Recess/Gym Restrictions - Where do your students go?

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

When you have students who are (per MD requirement) not supposed to participate in recess or gym, where do they go during these times? I have a small office with basically no privacy and it has come up several times already this year, where a student has had an injury or (most recently) is 1 week post-op for a tonsillectomy.

My concern with the post-op student, is that she has been sent to my office for recess and of course, I get a student with a fever immediately after, and they now have to share space (and coloring utensils)... What do you think about that? What does your school do?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

for the reason that you noted, I generally don't have activity restricted students idle in my office. They may go and sit in the gym or on the sidelines if it's an outdoor activity or may go out for recess to get fresh air. If they really need someplace to go, they may also sit in the main office. I'd rather not have a relatively healthy student who is restricted due to crutches or post op share a space and germs. It's not fair to expose them.

[halohg, RN]

They can either sit on the outside bench and be observed by lunch staff or stay in the cafeteria and be watched by another class monitor. Last opinion is to sit in main office with secretaries.

[Bulldogs, CNA, EMT-B]

Recess restrictions ----May sit out side at a table or bench and color or visit with friends they are not hanging out in my office. Each one of these babies needs as much sunlight as they can get. Pe restrictions----They are sitting out while in the gym. Just becasue there is a restriction doesnt mean they miss out on social interaction with peers. My office is too busy and I have too many times I get called to the other campus's for me to have everyone hanging out. If for some reason they just cannot go to pe or recess they will stay in the class room with the teacher.

[AdobeRN]

Just depends on the situation - PE /recess, most of them will attend and can sit on sideline - if parents disagree, the student will bring a book or ipad and sit in the front office. It is only a rare occasion where they will need to sit in my office - usually when front office staff is short staffed. If they sit in my office - they are told to bring a book, ipad, something to occupy their time for the 30-45 minutes. I don't entertain - LOL.

[Purple036, LVN]

My students will either sit out at PE and extracurricular items will be given to the student or extra "specials" (music, maker space, STREAM lab or library) will be given to the student to participate in.

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

It appears I am fighting an uphill battle on this one. I also believe the kids should still go out to recess/sit on the sidelines at gym, but admin apparently thinks its too much of a risk as "there's already too much to keep track of, let alone one student." I tried bringing up privacy and infection control concerns, but I just got the "I hear what you're saying, but..."

The only way I'm getting around it is if I call home to get verbal permission for the student to be responsible for themselves outside... fat chance.

Thanks for the input, everyone!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Depends. Sometimes they keep score in PE class. Sometimes they go to the library. Sometimes they hang with me. All depends on the situation.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

13 minutes ago, NutmeggeRN said:

Depends. Sometimes they keep score in PE class. Sometimes they go to the library. Sometimes they hang with me. All depends on the situation.

Same. Most often they go to PE and sit out and our PE teacher gives them a responsibility like keeping score or lets them blow the whistle (on his go) to not have them feel left out.

If student's injury meant they were out for a bit and have work to make up, they sometimes stay with me (rare) or in the HS, they join a flex (study hall) period to work (we have one for various grades every period).

[BettyGirard, BSN]

Yep, no recess here (high school). I don't really handle temporary gym excuses, that's entirely with the PE teachers and they park the kids somewhere in their domain. If it's a long term thing, then we either put them in Adaptive PE or come up with an alternative plan to meet the PE graduation requirements.

I'm certainly not going to play baby sitter just because someone broke their foot and can't run or whatever.

[SaltineQueen]

During PE kids just stay in the gym and sit. Recess they either come in the office with something to keep them busy or they stay in the classroom if the teacher is up there & OK with it.

The clinic is not the place for healthy, albeit broken, kids.

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

High School here, it's up to the PE teachers to determine what they are going to do with the students that have to sit out of PE. They usually provide alternative assignments,