OK, I love the threads for Rules of the ER and Dr.'s office...we need our own rules! Here are a few I can think of...
1) Vomit that is not witnessed by an adult does not count.
2) If you are able to scream "I can't breathe!" at the top of your lungs, trust me, you can breathe.
3) Don't think because I can't speak a lot of Spanish that you will get away with calling your parent and telling them the nurse said they had to come pick you up. Our clerk speaks Spanish just fine and will be happy to make the call for me, but thanks for offerring.
4) If you are well enough to ask me for a book, toy, or candy, you are well enough to be in class.
5) If you are well enough to whisper, giggle, or play with your friend who "happens" to also be sick, you are well enough to be in class.
6) There is not a sign on my forehead that says "sanitary napkin dispenser". This happens every month. Bring them from home.
7) If you are a teacher and ask me every single day for a band-aid or a pad, you will get very dirty looks from me. You earn a paycheck. Go to Walmart.
8) If you are a teacher and cannot tell the difference between a medical issue (which I will gladly handle) and a behavioral issue (which I will not), allow me to educate you.
9) I will not send a student home for a runny nose with no other symptoms. Get over it and give them a tissue.
10) You cannot fake a fever. Rubbing your cheeks until they are bright red might fool the teacher, but not me. Any you can run the water in the bathroom as long as you want, it will never get warm enough to drink and make your oral temp higher. Besides, when in doubt I have an electronic forehead thermometer, but points for creativity!
Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..
Dear Parent,
If you tell me the child's doctor told you you could give them Motrin and send them to school, I will call that doctor's office to verify and/or educate the staff about school district policy.
Dear Teacher,
I love you and am grateful for you. Yours is a job I could NOT do.
Parents: When I call you to tell you your child has a 103-degree fever and needs to be picked up, please don't say, "She was fine this morning!" I always triple-check a temperature before calling you, and "fine this morning" does not guarantee "fine all day".
**If you tell your child who complains of feeling ill to go to school anyway, but if they start feeling worse to have the nurse call you...they will ALWAYS say they feel worse and want to go home...even if they are happily bouncing around my office, afebrile and full of energy. Kids are not stupid, if they can get a free pass home, they will!
Do u people even like your jobs? With your post and even these comments, I cannot understand where you are coming from. Even if its a joke. I LOVE being a school nurse. every child that walks in I ask "how can I help you."
The young girls are awkward and uncomfortable about their periods and I am here to offer whatever supplies and education to ensure they are still confident with themselves.
Kids will always try to get away with stuff, you're the adult. Try and remember what it was like to not want to be in school. Be the guidance they need and empower them to get through their day.
And I write this as I currently have a student in my office napping. This student has a lot going on at home and anxiety keeps her up at night. So instead of seeing this as her getting out of class to sleep and if I have to do it so should they, view it as you have a safe haven here, and there's so much goin on in the lives of these children.
I really hope your students and staff are not met with this vibe you are putting out. It is a joy and an honor to serve as a nurse in a school. We have such a wonderful opportunity. I would encourage you all to find the joy even in the days a staff member is asking for bandages.
This post and its comments do not reflect the compassion of nursing. If I was an outsider and happened upon this I would be extremely disheartened.
Kids will always try to get away with stuff, you're the adult. Try and remember what it was like to not want to be in school. Be the guidance they need and empower them to get through their day.
I'm having a hard time understanding what posts in this thread are demonstrating that the posters hate their jobs or don't have compassion? I just re-read all the posts from the beginning and most of them are literally what I've quoted you on... A complaint from a kid and the guidance that they need. Sometimes, the best medicine is a dose of "suck it up, buttercup". You will see a major theme on here from seasoned school nurses - resilience in children is fading rapidly and it is leading to poor outcomes in school attendance, achievement, and empowerment. If we teach kids that as soon as they feel the least bit uncomfortable - whether it is anxiety or a cold or a disagreement with a classmate - they get to phone it in - what do they learn?
And yes, we joke on this sub - most of us work independently and have no one to swap stories with, so we call this our "virtual break room" and we vent and ask for advice and share resources. It doesn't mean that we don't have love for our jobs or don't have compassion for our students.
I'm having a hard time understanding what posts in this thread are demonstrating that the posters hate their jobs or don't have compassion? I just re-read all the posts from the beginning and most of them are literally what I've quoted you on... A complaint from a kid and the guidance that they need. Sometimes, the best medicine is a dose of "suck it up, buttercup". You will see a major theme on here from seasoned school nurses - resilience in children is fading rapidly and it is leading to poor outcomes in school attendance, achievement, and empowerment. If we teach kids that as soon as they feel the least bit uncomfortable - whether it is anxiety or a cold or a disagreement with a classmate - they get to phone it in - what do they learn?
And yes, we joke on this sub - most of us work independently and have no one to swap stories with, so we call this our "virtual break room" and we vent and ask for advice and share resources. It doesn't mean that we don't have love for our jobs or don't have compassion for our students.
If these kids aren't learning it at home, they are learning resilience here in my nurses office. We are the ones that teach them how to cope even if theyre uncomfortable. Give them the safe space to learn how to do that. A phrase I use often to them is "mind over matter" and I build up their self esteem by reminding them that they are strong kids and they can do what they set out to.
I used to have a kid that came every day wanting to go home bc he kept bonking his head. He was very dramatic and really he was always fine. But if I took that time to say "your fine go back to class" what is he learning? that when he has a problem he will get shot down? No... instead I would limit his rest time, he would get 5 min, and id check in with him, and encourage him to work on that deep breathing and head back to class. now he HARDLY comes to the office. He now has the tools to cope when he's uncomfortable. and I have seen him help other students as well when they're hurt.
Use your office as a safe haven... not to baby these students, but to build them up and encourage them in a time where people lack the skills to ground themselves.
Those "seasoned" nurses are the ones my generation remembers not so fondly because of that 'suck it up buttercup!' mentality. You could have used those moments to instill a lesson with kindness and instead we were met with being brushed off. This is why I worked my way to becoming a school nurse to do things differently.
So you can obviously continue how you decide to practice your nursing care. All I am saying is that I chose this career bc I noticed so much desensitization on the part of the nurses. And and explanation as to why when I came across this post and its comments I was so disheartened to know I share my title with others who don't speak fondly of the position. Even when we are met with inconvenience there is an opportunity for us to help in SOME way.
I get it that this is used to vent and what not, I work alone in my office its very isolating. But I wouldn't even think to share unkind words online about how annoying it can be when this chat room is open to the public. I saw this post ready to laugh and was just disappointed.
If these kids aren't learning it at home, they are learning resilience here in my nurses office. We are the ones that teach them how to cope even if theyre uncomfortable. Give them the safe space to learn how to do that. A phrase I use often to them is "mind over matter" and I build up their self esteem by reminding them that they are strong kids and they can do what they set out to.
I used to have a kid that came every day wanting to go home bc he kept bonking his head. He was very dramatic and really he was always fine. But if I took that time to say "your fine go back to class" what is he learning? that when he has a problem he will get shot down? No... instead I would limit his rest time, he would get 5 min, and id check in with him, and encourage him to work on that deep breathing and head back to class. now he HARDLY comes to the office. He now has the tools to cope when he's uncomfortable. and I have seen him help other students as well when they're hurt.
Use your office as a safe haven... not to baby these students, but to build them up and encourage them in a time where people lack the skills to ground themselves.
Those "seasoned" nurses are the ones my generation remembers not so fondly because of that 'suck it up buttercup!' mentality. You could have used those moments to instill a lesson with kindness and instead we were met with being brushed off. This is why I worked my way to becoming a school nurse to do things differently.
So you can obviously continue how you decide to practice your nursing care. All I am saying is that I chose this career bc I noticed so much desensitization on the part of the nurses. And and explanation as to why when I came across this post and its comments I was so disheartened to know I share my title with others who don't speak fondly of the position. Even when we are met with inconvenience there is an opportunity for us to help in SOME way.
I get it that this is used to vent and what not, I work alone in my office its very isolating. But I wouldn't even think to share unkind words online about how annoying it can be when this chat room is open to the public. I saw this post ready to laugh and was just disappointed.
These kids "need to learn" so teach them.
We can probably agree to disagree on some of the points...While we may be thinking "suck it up" I opine very few of us would actually state that to a child. This IS our nursing station and we should be able to blow off a little steam. I'd rather it be here than be overheard in a restaurant. I think most of us truly do enjoy our jobs and know that value we bring to some many kiddos who don't get much at home.
We can probably agree to disagree on some of the points...While we may be thinking "suck it up" I opine very few of us would actually state that to a child. This IS our nursing station and we should be able to blow off a little steam. I'd rather it be here than be overheard in a restaurant. I think most of us truly do enjoy our jobs and know that value we bring to some many kiddos who don't get much at home.
As @NutmeggeRN said, what was written in this thread (and many others) are the internal thoughts of many of us. I don't think many of us would still have our jobs if we said what we were thinking to our students all the time! And I don't know a single person who acts with compassion but hasn't also thought "WOW!?" while doing it. Remember, actions speak louder than words, and the words on this forum are not always representative of what we are doing in our offices, simply a tool we use to get things off our mind so that the person in front of us doesn't have to feel it.
I hung on for one more school year, but I am getting OUT. This district is incredibly frustrating and cares far more about optics than quality. It's been a nightmare.
I think it's like that everywhere. It's gotten so out of control it's not even funny. Between mental health issues with the kids, and the demanding entitled parents that want us to raise their kids... I feel like screaming!!!!
BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN
1,019 Posts
Dear Parent,
If you tell me the child's doctor told you you could give them Motrin and send them to school, I will call that doctor's office to verify and/or educate the staff about school district policy.
Dear Teacher,
I love you and am grateful for you. Yours is a job I could NOT do.