Nurse.jen

I'm still getting to know teachers and staff so that's why I came here, for input. I wasn't sure if I was reading too far into it. I actually had a staff member ask if I was a "real nurse" this year í ½í¹„ Lol so thanks for the insight! I'm going to take it as a compliment í ½í±í ¼í¿¼

Ok, so my admin handed out "end of the year awards" at the staff lunch today for the last work day before summer break. Each person received one, and they were made up, based on cute or nice things people do, say, etc. For instance, one person got "most athletic teacher" or "heart of gold", some were funny too. Mine was "Bandaid any situation" award.... Am I being silly for feeling offended? I have only been in the school setting one year now, but I pick up on "all school nurses do is put on bandaids" kind of mentality often...not just at work, but in the public....so for the admin to present "bandaid any situation" certificate to me in front of the entire school staff, I felt it just reinforced the idea that is what we do. Bandaids and ice packs=school nursing Thoughts? Maybe I'm being too sensitive. 😬

I'll try to make this short and sweet. I'm new to school nursing, a few months into the job, and the learning curve has been steep. The administrative duties in addition to working with the pediatric population (prior NICU). I feel like I'm doing ok. Not exceptional, but doing alright considering I'm only a few months into this. My school is very much "teamwork" centered. My full time clinic assistant does car rider line, answers front desk phones (when needed), delivers notices to teachers at the end of the day, translates Spanish calls, etc. The district health coordinater was concerned she wasn't in my clinic full time helping me get things in order and gently reminded the principal that I'm new and need the administrative support. Our school is about 900 kiddos and we stay fairly busy. Fast forward, the reminder didn't change anything and for the sake of teamwork I just gave up on having her all to myself, and I manage when she's busy doing other things. However, I have not gone out of my way to learn the front desk procedures, computer programs for checking in guests, transportation changes, student release etc. I feel like I'm doing an alright job learning my job and someday know I will feel more confident and proficient to offer a lending hand answering phones and checking in guests when the front office gets busy....but today I was asked to come learn how to do some of these things, to help when it's busy. I'm a yes person so I conceded and listened. I'm feeling very frustrated that despite my clinic assistant doing these task there is an expectation this new in the job for me to help in this aspect as well. When I have 8 kids sitting in my office and have to stay late to chart and call parents or whatever, no one can come do my job. I manage when my clinic assistant is needed and make due. Am I being completely ridiculous for feeling like I should be at ease in my own position and responsibilities before assuming and learning the front desk tasks as well. I truly want to help the "team", but at the same time I'm not interested in missing meds, forgetting deadlines, and getting sidetracked with additional administrative duties right now, so new in the game. I also don't want to appear like someone who doesn't want to lend a helping hand. Advice, suggestions? Does anyone else help the front office at their school, what is the "norm"

I had a rough day, this literally made me LOL. Thank you!!

I pick up 2 shifts a month at my NICU job I left for school nursing!

I literally laughed out loud! Spoken like a true nurse! 😂😂

Thank you everyone! Today I screened another class this time my assistant was in a quiet room across the hall. She brought 5 down and as she finished hearing she sent them across the hall for me to weigh and measure, by the time that was finished she was screening their vision and she walked them back to class and grabbed another 5. We got the whole class down in a little over an hour first thing in the morning. A couple minor complaints trickled in but I sent them on their way quickly and resumed testing. The front office staff are very nice but they are somewhat used to the old nurse who had many years of experience and probably much faster than me, who did it all by herself. I feel as though I'm left to my own devices so I will continue to plug away, one class at a time.

Old dude, I wish we could do this!!! I remember when I was a kid, they did mass screenings at my school. I feel like we have been left to do whatever works for us. I am proud to say I only have 18 kids now past due on immunizations. 4 weeks of working hard towards that! I think my next year will be much smoother, at least that's what I keep telling myself.

Great idea! I will just send an email out and ask that they only send emergent kiddos while I'm screening in the clinic. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this. I'm sure over time I'll learn the tricks of the trade :) thank you!!

Hey everyone! I'm a new school nurse at an elementary school. I have decided it is time to get going on my vision and hearing screening. My school is around 900 kiddos pk-4. The pk, k, 1st and 3rd have to be screened as well as new students to the district. I have a clinic assistant who just got certified in both vision and hearing. My dilemma is this: my clinic stays steadily busy throughout the day with an average of 30-40 kiddos usually. I had hoped my clinic assistant and I could go down to the conference room (team rooms for each grade) and knock out one class per day until we are done. I have a walkie talkie and told the front desk to call me on it if any student comes down I can go to clinic. Well that didn't work out so well. I ended up being called down to clinic and stayed there the remainder while my assistant finished all screenings herself. As you may know, elementary kiddos can be quite wiggly and hard to focus and it's difficult with just one person to get these done quickly alone. My hope was her and I doing it together, but I don't think the front desk is happy with having to keep an eye on my clinic (right next door).....my next idea was to try doing screenings in my clinic and just have my assistant walk a group of 5 down at a time until we finish a class. Advice please!!! Apparently the old nurse did all the screenings alone in the team rooms and her assistant watched the clinic. My clinic assistant and I are both new to the school and screenings and I don't feel as though she should be left for an hour to watch clinic alone or have to manage all those screenings alone either. What gives??

Thank you! I appreciate the tips! I'm used to my NICU babies. Granted, I have an 11 y/o myself, but I'm a bit of a softie í ½í¸¬

New school nurse here this year. I'm coming from several years as a NICU nurse. I love the interaction with the kiddos. The paper work can be overwhelming so far and my "to do" list keeps growing. I'm at an elementary school and I know the kids are little and require some TLC, but the kids being sent down for "sleeping in class", stomach/headache 5 minutes before lunch, and "I think I have a fever, but I feel fine" kinda stuff is really eating up time I could be spending on knocking some of these other things out. To the school nurse veterans, any tips on who gets to lay down and rest (I only have 2 cots, and 2 chairs) and who goes right back to class? I feel like if I send them back soon after coming In the teachers will just send them back down again or be irritated with me. On the other hand, I feel like a presumably healthy child shouldn't hang out with all the germs and children who are actually sick/needing to go home. Any suggestions appreciated!!!

Students- around 900 grade: pk-4 daily visits including meds- right now I'm averaging 30-40 (the previous nurse said 40-50 was the average and had as many as 90 during past flu seasons)

Well, update...kid came back this week again...same complaint...you know the teachers kid who "doesn't just come in for nothing" ... This time I called moms classroom and told her he was there for a headache, said he ate already, no fever..she was like "well last week when he came and saw you, that evening he got a little bit of a temperature but it was gone the next day...go ahead and send him back to class and I'll come check on him later since he doesn't have a fever".......I was thinking..wait isn't that what I did last week, and you got huffy with me? Sigh, you win some you lose some.

I had a kid come in two days in a row for leg/hip pain.....denied injury. Walked into office fine.....more investigating and surprise, "criss cross applesauce" caused it

Thank you for your advice. I didn't want to deny her to use of her inhaler prior to pe. My thought process in giving 2 puffs vs 4 was that when the student (around 8 or 9 y/o) initially presented she wasn't short of breath, wheezing, or coughing...I knew her asthma could potentially be exacerbated during pe so I opted for 2 puffs. Since the dosing was 2-4 every 4-6 hours prn coughing/wheezing I felt like giving her 4 puffs initially wouldn't allow me to give additional puffs should she return after pe requesting it. When I looked up Davis drug guide as well as the medication insert the recommended dosing was 2 puffs prior to exercise. I've learned with most medications not to start off with the max dose unless there is a clinical indication to do so. Paradoxical bronchospasm is noted as a potential adverse affect with the excessive use of inhalers. Am I completely off here? School nurses, do you typically give 4 puffs to students prior to exercise?

New to school nursing and I am trying to do things "by the books", which has apparently caused some upset with a parent or two. Elementary age student with asthma has proAir prescribed 2-4 puffs q4-6h PRN cough/wheeze. Student presents to clinic prior to pe requesting inhaler. Student says mom sent her since she had cough this morning. Student takes 4 puffs, with no pauses between and runs off to pe. I called parent to advise that I did allow student to use inhaler, however, I needed clarification order from Doctor if student needs inhaler prior to exercise in the absence of symptoms listed for use. I wasn't rude, just letting her know that isn't how it was prescribed and that the doctor could just fax over something clarifying in the event it was just omitted in error. The parent began to chastise me and in no so many words question my ability to do my job and said I was causing "problems" already. Fast forward, student comes in the following day, requesting inhaler prior to pe. No SOB, wheezing or cough noted. Lungs clear. Allowed student 2 puffs from inhaler and provided education to allow 30s to 1 minute before taking another puff. Student then went to PE. The student returned about one hour later (nearing end of pe) and was short of breath. Could have been the exercise or asthma or a combo. No wheezing or coughing. Allowed student remaining 2 puffs of inhaler. Instructed pursed lip breathing and monitored until sob discontinued. I am fairly sure I will be getting a call Monday and it will likely be worse. My thoughts are this 1)I am already technically going against physicians specific prescribed method, however, I also didn't want child going into full blown asthma attack because I refused inhaler. 2) I considered the likeliness of the increase in heart rate through exercise and medication and opted for 2 puffs since no symptoms were present. Can someone please shed some light on this? I am dreading the parent communication when I get the call that the child had issues because I didn't give 4 puffs. I don't know how to deal with the parent who apparently gives the child the inhaler frequently in the absence of symptoms as well as max puffs and improperly (consecutive puffs with no pauses). I hate that it's my first week on the job and there is already a parent I can tell will give me grief all year long and probably go complain to principal about me. I am a parent myself so I understand how we often know our own children better than strangers. On the flip side, I have a license to protect and nursing judgment to guide me in making decision with children that are not my own. Help!!!

New school nurse here coming from the NICU. Today I had a student come in complaining of headache. No temp. Denied head injury...ask when it started and student stated that kids were screaming and his head started hurting. I let him rest 10-15 minutes gave water and sent him back to class. Turns out his mom is a teacher there. She came to my office after school said he was clinging to her and appeared to be feeling bad...basically pulled the teacher/mom card and wanted some sort of explanation from me. I told her above and she reiterated he doesn't come down for nothing.....she seemed irritated with me...advice handling teacher "moms"

I could have wrote your post. I left work practically in tears yesterday. I am a fighter and persevere but I seriously am feeling so overwhelmed. I'm a new school nurse too!!! I have been in NICU since graduation over 3.5 years ago. The learning curve has been very steep so far and I find myself feeling like a complete fool here. This transition is rough! I'm Loving the interaction with the kids. it's the paperwork and documentation and all the other duties that I am having a hard time with. I thought I had decent time management and now I'm seriously questioning that.