HighSchoolNurse

Honestly, I think that this anecdote should be in the Washington Post or New York Times. (obviously with all names and locations confidential) I just do not think that there is any awareness much less appreciation for how health, wellness and personal responsibilty, parenting, resilience, virtue-based curriculm and society AT-LARGE IS SLIPPING away

I think that talking with a student that is stessed, emotional or overwhelemed in any way is medical attention and certainly within the nursing scope of practice. If you take a look at nursing diagnoses....ineffective coping mechanisms shows up a lot. I have extra duties that are administrative .... like student attendance! And filing all the paperwork for volunteers and insurance policies for events etc.

I started my Master's in Psychology last summer because I find that the number of adolescent mental health problems are on the rise and many...most?... of my students come to the clinic in distress before trying to barge into the guidance counselor's office (who are so busy they basically have a wall of appointments back to back all day) . I just wanted to be better prepared and have more knowledge of the human person.

Personally, I would never work at any school where the decision to call 911 was not mine. It is my nightmare to imagine wanting 911 and a non-medical person telling me no.

Hello fellow nurses, I need help with these high schoolers...mainly about giving OTC pain meds. I don't mind giving tyelnol and ibuprofen when it's MY idea, to help them complete a school day, but too often they swing into the clinic 30 minutes before the school day ENDS and ask for it. They come into the clinic and open the conversation by stating " I need ibuprofen, I just have a head ache" ...it's not even a question for them. So I am torn between assessing why they have a head ache and just giving it to them to return to class and stop wasting time. They also have very low thresholds for being uncomfortable, I will ask 'when did it begin' and they honestly answer '20 minutes ago'. I'm thinking "20 minutes of a head ache and you LEAVE class and come down to see me? Do you think the nurse's office is YOUR OWN PERSONAL DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM?" Please give me some advice, some practical wording that I can use with these kids...so I don't sound shrill and I don't pass out OTC too frequently.