Replacing clothing

[mc3, ASN, RN]

I'm curious...when a student (usually older than 3rd grade) comes to the clinic w/wet pants or shirt due to milk/water/food spillage, do you automatically given them clothing to borrow? And if I don't have something in their size, guess who gets to call home (or work, or cell, or grandma or whoever). I do not have the time for this. I'm not talking about the little ones who have "accidents" I'm talking about the older kids who do this. It's starting to drive me nuts - I have to take the time to get a shirt/pant/short/skirt for someone to wear, and is usually happens when I'm really busy. I won't have the kids pick the stuff out because, guess what? This isn't the mall! You get what you get. This adds to the amount of time I'm able to get kids in and out of the clinic, and takes away time from kids who really need help. Sometimes they'll sit there for 20 minutes because I'm so busy....of course, they love it. I'm thinking of telling them "there's some soap, water and paper towels. You can wash whatever it is out and deal with damp clothes for a while". Sigh....I'm having another bad today! But really, what do you do?

Thanks,

mc3:nurse:

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

i would tell them what you just said. Water and milk spills are not emergencies. They are inconvenient and upsetting, but no one is going to die of spilled milk. Here's some paper towels, wipe yourself up. i have on occasion, if the spill is really bad, called a parent to bring clean clothes but the student is sent to class to await mom's arrival. They're not going to sit in my office and take up space. Of course, it's a little different with the little K & 1st graders. I am a little more lenient with them because they tend to get VERY upset about spills.

Only one time did i call a parent to pick up an older kid. I had a 12 yr old who got pepper sauce all over himself. I mean, AAAAALLLL over his clothes. He was so full of pepper sauce that MY eyes were burning just being in the room with him. I even had to wash his hair in my sink!

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I agree with Mustlovepoodles. I do not consider spills a medical issue. If the teacher sends them to me, I allow them to call home themselves. If they don't know their own number, then either the teacher or office staff deals with it (although I will pitch in if they are slammed and I am slow, but I do that regardless of the reason).

I also do not allow them to wait in my office because it is silly to keep a well child there and expose him/her to the germs of all the sick ones coming in!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I'm on the same page, though my students are 11-13 y.o. so they tend to have some spare clothes in their gym lockers. If it's a spill i'll tell them to clean up and then deal or change into their gym clothes.

[mc3, ASN, RN]

Yes, I've started doing this today. One of my problems is the Principal or AP is sometimes the one sending the kids up. And I need to break the teachers of this habit also. No reason to see me if all they're going to do is wipe up their own clothes. They can do that in the bathroom.

Thanks again for your advice!

mc3:nurse: