"My Mom's a Nurse......

[cooties_are_real]

And thinks she knows everything."

Little Darling came in complaining of a sore throat and bilateral ear pain. States pain is worse than yesterday's visit. Student crying. When asked why she was at school, student said her parents made her come to school. And in the course of the conversation she made the statement "My mom is a nurse and thinks she knows everything."

LD did not want me to call mom, because mom told her she was not going to go to the nurse today.

LD said mom was treating with antibiotics at home. What more could I do? I gave her throat spray. With her being 18 I really can't go and just call mom.

[AdobeRN]

I don't understand - if the student is still in high school why can't you call the parents? I understand about FERPA and all of that but I always thought that really came into play with college. If you have a kid still in high school you should be able to notify parent about an illness - are the parents still legally responsible for a child in high school even though the kid is 18? I know when my kids were in school ( 2 years ago) I was still notified of everything - Both of my kids turned 18 halfway thru the senior year.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

Forgive the elementary school nurse... If she is 18, can she not sign her self out if she is feeling bad?

(I love that she is being treated with abx at home, likely a leftover stash )

[Farawyn]

Forgive the elementary school nurse... If she is 18, can she not sign her self out if she is feeling bad?

(I love that she is being treated with abx at home, likely a leftover stash )

When they are 18 they may drive home, with their parent's permission. Because we are still custodial, so even if they are 20, it is OUR responsibility, while they are in school, to be custodial.

That is our policy.

I like it.

We aren't allowed to give throat spray. I would encourage mom to take her to doc for ear pain. Most 18 year olds still go to a pediatrician at this point.

[cooties_are_real]

That's were I get confused at times. I will check with my boss when she comes in about the age thing. At one point I've been told at one time that the age thing did not matter, then another time another thing where it did.

One thing is this LD can be a drama queen, so it's hard to tell. All I was going to do was let mom know what I observed. It was like she did not want mom to know she came to see me. Just a little frustrating, because some LD can just turn on the tears.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

It's tetchy, isn't it? Technically mom does have rights to access the kid's educational record (and your health record is a part of it). If the kid was just downright refusing then you did the right thing. And you're right....the only thing to add would have been perhaps ibuprofen and/or a decongestant (and I don't have those to give so...again, I'd call).

Also in my world, an 18-year-old still has to have permission from a contact to go home.

[cooties_are_real]

Just got off the phone with Mom, after some heavy convincing the student. Mom confirmed student's story about antibiotics and instruction not to come to the nurse. Some times the lines we walk are so fine it's hard to know what to do.

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

After a bit of investigation we had an 18 year old sign his own C.O. for immunizations this year. It definitely seems like a tricky area.

[cooties_are_real]

It gets even trickier when the student signs themselves into school. I love working at the high school, but sometimes I feel like a tight rope walker.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

It's tetchy, isn't it? Technically mom does have rights to access the kid's educational record (and your health record is a part of it). If the kid was just downright refusing then you did the right thing. And you're right....the only thing to add would have been perhaps ibuprofen and/or a decongestant (and I don't have those to give so...again, I'd call).

Also in my world, an 18-year-old still has to have permission from a contact to go home.

If I the one dismissing, I need parental okay, despite age. But a student can choose to sign out on their own if they are 18 legally without parent permission.

I do have a few students that are living on their own and are 18+. No additional supports aside from social worker. Those students I can dismiss on their own.

Only time I can't call a parent is when it involves sexual health. That is protected by law.

[Rubor]

After a bit of investigation we had an 18 year old sign his own C.O. for immunizations this year. It definitely seems like a tricky area.

This is a really tricky area. They have to give consent to their own parents to make an appointment for them. So technically they can sign their own COE at the age of 18. It is one of those areas where not everyone is on the same page though.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I go to the parent, until the kids figure out I don't "have ti". I think it is best practice to be on touch with a parent, when they are still living home. We are considered "in loco parentis" while they are in school. But if push came to shove, the 18 year old wins. I will however let an administrator know if my HS kids are trying to sign themselves out.