Random Thoughts: School Nurses

Farawyn · May 15, 2015

I'm going to miss you guys over the Summer. For reals.

kidzcare · May 15, 2015

Today I have explained to 2 students the importance of NOT exaggerating in the nurse's office.

The first told me it felt like someone was stabbing her in the ankle. I asked if she had ever been stabbed. She said no, so I asked how she knew what it felt like... She stared at me like I was an alien.

The second one walk in and said "I fell on the field trip and now I'm pretty sure there's a bone sticking out of my knee" I told her I was certain there wasn't... As it turned out, she didn't even have broken skin.

:eyeroll:

CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN · May 15, 2015

Three more weeks of school...and a parent dropped off a new Epi-Pen with paperwork. I'd smash my head against the wall, but it was recently painted. :banghead:

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · May 15, 2015

Three more weeks of school...and a parent dropped off a new Epi-Pen with paperwork. I'd smash my head against the wall, but it was recently painted.

At least you got paperwork!

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2015

Feeling frustrated at some of the staff members here. Had to call 911 on a student friday for a head injury and I had a bunch of staff come in and try to tell me what to do while I was in the middle of assessing the student. Next time I'm thinking of just asking everyone else to leave the room!

Oh my gosh that happened to me a week ago.

I luckily happened to be on campus and got paged overheard (which never happens) to come to the office. A 1st grade girl was in a full-blown asthma attack. She is allowed to keep her inhaler with her as she is highly susceptible to these attacks. She had used it twice in the classroom and unfortunately a sub was there that day and had no idea what to do. By the time I was called, she had been having trouble for 20 minutes!

I said "Call 911" to the principal . . my first mistake. I should have made the call. I found out later that a Code 3 call is patched right to our local hospital's ER. They are at most 5 minutes away. The principal was freaking out after a minute that the ambulance was taking too long and making me think that the 911 operator hadn't contacted the hospital yet. This child could still talk, wasn't turning blue, but it was a dangerous situation and she was panicking and I was trying to keep her calm. The principal wanted to grab her and put her in her own car and drive her there . ... it was awful.

Fortunately, the ambulance arrived. Later I found out that one of the paramedics heard the principal talking about taking her in and they warned her about liability and who does the CPR while you are driving, etc.

So frustrating to be the only medical authority on a campus of educators.

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2015

That's where you need parents like me. I got lambasted by the principal for discussing medical concerns with the school nurse. We came up with a suitable plan of action to care for my quirky child. He's delusional in thinking I must discuss with him first as he's now "risk management" and even called the nurse while I was in his office for a different issue. Trying to prove I should go through him. I could hear the laughter down the hall!! Um yeah buddy, the nurse, my son's medical team and I have quite a plan to keep my son safe and health parts are need-to-know. You tried to suspend him for having a fever and putting his head down

I think that principal's twin must work in my district. Same exact thing. :banghead:

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · May 15, 2015

I think that principal's twin must work in my district. Same exact thing.

Wait until he finds out my son may need an inhaler and even though new Dx would likely need to self-carry

SassyTachyRN · May 16, 2015

I got a newly diagnosed diabetic with a month of school left to go. The student and parent are wonderful, but wow, a lot of work with just a little bit of time left in the school. Lots of educating the parent, student, but mostly staff!!!! And the student is moving on to the next grade at another school next year so it all feels like I did all this work for nothing. I know it's not for nothing, it's for the safety of the student, but you all know what I mean!

ohiobobcat · May 18, 2015

I had a student come in today who fell and "hit her head" in the library (unwitnessd). We use the SCAT3 for concussion screening. She had EVERY SINGLE SYMPTOM listed on there. And she had absolutely "no feeling" in her right arm. None. But full and equal muscle strength in both upper extremities. Sigh. Keep reading and you will see why I am so jaded about this student and her symptoms. BTW, I did send her home so mom can take her somewhere to get checked out.

This is the same student who likes to pass out and seize. Then she miraculously recovers when EMS gives her 5ccs of saline IV push.

And also the same student who presented to my office one day with bruising to her cheek, eye and neck stating she had been beat up the night before "by a group of guys in ski masks". Upon further inspection by yours truly, and with the help of alcohol wipes and good ol' soap and water, I wiped off the black eye shadow she had smudged all over her face to look like bruises. Her group of "very concerned friends" who had to force her to come to my office must have been amazed at my powers of healing when they saw her later on that day. I wanted to tell her to next time mix in some purple with the black, it would look more realistic. But I refrained. (CPS, guidance, counseling services, and the school resource office are all very involved with this student.)

kidzcare · May 18, 2015

I had a student come in today who fell and "hit her head" in the library (unwitnessd). We use the SCAT3 for concussion screening. She had EVERY SINGLE SYMPTOM listed on there. And she had absolutely "no feeling" in her right arm. None. But full and equal muscle strength in both upper extremities. Sigh. Keep reading and you will see why I am so jaded about this student and her symptoms. BTW, I did send her home so mom can take her somewhere to get checked out.
This is the same student who likes to pass out and seize. Then she miraculously recovers when EMS gives her 5ccs of saline IV push.
And also the same student who presented to my office one day with bruising to her cheek, eye and neck stating she had been beat up the night before "by a group of guys in ski masks". Upon further inspection by yours truly, and with the help of alcohol wipes and good ol' soap and water, I wiped off the black eye shadow she had smudged all over her face to look like bruises. Her group of "very concerned friends" who had to force her to come to my office must have been amazed at my powers of healing when they saw her later on that day. I wanted to tell her to next time mix in some purple with the black, it would look more realistic. But I refrained. (CPS, guidance, counseling services, and the school resource office are all very involved with this student.)

Holy yikes!

SnugglePuggle, MSN, RN · May 18, 2015

I got a newly diagnosed diabetic with a month of school left to go. The student and parent are wonderful, but wow, a lot of work with just a little bit of time left in the school. Lots of educating the parent, student, but mostly staff!!!! And the student is moving on to the next grade at another school next year so it all feels like I did all this work for nothing. I know it's not for nothing, it's for the safety of the student, but you all know what I mean!

Last year I was in a Freshman only school. I had a newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic less than 2 weeks prior to the last day of school! Even though the student was moving on I enjoyed the opportunity to guide the student and family thru those first days following a new diagnosis.

SassyTachyRN · May 18, 2015

Last year I was in a Freshman only school. I had a newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic less than 2 weeks prior to the last day of school! Even though the student was moving on I enjoyed the opportunity to guide the student and family thru those first days following a new diagnosis.

My favorite part has been helping guide the family and reassuring them that the student is okay at school. The student has grown so much in such a little time. She is now fully calculating and injecting, with just me watching over her shoulder. I am so proud of her! She's even going on an overnight field trip with her peers!