Well, I'm finishing out my first year as a school nurse (high school). Thanks to you all, I've wised up and plan to set some clear expectations for the fall...
1) Ice pack? Sure! But you have to sit in my boring office to use it so that a) I can re-assess appropriately, b) there will be no public flaunting of ice packs, and c) I get my reusable cold packs returned.
2) Vaseline, chapstick and lotion: not a nurse thing. Never heard of 'em, never saw 'em, don't have 'em. See also sewing kit, glasses repair, hair ties, gym shoes, water bottles.
3) Snacks are for diabetics and kids who need to take meds with food, and the occasional kid with food insecurity at home who is getting help from our social worker . If you just came late, or didn't eat the free breakfast here, or are my coworker: the cafeteria opens at 11:30.
[I have noticed that since I got rid of the sugary granola bars and started offering carrots, apples, a cheese string, and/or a pack of almonds...snack requests plummeted]
4) Health office is strictly one at a time for confidentiality. No friend visits, no twin complaints, no socializing.
5) Students before staff, unless someone needs an AED
What else should I add, oh benevolent yet clear-eyed Keepers of the Ice Packs?
I just think having an AT at the middle school makes more (and not less) work for me since she is only on campus during morning athletics. Most days, she leaves even before practice is over and then they all pile in to see me for every sore muscle because that expectation has been set.
I completely agree. Our trainer also teaches Sports Med, so he only sees athletes before or after school, so they all come to me for every bump and bruise because they think they need it.
I do feel good that the trainer and I have good rapport, though, so he understands when I tell them they don't need to miss class for ice and don't need to come to me. I have since begun emailing him the athletes that come to me so that they can be withheld from activity/evaluated accordingly, because some athletes will come to me just because they think the trainer won't sit them out...
I'm with you on everything except #2...and maybe that's just because I have the littles & my clinic isn't crazy busy. I feel like every trip to my office is for a purpose. The kid may say she needs chapstick or has an invisible boo-boo, but maybe really she just needs to build a connection with another adult she can trust. I'm OK with those mundane types of visits.
I tried #1 at the beginning of the year but wimped out. I'm going to try again next year unless I think it's a valid injury.
Please keep letting your littles come to your office for mundane requests. From someone who went to the nurse's office almost every day of 1st grade because what was eventually found to be anxiety from bullying, I needed a safe space. Keep up the strong work. <3
I think your list is perfect for those high schoolers! It's time to grow up. For those that want ice packs, I think by that age if you don't see any swelling, bruising, limping, redness then they don't even need an ice pack and the rest get like 5-10 min tops. Plus they need a pass from the teacher so they aren't in there wasting time without the teacher's permission.
Something else I thought of, maybe ask your staff to not send kids at the end of the period because then you get a line and they are late for the next period which is not fair to THOSE teachers. I'd say if you feel they need to come and see the nurse it needs to be by half way point of class or the next period teacher must give the excuse to come in!
Something else I thought of, maybe ask your staff to not send kids at the end of the period because then you get a line and they are late for the next period which is not fair to THOSE teachers. I'd say if you feel they need to come and see the nurse it needs to be by half way point of class or the next period teacher must give the excuse to come in!
And if they want to miss math class but don't want to face that teacher or know Mr Math will say no, they try to come at the end of Lit and hope you'll let them linger all through math. (don't they ever learn that we won't?) Sometimes, I'm busy and not payng attention to time and I let a student lie down and hear the bell 5 minutes later. I kick their butt out and send them to the next period. You're suffering? You can't make it? OK. Come back with a pass from this period. They never do. Poor souls suffering through math and admitting they forgot their assignment.
I am in a HS, so if a student "needs to rest" in my office (generally a parent request) they are absolutely NOT allowed to be on electronics of any kind.
CanIcallmymom, BSN, RN
397 Posts
I completely agree. Our trainer also teaches Sports Med, so he only sees athletes before or after school, so they all come to me for every bump and bruise because they think they need it.
I do feel good that the trainer and I have good rapport, though, so he understands when I tell them they don't need to miss class for ice and don't need to come to me. I have since begun emailing him the athletes that come to me so that they can be withheld from activity/evaluated accordingly, because some athletes will come to me just because they think the trainer won't sit them out...