Prinicipal Micromanaging

[RNqueens]

Hello All,

I'm in a JHS/HS setting. The other day we had a couple of students being kicked out school because they did not get their delinquent immunizations in by the final deadline set by the principal. However, one parent called my office after getting a call from the prinicpal's office to pick up the child. The father was able to produce an appointment card with an upcoming MD appt for the vaccine. While waiting for the appointment card I was trying to communicate with principal through his secretary as well as walking down to the main office of the status to no avail. My conversation with the father was that it should be okay to keep the student in school until she get the vaccine but, it is the principal's decision. Long story short something got lost in translation and I was "spoken to" about speaking to the parents regarding keeping their child in school for this matter and that he has "50 other things to do and he doesn't need parents breathing down his neck" (this was all in a very demeaning tone IMO and this was the second time I heard the line about 50 other things to do). He wasn't interested in hearing my side of the story.

In my defense, in the past he has left it up to me to decide in which he sent a parent who was called to pick up the child to my office and she called doctor in front of me who stated it will be given that afternoon and the child was allowed to stay in school. The principal had knowledge in what was going.

My issue is that I felt like I was spoken to as a "student" and not a professional and there is no clear protocol (apparently other teachers and staff have had this issue with how he speaks to them, with some of them even brought to tears). It is to the point where I don't even know how to address this issue if it happens again regarding immunization. This interaction really put a bad taste in my mouth. I only started there the beginning of October and I am still learning the ways of the school.

[Farawyn]

That sucks. I still have outstanding immunizations too. I have 1 student bringing a 3rd Hep B tomorrow, 1 who is going this week, and 1 who is bringing titres. The other 3 are going to be told that if they do not have the immunizations, or proof, by Monday they will not be permitted to come to school. The senior nurse in my district, who works in the middle school, has been extremely helpful to me and the emails regarding the immunizations have been all CCd to the Principal (as well as the teacher we use for translation, as these students don't have English speaking parents and come from elsewhere.)

That way there is a paper trail.

The Principal has yet to object to anything we have put forth, probably because I was so out of compliance when I took this job and have worked really hard to get it down to 6 kids. He is almost the opposite of your Principal. He leaves things very much up to me, trusting me as a professional. I am new, too, and I would like a bit MORE direction.

I know you said your school is bigger than mine. At the high school level there should be immunizations that have been LONG taken care of by the time the kids get to you. Are these new students to your district, or new to this country, as mine are, or did they just slip under the radar and now you have to clean it up?

No matter what, immunization compliance is a HUGE deal and there should be no reason for your Principal to talk to you derisively. A moment of anger or exasperation is one thing, we all get like that, but it sounds as his demeaning behavior is a pattern- bringing other employees to tears? No. No no no. There is no room for that in a school setting.

YOU have 50 other things to do as well. Document everything you are doing as well as your action and his reaction. Hold your head up. Do the best you can. Cover your @ss. We emailed the NYSDOH and they are doing a compliance check on the doctors in our area because they are not cooperating as far as releasing records to the patients and following the immunization guidelines. If it feels not right, question it with other nurses in your district. They are your safety net. You are NOT bothering them. They are nurses just like you, and they know what you are going through. Come here and ask these experienced school nurses.

My last job was with an Office Manager who sounds like your Principal. I worked in fear. Never again. Ugh.

[RNqueens]

Farawyn we are cut from the same cloth

My last job was with an Office Manager who sounds like your Principal. I worked in fear. Never again. Ugh

. I too do not want to deal with that kind of management again and I am very disappointed since I do like the job itself. There has been 3-4 nurses at this school in the past 3 or so years. These students did fall under the radar and basically I am cleaning up. I did reach out to another nurse in my district and she was shocked because the students are considered "in process" with a true appointment card. However, she said it was inevitable for me to get some sort of backlash as her principal has yelled (yes yelled) at her several times and my principal is consider "the nicer one". SMH. I do not tolerate another adult yelling at me. Hopefully this is the first and last time, if not on to the next!

I have been keeping an email trail between the principal and myself. I think from this point on I will continue to email rather than communicate via the phone or his secretary to cover myself. I was honestly trying to assist this parent and was not trying take it upon myself to call the "shots" (as I think that is the idea the principal had in his head).

[Farawyn]

Tell him that in writing. Maybe ask what is expected in a situation like that. "I independently take care of the kids and the office, however, with parent protocol there seems to be a bit of a gray area. Can we go over what's expected of me so I don't venture out of my swim lane?"

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Tell him that in writing. Maybe ask what is expected in a situation like that. "I independently take care of the kids and the office, however, with parent protocol there seems to be a bit of a gray area. Can we go over what's expected of me so I don't venture out of my swim lane?"

Agreed...heat of the moment is not the time to address ugly behavior. I would ask for a meeting and say in the future, keeping state regulations in mind (and in hand at the meeting) ask what the expectation is from here on in. And then make sure that it is in writing., so there is no misunderstanding in the future.

Good Luck!

[mamahuff]

Just food for thought. But, in Missouri, having an appointment, is truly not "in progress". It is perceived as being ok, but it is not. When I first cam to this job, I battled this. On more than one occasion, the child missed the appointment. By then, the child is in school, and it is pretty difficult to back track and kick them out then. I have made great gains at my schools. Not perfect yet, but 3 of my 4 schools, the students do not enroll until I say their immunizations are up to date.

One thing that has really helped me, is that Missouri has a database called, "Show-Me-Vax". It has saved me and parents countless hours of tracking down lost immunizations (and has gotten students in school very quickly). I encourage you to check and see if your state has one. When I first started, my local Health Department assisted me with the right connections to get a pass word.

To encourage you to know how to deal with difficult Principals. Hang in there. Be consistent, honest, and keep on keeping on. It sounds like you are making big differences in the lives of your students and they are lucky to have you. :)

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

You're principal sounds like many doctors I've worked with and all the more reason for getting away from the hospital. Then to go to a school with a principal like that! It sounds like your principal is overwhelmed and the real issue was how you were treated, not whether you messed up in his eyes. It sounds like he doesn't know how to treat people with respect. I would suggest you go to him in a moment when he doesn't seem stressed and explain the situation and that you understand he was upset and it was a bad time but you don't appreciate being talked to like that in front of other people and that it upset you. If he does it again say if this continues you will need either find another job or file a grievance (whether your part of a union or not-he doesn't know) for emotional distress cause by him. I bet he'll be super nice after that! You can also always talk to his supervisor too if need be. One thing I've learned from people like this is that they are like bullys. If you stand up to them they'll usually back down.

In my schools, I've always handled the immunizations and the only time my principals are even made aware of an issue is when I'm kicking a kid out for not complying after repeated warnings and deadlines. Don't give up school nursing for one bad egg.

[Wave Watcher]

Do you have a nurse manager? Will he/she back you up in your situation? I know you don't want to make waves and you don't want to be talked "down" to but I would highly recommend you stand up to your Principal. You can approach him with a strong, professional attitude in future situations to let him know you are not going to back down nor be spoken to like a child/student. If he thinks he can run you over then he will continue to do so. You will be miserable in your job and he will prevent you from doing your job. He needs to focus on the "other 50 things" he has going on in the EDUCATION department and let you focus on your "other 50 things" in the NURSING department. Hang in there. I think we have all went toe to toe with administration. Pick your battles and stand by your decisions. Good luck!

[RNqueens]

Thank you all for your support and advice. @Blue_Moon yes the way I was spoken to was the real issue. From now I plan on asserting myself more and if it happens again I will definitely confront it in a professional manner. @Wave Watcher there is no nurse manager. Apparently it sounds like the prinicpals in this school district act like this smh. My prinicpal is well aware I'm part of the union but, I'm still on probation until March.

I really like school nursing and helping the students in their growth and development and will not let this incident deter me. ☺