Policing Parents and illness

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How do you all handle kids that come down after they told their teacher they "threw up last night?" The teachers constantly send me these kids. I know they want me to call the parents and send the kid home.

I could spend my whole morning policing parents and "vomit."

On the occasions that I do call, the parent almost always denies it or says it was jut a little phlegm.

Specializes in School nursing.
I personally do not like the 24 hour rule.

Me either. It can lead to unnecessary missed instruction time. Which, in 1st grade, may not seem like a big deal, but in MS and HS, it is.

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Specializes in School Nurse.
If it's one particular teacher you may need to talk with Administration.

I find speaking with that teacher vs admin first is the better way to handle this. New teacher, explain that good hand washing, cleaning shared items, etc. will keep her out of harms way. If she hasn't gotten sick by this time she has been doing a great job. Reinforce the positive.

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I personally do not like the 24 hour rule.

I like the intent but not the implementation. I had to send a student home 2 days in a row because she had a long lasting stomach bug. In her case, she should have stayed home until 24 vomit free.

The student who threw up and is nauseous because they are very congested. No, they shouldn't need to stay out 24 hours.

If more people had common sense (not even nursing judgement!), I don't think there would be a need for the 24 hour rule.

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I apparently have a new diabetic student and parents sent him to school with no doctor's notes or a diabetic health care plan... Of course I can't get a hold of anyone.

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Have tried to contact parents of 8 different kids today, ONE, just one answered the phone! Voice mail left with the rest and of course no return calls, not that I expected anyone to listen to the message and call but still...:grumpy:. I even called a couple from the "secret" phone line (fax line) nope still nothing! Good thing it isn't a life and death emergency!

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You know what kills me, *I am in a high school setting with an open cell phone policy* I call with child sitting here in my clinic and NOTHING. Child texts mom/dad/guardian and they get a reply. I have told the student in a more emergent situation that if they didn't come I was sending them to hospital on ambulance. Funny parent showed up, still didn't call me back.

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I do call parents if the child is sure they vomited during the night or that AM. About 80% of the time, the child is telling the truth, and I send them home. We have a 24 hour rule, and I am not willing to break that policy, especially since the stomach virus is going around right now.

I would wonder why the parent didn't keep them home in the first place?

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I would wonder why the parent didn't keep them home in the first place?

Maybe they had to work.

Some parents really push their kids and don't let them have a break, either. :(

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Maybe they had to work.

Some parents really push their kids and don't let them have a break, either. :(

Well, that's true. Just seems like it'd be easier than having to pick them up or find someone to. But, then again, I am blessed to live next to my (retired) inlaws and sometimes forget how it can be.

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Specializes in kids.

So many kids in my district have no other contact for pickup except the custodial parent. No other parent, step, aunt, cousin grandmother friend...nothing. Makes me sad to think there is no on else they call on.

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Apparently that student isn't diabetic and just has pre diabetes... A doctor's note would have been nice *eye twitch*

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