School Nurses, When To Call Parents!

[Gina30]

Hello! I am Gina, I am nurse and see kids in the infirmary at a school from scholarship to 12 grade! Some teachers and my director want me to call parents for everything! Someone suggested that I show my director that calling parents for everything is not necessary! How can I do this?

Thank you!

[allnurses Admin Team]

3 minutes ago, Gina30 said:

Can you please be a little more detailed if you don't mind?

Your second thread started today is an extension of the first thread (School Nurses, When To Call Parents!), so we merged the two threads for continuity. This makes it easier for the members, especially the ones who posted in your first thread, to keep up with the discussion.

[Gina30]

1 minute ago, allnurses Admin Team said:

Your second thread started today is an extension of the first thread (School Nurses, When To Call Parents!), so we merged the two threads for continuity. This makes it easier for the members, especially the ones who posted in your first thread, to keep up with the discussion.

Ohh yeas! thank you so much, when I realized I allready have the text done, so scare to failed all! but I wanted to add it in the previous text, thanks!

[allnurses Admin Team]

9 minutes ago, Gina30 said:

Ohh yeas! thank you so much, when I realized I allready have the text done, so scare to failed all! but I wanted to add it in the previous text, thanks!

You are very welcome.

[jonnysangel777, LPN, LVN]

I currently provide diabetic care for one student and then assist the health tech as needed. Apparently at the school I work at when a student comes in c/o HA, sore throat, cough, runny nose, stomachache, Nausea, menstrual cramps, mainly minor illnesses, and if they feel they can't stay in school they are allowed to call their parents to pick them up so they can go home. Minor cuts and scrapes equals ice packs and bandaids and back to class. There is no real guidance. Students definitely take advantage of this. Some teachers do as well and will send a student to the health office because of a cough and want the student to go home because they could have Covid and are spreading it, even when the student has no other symptoms and is wearing a mask. There is such a lack of guidance at the school and the health tech is sometimes at a loss and just sends them home for minor illnesses or injuries because the "student feels" they need to go home. Students are missing a lot time in the classroom. For vomiting, head injuries, possible sprains or broken bones, more serious illnesses and injuries we automatically call home or call 911. The only guidance provided for "safe schools" is good hand washing, masks, staying when feeling sick, and testing. 

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

If the teachers are the ones that feel the parent needs called and you don't then why can't the teachers message the parents and say I sent your child to the nurse for xyz, they were OK to stay and if you have any questions let us know? Most teachers have lots of ways of reaching parents that we don't. I'd say it's too time consuming from the sheer number of students you see to contact every parent every time so either they can message the parents or stop sending them. LOL! I'd let them know you will call the parent if it's a serious injury, something that may need Dr follow up, an obvious bruise, cut or injury to the face or head, or something else you're concerned about but for every little thing is unreasonable for one person in the building to do for ALL the students so they can help if they are the ones concerned about it.

You do NOT work for the teachers so if they tell you that you NEED to do something reply with thank you for your imput but I'll have to get back to you about that (that way you have time to think is this something you are willing to do or is reasonable or something they can do and you can say so).

As for the headmaster, act like a teacher and throw a fit when you're asked to do something you don't want to.  It seems to work for them! (Just kidding-not all are like that but I have yet to see a teacher forced to do something they don't want to that's not a policy!) If your headmaster says that's something they want done (because they will try to appease the teachers to get them off their back) then explain why it's too time-consuming to see the child, assess them, chart on them AND call a parent every single time on top of everything else and propose the teachers help. You can even show it takes this much time to do all of that (like 15-20 min per child because they won't know exactly anyway) and if you see so many students a day that adds up to this much time plus the time for other meds, duties etc and you probably don't even get a planning period or lunch break that you aren't busy during. Ask if they don't trust your nursing judgment to know when something is serious enough to call and when it's not. 

 

 

[Gina30]

On 10/12/2022 at 12:30 PM, jonnysangel777 said:

I currently provide diabetic care for one student and then assist the health tech as needed. Apparently at the school I work at when a student comes in c/o HA, sore throat, cough, runny nose, stomachache, Nausea, menstrual cramps, mainly minor illnesses, and if they feel they can't stay in school they are allowed to call their parents to pick them up so they can go home. Minor cuts and scrapes equals ice packs and bandaids and back to class. There is no real guidance. Students definitely take advantage of this. Some teachers do as well and will send a student to the health office because of a cough and want the student to go home because they could have Covid and are spreading it, even when the student has no other symptoms and is wearing a mask. There is such a lack of guidance at the school and the health tech is sometimes at a loss and just sends them home for minor illnesses or injuries because the "student feels" they need to go home. Students are missing a lot time in the classroom. For vomiting, head injuries, possible sprains or broken bones, more serious illnesses and injuries we automatically call home or call 911. The only guidance provided for "safe schools" is good hand washing, masks, staying when feeling sick, and testing. 

Hello! Yea, I do like you!, now I am having more control of some kids that just want to go home.

[Gina30]

On 10/29/2022 at 5:03 PM, RatherBHiking said:

If the teachers are the ones that feel the parent needs called and you don't then why can't the teachers message the parents and say I sent your child to the nurse for xyz, they were OK to stay and if you have any questions let us know? Most teachers have lots of ways of reaching parents that we don't. I'd say it's too time consuming from the sheer number of students you see to contact every parent every time so either they can message the parents or stop sending them. LOL! I'd let them know you will call the parent if it's a serious injury, something that may need Dr follow up, an obvious bruise, cut or injury to the face or head, or something else you're concerned about but for every little thing is unreasonable for one person in the building to do for ALL the students so they can help if they are the ones concerned about it.

You do NOT work for the teachers so if they tell you that you NEED to do something reply with thank you for your imput but I'll have to get back to you about that (that way you have time to think is this something you are willing to do or is reasonable or something they can do and you can say so).

As for the headmaster, act like a teacher and throw a fit when you're asked to do something you don't want to.  It seems to work for them! (Just kidding-not all are like that but I have yet to see a teacher forced to do something they don't want to that's not a policy!) If your headmaster says that's something they want done (because they will try to appease the teachers to get them off their back) then explain why it's too time-consuming to see the child, assess them, chart on them AND call a parent every single time on top of everything else and propose the teachers help. You can even show it takes this much time to do all of that (like 15-20 min per child because they won't know exactly anyway) and if you see so many students a day that adds up to this much time plus the time for other meds, duties etc and you probably don't even get a planning period or lunch break that you aren't busy during. Ask if they don't trust your nursing judgment to know when something is serious enough to call and when it's not. 

 

 

Hi!, thanks a lot for your reply! yea, sometimes people here want to show like they have master in healthcare, but they forget, administrative position is very different from the nurse position.

I am doing exactly what you have mention, adding something else, I am sending a message to all parents of every child who come to the infrimary office in every little or important case, that will give me a feedback of the cases or kids I have check, and also, I am adding the email to the teachers and coordinators, now their phones area ringing a lot for each child visiting the infirmary office, so they have an idea how many time I would have to call...

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 9/14/2022 at 11:03 AM, Gina30 said:

Hello dear! thanks for your opinion, I really aprecciate it!

Me and my co-worker, realize that there was a complot towards me, from some administrative areas co-workers, mean for instance, teachers! They think they know everything, even more than the nurses here, very disapointed, because, they were talking bad thing to our headteacher! hoping she believe in pur knowledge and work.

Now in English, please.

[Gina30]

On 11/6/2022 at 8:16 PM, Kooky Korky said:

Now in English, please.

Soon I will do it specially for you, just wait! 

[Ginger702, RN]

I would call parents for anything that is invasive or serious. If the child or teen is bleeding, vomiting, having difficulty breathing, injuries, call the parents.