WyVy

Our super (who is also my principal) told us that we have to be flexible, but I'm not sure how far I can stretch that when there are (clear as mud) guidelines to exclude for basically anything other than needing a bandaid. For my firsties it's a little easier, I know who is a FF or has allergies; but with our littles, I just have to take their "big person at home's" word for it that yep they have allergies? It's so daunting. ?

Alright y'all, let's get to the nitty gritty. What Sx are you excluding? Direction from our local Health Dept (OH) is to exclude for ANY symptoms, and then goes on to list eeeeverything under the sun. I mean, EVERYTHING. Congestion, runny nose, headache, nausea, fatigue... So I brought this up to our Health Commissioner during a county wide SN conference call and he didn't even touch base on it. I'm in a PK-1 building that is starting out at 100% 5d/wk, so that applies to pretty much my entire student body on any given day. Between little people's anxiety, allergies, adjusting to waking up early ? I wouldn't have anyone in my building!... but that's a discussion no one is ready for ?

Thanks guys! I absolutely document everything, describe describe! Our Principal got ahold of mom yesterday and said she was nice as can be. Well that's the difference between me and an authority figure I suppose, but makes me seem like a dummy. She told Principal that he was recently dx: insomnia and is on Rx for it. Of course today he comes in alert and back to his usual self. Yes, they are building a case for him anyway regarding other things, but for some reason they're trying to pull me into it. Oy vey. Happy Friday!! :)

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks teacher may be overreacting. I've done all I can do, but they're grasping straws. They also hunted me down five minutes after I left their room to demand I check his oxygen levels. He doesn't have any respiratory conditions and when I was down there his RR was WNL. This teacher and I have had the go around in the past anyway. I swear, everyone's a critic.

I need an opinion on an interesting situation guys. I have a Kg student in a resource room who is normally very bubbly, however he's had a rough couple days. The day before yesterday he had a wicked cough and his aide "suggested" he had whooping cough or croup, it was juuuust a cough. So yesterday and today he has been sleeping in class. This isn't completely unusual for him, he has napped in class before because his older brother says he doesn't have a bedtime and usually stays up late. Teacher and aide have told me several times in these last two days that he is sleeping and difficult to wake up, but all vitals are normal. Today the teacher insisted I check his pupils, then asked me what that tells me. The parents of this child NEVER respond to my calls/messages. He still has Christmas papers in his backpack! Long story short, what's a nurse to do?

Kinderbug: I have something in my ear. Me: what is it? Kinderbug: paper. Me: how did it get there?! Kinderbug: I was rolling it into a ball and playing with it and it just... *pointed at ear* Grabbed penlight, sure enough, it was pretty far in there. Curved hemostat saved the day! Almost done y'all!

School nurse here :) "My mom told me to come to you if I don't feel good and she would come get me." Parents, just don't ever say that.

How about parents' "so do I need to pick them up?" Well they vomited all over their desk, so probably.

Hey guys, I need some help! I started half way through the year and am doing hearing/vision rescreens. I have a first grader who was 20/20 20/50 at the beginning of the year, but I just rescreened him and he passed both. Is this a common scenario to fail and then pass? Student was not referred after first test, unsure why.

Glad I'm not the only one who's X-ray vision is out of order! I try to level with them by saying "if it was my son (I have a first grader) I'd have it looked at just to be on the safe side." I hate urging people to go to the Dr over some things, high deductibles and yadda yadda. But hey, never hurts, right? CYA- cover your booty!

I have a FF teacher afraid of lice, swears her room is infested with them 24/7/365. She cracks me up. I told her you do realize after 24hrs without a host, they die, right? So when you leave Friday, they'll be dead by Monday. then I informed her that we can't exclude just for nits and she was furious... oops!

Me, on the phone: Hi this is Wyvy from the land of tiny people. I have your tiny person here who has some small red bumps on their arm that are itchy and sore that he/she said were there this AM, did you notice it before school? Guardian: Actually I'm a retired school nurse, so what do you think it is? But... if you were a school nurse, you know I DON'T DX?! Oh, and some of that conversation may be paraphrased. Guys, I have 32 work days until summer break! Phew!

I will definitely have to remember the cotton ball trick! I'm having a difficult time, like many of you from what I've collected in these forums, with teachers freaking about about allergies vs conjunctivitis. Right now, their concerns are valid. Several of gooey eyes in my building.

Elementary of 200+ kids. Saw way too many with pink, itchy, burning, watery eyes today. I need alcohol, for sanitary purposes and as a beverage. What's your protocol for conjunctivitis? Return after 24hrs on Rx or until they're sx free? Also, when should I start panicking?!

My job description actually specifies that I am to provide medical care for students AND staff, which surprised me. :)