kschindlerRN

This is exactly what is happening in our district! I am the lead nurse, and I was not contacted for input on PPE, day-to-day, screening, attestations, etc. Everything you would expect that they would WANT a health professionals opinion on! I just keep making my own plans, forwarding them to admin, pushing for the health team to be included! If they don't listen to us or ask our input... they will soon realize that their plans/policies/procedures aren't sufficient. In which, I'll be ready to take over. ?

In WA... Out until 4/27. Have not received any direction on duties, if we will even be here, or if we're still getting paid. Parents had today to come and pick up medication. But from what we're hearing, there is great potential for it to be extended beyond 4/27.

I pumped the first couple of months into the school year (granted, my daughter was 9 months at the time, so she ate less frequently -- I pumped x2 a day). I just made it very clear with my office staff and administrators that I would need designated breaks during the day. I posted a schedule on my door of my break times and when it came time, I would shut the blinds and lock the door. They knew they could call me on my desk phone in case of an emergency and I would answer, but they were usually pretty good about leaving me be and handling things. I also purchased the Willow pump through my insurance which made things so much easier in regards to hands-free (so I could still get paperwork done while I pumped) and clean-up (there's only 2 parts). IF you can get one, I would highly recommend it! Congratulations on your new bundle of joy and welcome back! ?

We have a hall pass system as well. The problem is that the teacher's allow student's to take the passes whenever they want. So they don't even have to tell the teacher why they want to go to the nurse, they just take the pass and go. So I do require them to have a pass to see me because I started out the year seeing kids in between classes for non-emergent things. But then I would have to give them a pass to class and they would not show up to class for another 15 minutes after they left my office. So that stopped. Then I tried to have teacher's write a pass with the reason for visit, but I was told this was too much to do for the teacher's because it interrupts instructional time... I don't mind seeing kids! That's the whole reason why I became a school nurse because the job I was in previously gave me no patient interaction with my kids. But I don't need to see them for unreasonable / stupid things when there are other people / things to be tended to. ? I think I'm going to stick it out in the MS for another year (this is only my first), and see if I can get some changes implemented. But if things continue like this, I may see about switching to the elementary level or another district. BTW... as we speak.. I just had a student come in from class wanting to go home because of a wart on his finger... ?

I don't think I even knew there was a nurse when I was in school (if there even was one!) I would have never been out wandering the hallways.. For my kids here it's a mix of attention seeking, seeing what kind of trouble they can cause, and just plainly not wanting to sit in class and learn. I don't understand why administration doesn't crack down more on hall passes. If you don't have a doctor's note, you shouldn't be using the bathroom 5 times in one class period!

#lifeofamiddleschoolnurse I work in a middle school as well, and these students are so full of sass/attitude. They'll do anything to get out of class... and the teacher's allow it. That's the issue I have here. They don't even check to see if the student's using the nurse's pass actually need to see the nurse. They just let them take it and wander the halls. Sometimes they'll actually end up in my office with some ridiculous excuse, but most of the time the security officer has to escort them back to class. I as well am having one of those days! ?‍♀️

It would be a whole family event for any students/parents in our district.

My health team is participating in a community "Healthy Choices" event put on by our school counselors. We will have a booth, but are looking for any ideas of what to put out at our booth or activities to get people's attention and make things interesting. Any ideas out there?

Hello! I'm a new nurse, graduated in May 2017. I was offered a position on a Family Birth Center at a small community hospital that I precepted at during the last stretch of nursing school, I have a long commute to work but I believed it worth it because they wanted me and I liked the setup. I began my job with a 2 month orientation on the Med/Surg unit in order to be able to float when needed. I then switched to the OB department which encompasses L&D, postpartum, baby, and outpatient. I was promised a 3-9 month orientation, and that I would be let off orientation when I decided. It has been 4 months and I'm being kicked off orientation due to "understaffing." I in no way feel comfortable with this decision, as we are such a small hospital that I have not had much exposure to anything other than uneventful deliveries and postpartum. I have become uneasy and anxious over the past few weeks. I work the night rotation and I am losing sleep, weight, my blood pressure is through the roof, and I'm in a general state of being unwell. I thought that L&D was certainly without a doubt the area of nursing I wanted, but I'm beginning to think that the hospital setting is not well-suited for me and that I may thrive more in a public health/community nursing position. I love the patient care, working with moms and babies, and teaching but have found that I'm disinterested in any other aspect of the work, especially L&D. I hate to quit and be viewed poorly by future employers for leaving so soon, but I'm in no way happy here. I know there are so many other areas of nursing out there and I hate to be stuck in this position because of fear of not being hired elsewhere. Any advice on this situation?