a child of reasonable competence should be able to carry and self-administer medication without bureaucratic interference. It took the threats of a 504 lawsuit to budge the bureaucracy in our student over my son carrying his insulin and meter. It's an abuse of the student's right under IDEA and ADA and it's medically unsound and dangerous to the child.

The least the parent can do is get you the written orders. Very rude and disrespectful to do do so.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Like others, I have to admit I would have allowed the student to use the inhaler if he was wheezing, or even if he simply c/o symptoms that warranted its use. Especially if I managed to get mom on the phone verifying that it was his inhaler. Especially if he had documentation on file for previous years allowing use of the same medication. It would be a lengthy visit note but I would rather stand up for why I violated a school policy than why I withheld medication from a child in distress. However, I do think the parent has to shoulder some blame in this situation. Yes, parents are busy and it's hard to get paperwork turned in on top of other busyness, but if the school has "known about his severe asthma since first grade," then she should also be aware of their policy by now. I am sure there is more to this story than the article reveals.

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Specializes in School Nurse.
I don't know about your state but in Texas all we need for a student to self-carry is a note from his/her doctor along with the management plan. Bingo - done!!

Alas, such was not the case in our district. A student can't even carry a glucose tablet, but rather it had to be dispensed by the nurse. It was a particular issue with my son as he had a split day, half at a regular high school, and half at an "academy" (what we used to call vo-tech).

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Alas, such was not the case in our district. A student can't even carry a glucose tablet, but rather it had to be dispensed by the nurse. It was a particular issue with my son as he had a split day, half at a regular high school, and half at an "academy" (what we used to call vo-tech).

You can fix that.

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Specializes in School nurse.
Alas, such was not the case in our district. A student can't even carry a glucose tablet, but rather it had to be dispensed by the nurse. It was a particular issue with my son as he had a split day, half at a regular high school, and half at an "academy" (what we used to call vo-tech).

The law trumps policy.

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