ERRNDeans

I have seen a TON! I even sent a 1 st grader home for it. I have never sent a nosebleed home, she just kept oozing. I would stop the bleeding then it would re occur over and over.

I was an ER nurse for 16 years, then I tried school nursing and did ER on the weekends for fun. I am now strictly school RN. The pay is lower, but the stress is also lower. The kids are great, it isn't that exciting, but I am older now, I don't need the excitement. I couldn't take the bull@@@@ complainers anymore. I echo what the other ER RN said about EMT's needed to get a cardiac arrest but can't get there faster because of dropping off a patient with a yeast infection. Maddening. The ER has the best doc nurse relationship in the hospital. We depend on each other and there's a mutual respect. I really miss the docs.

It seems like in March the teachers who have tried so hard to contain bad behavior all year can't take it anymore and a lot of students are ending up sitting in the office for in school suspensions, missing recess, etc. There was a kid climbing bookshelves in the library. What's going on? I need an Adderall mister here! At least that's my theory, or it's just getting nutty here:)

K-5, but I think I would like high school. Although all I picture in high school is "I have a headache" all day long. I actually would like a mix of all grades to be honest.

Great Job! We have stock Epi as well. But only a nurse can give the stock epi to a student or staff member

OOH OOH OOH! I did this last week, no air holes though it was dead in 48 hours

Thanks!

On Friday's of school breaks we have played dodge ball and musical chairs in the gym. It's hilarious. We send out an all school email to see who wants to participate (usually most of us) create teams and play. We also have a little breakfast afterwards. Everyone brings a dish.

Wow, thanks guys.

Hello, I have a meeting with a parent regarding her daughter being treated for her peanut allergy through oral immunotherapy. Apparently the amount of peanut she's being exposed to is going to be increased. From the research I have done I see that this type of therapy isn't FDA approved...yet. Can anyone shed some light on caring for a child in a school undergoing this treatment? Will this flare up her asthma? Is every stomach ache going to be a call to mom? My Epi pen has the cap off already:) I should just keep it on my desk, right:) Thanks.

I worked in a trauma center and then in a very busy suburban ER over 17 years. I am now a school nurse as well. The hours are great. The pay stinks compared to the hospital. But I keep my ER certifications up to date just in case. The kids I work with are great, parents are mostly great, sometimes they are hard to deal with, but not as bad as the hospital. Summers off, holidays off, winter break/spring break it's not a bad gig. I get a belly laugh from a kid everyday. I get to help kids everyday. It's a good feeling. Sometimes I think that I want to go back to the ER because I miss the adrenaline rush, but all of those life sucking patients and families aren't worth it. I am not talking about patients and families that actually need to be in the ER, unfortunately they are a very small percentage. And I am sick of working to death and not getting a lunch break because of customer satisfaction. I am not a nurse that can go eat lunch while there's an assigned room for my patient and make them wait an extra 30 minutes. What happened to nurse retention and satisfaction, oh right, there's no such thing. How do hospital CEO's and administration get paid the big bucks when we are dying for more staff in the ER? I felt like their inflated salaries were made on my sore back. We as a profession need to demand better pay and working conditions. Unfortunately administration sees us as disposable (at least I felt that way).

Our school has fruit and veggie only for snacks/classroom foods. I really like this, keeps the kids from eating junk, teaches them what a snack SHOULD be and decreases the chances of an allergic reaction. Teachers are trained on how to use Epi Pens also.

I have been thinking a little more about this: If it were me, since my license is on the line, I would not give any medication in a school setting that isn't FDA approved. It's not safe. End of story. It's our job to question MD orders for safety. Call the MD and question the order. If the parents are so concerned about a seizure on a field trip, they should go on the field trip and administer the ativan if needed. Otherwise rectal Diastat it is. It's safe and FDA approved. Do what's safe always.

ER turned school nurse here: I read through the responses fairly fast, forgive me if this was covered. I thought the reason to give Diastat rectally was because of possible aspiration from giving anything orally. Plus a lot of times their jaws are clenched and you never put anything in someone's mouth while they are seizing. Is buccal Ativan a very small amount of liquid? So the doctor is ordering something orally to stop a seizure in progress? In the ER we would never do this. IM or IV(if ya' got one) or rectally.

I agree with the previous poster, do it the old fashioned way. Get med surg/tele/step down experience It will be better for you in the long run. I worked 1 year in Med surg. And when I say 1 year, I mean to the day and I was out of there. While I worked on the floor I tried to become friendly with the ER nurses when they would transport a patient up to me. I would meet them at the bedside and talk with them about the patient. I would be nice to them on the phone when they would give report. And they remembered me! It was easy to get in after that. Now I know why. Practically no one on the floor is nice to us ER nurses. And I get it, we are giving the floor nurse more work with an admission, yada yada. I was in a Level 1 ER working as a nurse in 1 year since starting as a new grad. Be patient, get some experience, it will go fast, and you will be interviewing for a ER position before you know it.