I can handle just about anything...

Specialties School

Published

...except WHINING!!! My. Good. Lord. I work in a high school.

You are 15 years old. Speak up so I can hear you. I have legit had to ask her to repeat every other sentence because she is looking down and talking in this high pitched sad voice that is like nails on a chalkboard.

I just needed to vent for a second there...back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Specializes in School nursing.

If I had a quarter for every time I was sent a student with a "nosebleed" and nosebleed is two spots on a tissue and even student is confused why they needed to see me...

And whining - yes! From a teen, it is a bit like nails on a chalkboard sometimes.

Interaction often goes like this:

Student: gives me long list of complaints that are minor and I can't do anything about, voice sadder with each word.

Me: ::blinks at them a moment:: Yep, that's tough. But there is not really anything I can do about that but sign your pass and let you go back to math class.

Student: What do you mean there is nothing you caaaaan doooo? I neeeeddd you to do something or I can't stay in class.

Me: ::blinks again for a moment:: I don't think you need anything more than what you have now to be successful in class. You may want it, but I also want a million dollars. Sometimes we just don't get what we want.

I use a neutral tone, then I sign student's pass and they go back to class. End scene.

Flare, you are not alone!

I swear I say "Okay, but if you're not doing anything about it at home, what do you expect me to do about it at school?" 20 times a day- sometimes about an invisible injury, or a foot that's been hurting for 128 days, or a runny nose, or a headache "since I was 5"(they're now in 3rd grade).

I have a 4th grade chronic whiner here. I've been trying for years to get the kid to use a less "nails on a chalkboard" voice, but, alas, it gets me nowhere. With him, I usually say, "Okay, why don't you sit down and take a few deep breaths, then come in my office when you can speak in a normal voice" The new kinders start out shy, so I get "I need a ...mumble, mumble, mumble" Luckily the teachers always send an outspoken friend or it would take all day to figure out what they needed.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology, School Nurse.
Along with my question of "What have you been doing at home to make your symptoms better?"

Well I have a headache, and a sore throat and and a stuffy nose.

- Yes, you just told me that - You told me you've felt like this for a few days What have you been doing at home to help feel better.

*(cue the deer in the headlight stare)*

Have you told a parent?

Yes...

Have they done ANYTHING to help you? given you medicine? taken you do the doctor? Made you tea? Had you rest?

They just said ok...

:banghead:

Then I give my boilerplate speech colds / allergies / congestion. I swear I should paint it on the walls as you enter.

Please tell me i'm not the only one having that exact interaction several times a day...

You are not alone! ;)

My usual statement if the child does not appear to be miserably ill is, "If your parent felt you were well enough to come to school and you don't have a fever now, then you need to go back to class."

Specializes in ED, School Nurse.
Along with my question of "What have you been doing at home to make your symptoms better?"

Well I have a headache, and a sore throat and and a stuffy nose.

- Yes, you just told me that - You told me you've felt like this for a few days What have you been doing at home to help feel better.

*(cue the deer in the headlight stare)*

Have you told a parent?

Yes...

Have they done ANYTHING to help you? given you medicine? taken you do the doctor? Made you tea? Had you rest?

They just said ok...

:banghead:

Then I give my boilerplate speech colds / allergies / congestion. I swear I should paint it on the walls as you enter.

Please tell me i'm not the only one having that exact interaction several times a day...

You are not.

Although I had a kiddo come in the other day with shoulder pain, no injury x 2 days.

Me: What have you been doing at home for this?

Kiddo: Well, I took some ibuprofen and I've been using icy hot. I also stretch it sometimes. And I have been icing it too.

Me:

Kiddo: I just wanted to see if there was anything else I should be doing.

Me: Not really, you are doing exactly what I would tell you to do- GO YOU!!!! (And he's a FRESHMAN!!!!!!!)

Specializes in School Nursing, Hospice,Med-Surg.

When I was in college, our nurse had a sign in the infirmary (can I change my clinic name to The Infirmary?) that roughly said, "A cold treated with medication will last about a week. A cold left untreated will last about seven days."

I've always wanted a sign just like it but I certainly quote it all the time.

Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

Yes, the kids who've been sick for days. Okay, have you been to the doctor? No? Did you let a parent know? No, okay, then let them know when you get home, I am not a doctor, nor can I take you to one.

If they say they did tell a parent, okay, they felt you were well enough to come to school and I agree with them.

The kids that just shove their pass in my face...Use your words.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
When I was in college, our nurse had a sign in the infirmary (can I change my clinic name to The Infirmary?) that roughly said, "A cold treated with medication will last about a week. A cold left untreated will last about seven days."

I've always wanted a sign just like it but I certainly quote it all the time.

oooh! i like it!!! i'm "borrowing" that one

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

Yup... I have so many of these and I get rid of them easily, especially the littler ones... they are easier to trick.

Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.
Along with my question of "What have you been doing at home to make your symptoms better?"

Well I have a headache, and a sore throat and and a stuffy nose.

- Yes, you just told me that - You told me you've felt like this for a few days What have you been doing at home to help feel better.

*(cue the deer in the headlight stare)*

Have you told a parent?

Yes...

Have they done ANYTHING to help you? given you medicine? taken you do the doctor? Made you tea? Had you rest?

They just said ok...

:banghead:

Then I give my boilerplate speech colds / allergies / congestion. I swear I should paint it on the walls as you enter.

Please tell me i'm not the only one having that exact interaction several times a day...

You are not alone...I would only edit the conversation to add me asking "if your mom isn't treating it, then what do you want me to do?"

Only sometimes, I realize mom isn't treating it because mom hasn't noticed because mom is on too many substances. That hurts my chest.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Usually i do work that into the conversation - i get the blank stare and shrug... they just want to feel better.

This generation expects immediate gratification. A lot of my students, despite me telling them ad nauseum, expect that I can give them medications. Some of them just want someone to complain to or want to know that someone listened and wrote it down somewhere.

Specializes in OR.
Yup, I have to say "use your words" a million times a day because I refuse to to treat (unless obviously and emergency) or speak to someone who comes in and just points at their invisible scratch, TELL me what your issue is and I can help you, I do not understand what you pointing at some random body means...is there pain there, a cut, you need ice, a bandaid, you hurt yourself, what ?? Not the time to play 100 questions!

Admittedly, I am not a school nurse, but i once had an adult patient (not developmentally disabled or anything, just ahhh...not a nice individual) do that. i honestly got in trouble for being lousy at the "customer service" aspect of patient care. I am not psychic, I cannot help based on grunt and point, if you are perfectly capable of telling me what is going on and you are just being a jerk. This guy had a history of being abusive and throwing things at people complete with added profanity so my patience was short to start with. Ahhh..the joys of nursing.....

...except WHINING!!! My. Good. Lord. I work in a high school.

You are 15 years old. Speak up so I can hear you.

I was thinking of you this morning when I had one of these (straight off the bus, 10 minutes before school started), only she was 13. Same scenario, I had to try really hard to keep from laughing as I was checking her out 'cause all I kept seeing in my head was your post!:roflmao:

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