meeka720

Do any of you send home information when you send a kid home? For example yesterday I sent a kid home with a fever of 102.3. Today he shows up at school....shortly after arriving and states "I threw up". I asked him why he was back at school. ....His parents thought he was better, he responds. i check his temp and again...102.6. This seems to happen frequently. When I call to send a kid home...I suggest to the parent what the recommendations are for returning. However some parents claim to "forget" the information i tell them. I was thinking of sending home a note that said something along the lines of: 1) Today your child was sent home with a fever...it is recommended that they not return to school until 24hours without fever without medication. or 2) Today your student was sent home with diarrhea it is recommended that... Do you send home anything "reminders or information"? If so please share!

We have a new student starting soon who is a carrier of MRSA. He is a preschool age child. They claim they need a nurse to be with the student all day. At this point we are not sure if the student is carrier via nose or skin. What is your thoughts on this?

Chefswife Can you send a copy of that card to me?

I did some research. I found a lot of helpful information from the state of Michigan and from the "Ohio Bug Taskforce". They encourage to have a staff person check the student's belongings (bookbag, purse, shoes, etc) to make sure there are no hitchhikers. Michigan states that they do not exclude a student unless the problems is repetitive and no measures are being taken at home to help the problem. I gave administration all information that I could find. They are currently having me check the students belongings when they get to school as well as monitor the bite marks.

Has anyone had any problems in their school with bed bugs? We recently had a student return to school covered in "bed bug" bites. Of course the teacher freaked out and wanted her sent home. All though bed bugs are a unwanted problem they are not a communicable disease. The critters can hitch hike via back pack, purse, shoes etc. which is a cause of concern. This is a new problem for us. We do not have any current policies on bed bugs. Have you had any problems? What are your current policies?

After working in a LTC/Rehab facility it is often easy to start to think that (with a specific few patients) there is no way their pain in that bad! And you do begin to think that they are all drug seekers. However yesterday I was reminded that pain is real and it is subjective! I had a root canal done and toward the end of the procedure the anesthesia started to wear off and I could feel what the Dentist was doing. I left with a script for PCN and IBUP 800...which did not even touch the pain. With in 1 hour after the procedure I was in so much pain that I was rocking back and forth on my couch in tears, I was attempting to inflict pain to other areas of my body in hopes that the pain that was engrossing the whole right side of my head would somehow be forgotten. I thought about running outside down the street in the blistering cold and snow in hopes that I would somehow run away from the feeling. Luckily I was able to reach the dentist before he left for the day and he was able to call in a script for something a little stronger. 2 doses of IBUP 800 and 2 doses of vicodin later...the pain has subsided. Its still sore and the pain is tolerable. I am able to be at work with just the ibuprofen as the vicodin makes me feel groggy. But after my experience, I wonder about people who are locked away in coping units...people who everyone deems crazy as they rock themselves back and forth, or inflict pain to various parts of their bodies. Maybe...just maybe they are in pain and don't know how to verbalize it...or worse no one believes them! I'm am going to continue to practice the way I was taught...Pain is whatever the patient says it is!

I have had the same problem. I started to offer incentive for them to bring the clothes back washed or unwashed. I tell them they will be rewarded when they return the clothing with a prize from the box (a pencil, eraser, stickers, or bookmark). I usually see the clothes before 9am the next day! It has been working very well! :)

Lice has been on the rise at our school too! So much that last night I had a dream that they were falling out of my hair! lol! :)

We do the talk with the 5th graders within the first few months of school before they go to camp. We want them to be prepared for the year and for camp. Permission slips are sent home a few weeks in advance. We normally have a good turn out and the kids ask a lot of good questions. The guidance department and I do it together. It works out well! Good luck!

I just wanted to share a funny happening with you. Today a 1st grade student came into the clinic, he had spilled his water all down the front of his shirt and pants. He had on blue dress pants, a button up, and a sweater. This was his normal attire. I had seen him at lunch a few times and each time he always had something great to eat like clam chowder and french bread. Never just a pb&j and chips. I gave him a tee shirt and jeans and told him that I would dry his clothes. When he returned an hour later. I handed him his dry clothing. He stated that his mom always made him wear "fancy" clothes. I responded that he always looked very nice! He went on to say that he wished he could just wear normal clothes like the rest of the kids. I looked at him and said...well you have jeans and a tee shirt on now...is that normal enough? If so you are welcome to wear them the rest of the day. Just return them to me tomorrow" His eyes lit up and he smiled. "Thank You SO MUCH!" I just think its funny how some wish they had "nice" things, name brands, and better better better and others...just want "normal". I guess the grass is always greener on the other side...

I currently have a student that was sent home last week for suspected pink eye. He came back a couple days later with with a clearance from the doctor stating that he was being treated and was able to return to school. Mom informed me that he is currently on PCN for 10 days. Today is day number 5. So today this student who has ADHD and is considered a behavior issue for many other issues was sent to the clinic because the teacher felt he still had pink eye and he was having a rough day and just wanted me to "send him home"! To top it off we had a 1hour long tordando warning, where the kids were sitting in the hallways for an hour with nothing to do other than sit and stare at the wall and the floor in silence! Which I assume was very difficult for this student. Anyway, what would you do? Current Assessment: Sclara pink inside corner of eye, no discharge noted, denies pain and itching, afebrile. Currently on day 5 of a 10day PCN treatment. Would you send home?

I have a student who we sent home who we suspected of having scabies. This poor child was itching all day. She was covered on her stomach, back, arms, armpits, hands and neck. Her mother called back later that day stating that the Dr. stated the spots were either infected hair follicles or flee bites. I have seen many cases of scabies all of which look just like this child. However I have never seen multiple infected hair follicles or flee bites covering a child in this manner, with many of the spots being in rows. The Dr. sent a note stating that this child could return to school. It has been 3 days and the teacher sent the student back down to the clinic today. The child was still itching and many of the old spots are healing however there are many fresh ones. I still feel confident that these are scabies. And I hope that the other students do not get infected. Your thoughts please.

You are the exception. Be thankful!

We have a closet full of extra clothing for the students. It all has been donated by staff and parents. When lent out, sometimes we get it back and sometimes we do not. We have had a couple students who have frequent accidents. When this happens we usually get the teacher and guidance counselor in on it to work on the issue collectively to help resolve the issue. My least favorite time is when a student has a accident (BM) and they send the student to the clinic for us to clean up the mess. We do have a shower here and clothes, so I understand why they send them. But sometimes I think to myself.."I am not the poop police!" Then I take a deep breath and tell myself to quite whining...we are all in this together...be thankful I have a job..and help get this poor kid cleaned up and back to good.

I'm sorry I should have been more clear, I am talking about the new forehead thermometers, that you place in the middle of the forehead and swipe over the temple. Not the old school strips.