Changing kids clothes and cleaning them

[MrsNurse08]

Hi guys,

My co-worker nurse who works at the other elementary school in my district, had a student to bloop on himself. And the teacher sent him to her and the teacher stated that she can not clean him or change his clothes. So she asked her to do it. So if it was me I will call mom or dad to do it, because I don't want to get caught up in, she touched me here or there thingy . So do you guys clean and change the little ones? What's your policy on this?

[OldDude]

No. I call parents.

[Amethya]

My own principal even said in our handbook if the child isn't potty trained or able to care for themselves, they aren't able to come to our school.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

Don't do it !! Call the parent if they are incapable of properly cleaning themselves. I've had parents yell at me for giving their child clean spare clothing that I keep for those times when I can't reach a parent. Snowflake didn't like what I gave them to wear. In this day of lies, accusations and fake news....I choose to stay out of the fray.

[NurseBeans, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

The teachers are constantly asking me to check and clean kids with unspeakable things on their behinds...I keep telling them I can't. Like, the law says I can't do that without another adult of the same gender as the child present. Is this just my state? We got notice of it a few years ago when they made it law, in our license renewals. Even the pediatricians are not allowed to have a child in the office without another adult present. Of the same gender as the child.

The teachers don't want to touch doo, and it's not like I care about the doo, I just don't want to be accused of touching some child's behind without another adult present. And let's face it, they aren't exactly willing to hang out with me to be witness to The Wiping. There's never an adult male around when I need one. So I just don't. They need to be able to take care of their own butts by KN anyway. It's school, and independent toileting is part of an education.

[River Song, RN]

Our District has a very strict policy that we are not to help (hands on) with changing clothes of Kinders and up. If they can't be talked through it, we need to call a parent.

Obviously if we have special ed kids with diapering needs, that is a whole different situation and we have a written form about it signed by parents. Our PreK kids are assisted by the teacher or aide but our PreKs are licensed like daycares so they have different rules.

I have zero problem with poop or getting involved in personal care and did it all the time in the hospital, but in the school setting - nope, definitely not gonna get involved in the genitals of a school aged child in that setting.

[SaltineQueen]

I will get the student all set up with a change of clothes, wipes, all the good stuff they need and tell them, "Wash your hands when you're done!" as I walk out & shut the door.

We did have a kindergartener that was pooping himself this year who REFUSED to clean himself up. Parents worked. I'm not going to have a kid sit in poopy clothes waiting for them to get here so I did it, with a witness in the bathroom. Talked to mom & it was the same way at home...she still had to wipe him. After the third time, the principal had a talk with the parents that he wasn't ready to be at school yet (there were also concerns in the classroom) and the parents pulled him.

We do have another student who is delayed, has a Para. If the Para is absent I take care of toileting him if the sub isn't comfortable.

I've had two really bad poop accidents this year that I had to strip the kid completely naked to clean them up- I'm telling you the poop even got into their shoes and socks. Both were boys and I had our front office manager come with me so I wasn't alone with a naked child. The parents were called and told and were ok with it.

[ArryOtter]

I work at a special needs school, we do change/clean up the students. We always make sure there is a witness. Majority of the time parents don't come when called for extra clothes so it's either we do it or they don't get cleaned.

[AdobeRN]

Nope I don't do it unless it is an extreme situation - I call parents....and if it is an extreme situation I will still call the parents and tell them their kid needs to go home for a shower.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

May all the elementary nurses be blessed. Especially those cleaning poop out of shoes.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i don't clean up kids. this isn't to say that i've never ever cleaned up a child that has been beyond self-help. But you can bet your saltines that i sure as heck wasn't alone and grabbed the nearest adult and then called the kiddo's parent as soon as my gloves were off and my hands were sparkly clean again. It's a rare event in my world.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

I have a KG teacher who has been here since the beginning and she deals with it. I have explained to her the possible ramifications, but she, like most KG and 1st grade teachers, is a pollyanna when it comes to real world implications. Why I don't have to deal with it, I have told her I will call the parents.