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.

I can't believe yours were in the same day! Well hopefully your week will go up from here. The same here, made it until May 18th until I called 911 for a student with an asthma attack and then last Friday for a staff member with palpitations/not looking well. May has been crazy. Hope you have a great summer:up:

Build those relationships with everyone, it will be so much eaiser for you. It took about 5 months for that to happen for me, I started in August and in about March I felt like I had some "work friends" here. Get in good with the lunch room supervisors and recess supervisors. They can be great allies. ABC said it well...teachers think lice and vomit are emergencies:) To me, coming from the ER, NOT:) I try to give each kid a little of my undivided attention, I just don't know what their home life is like. That could be all the attention they get all day. There are kids that will want to see you everyday and fake their symptoms so you have to be firm with them but also let them know you care. With the "frequent flyers" I take it day by day. If I know they aren't ill and have come down 2 times in one day I speak with the teacher and we come up with a plan to get them through. Usually it's set the timer to 5 minutes and go back to class. Also there will be kids you thought looked okay, you gave them a PO challenge, you watched them in the office for a bit and sent them back to class. They will still vomit. You do not have a crystal ball. Barf happens.

You need get into a hospital or some type of acute care. Personally, I wouldn't want to see an NP with no experience. Who would? Maybe a transition program into Labor delivery? You may have to work nights to get in. 2 years will go by fast and you will learn so much. It will help with school. I worked nights for 3 years in the ER just to get my foot in the door. I wanted to work in the ER and that's all that was open.

16 year veteran here...It is an addiction. I am addicted to the crazies. I love keeping my cool and trying to disarm the situation. Yesterday I had a patient, who we refused to administer narcotics to, tell me she hopes I get into a car crash and my spine gets crushed. One tip for drug seekers, don't come to the ER already high. :) We see right through that Sh!$.

After I had a baby I got handed that nasty turkey sandwich, the same ones we give out in the ER--Karma is a bi#$% I looked at that sandwich like, really? This?

I don't think calling the parent is a good idea. How many times have we taken care of patients in the hospital with "odors?" Although this is only my first year, I think about when this child may come to the health office for an emergency and I have to call the parents. We shouldn't be the bad guy. Maybe the teacher can do a lesson on hygiene. This is a very tough subject especially in an elementary school. I guess it depends on the situation. Cat pee? Yikes.

You forgot Pediculosis:nono:

Hi, I have only been a school nurse for this year. My background is in ER. I wanted to pick some of your brains about a topic that I want to bring up to my 5th graders who take ADD/ADHD medications here in my office. Do you make your students state their name every time before you give their med? I haven't since I only have 2 children on ADHD meds and know them well. I think I should have started this at the beginning of the year. I will next year for sure. I also want to have a conversation with them about taking ONLY medication that is for them. (this isn't in the school setting, just a life-lesson) I just don't want it to sound "preachy." Prescription med abuse is a huge problem with pre-teens and teens right now (I also work in an ER and see this often). I am not their parent but I want to instill in them to never take anyone else's medication. Has anyone done any education on this topic to this age group? 4th and 5th grade seems like a good age to have the conversation.

Hi, This is my first year in an elementary school and I have had strep twice in 5 weeks. I wash my hands constantly. I sent a kid home thursday for what I thought looked like the start of strep, but that's it. I have worked in the ER exposed to EVERYTHING. I don't get it. Anyone else out there have strep this year?

Hi, I left the ER after 16 years (I am still there PRN on a limited basis) I am now working as a school nurse with a very very nice schedule and a lot less stress. ER is a very demanding job/schedule especially if you are in school. I left because I could be home for my kids after school and I also wanted to cut some stress out of my life. I think those of us who work in the ER have a mentality similar to the military. We will always have our co-workers backs. We work in the "trenches." It is hard still for me to have a "nice" job and not work myself to the bone, I think I feel guilty about it. But the best thing about being a nurse is that you can change your specialty. And in your case you are doing it for something better, a master's degree. I think you made a good decision. And you are right, the ER ain't going away anytime soon.