my middle schoolers are running The Mile tomorrow

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WISH ME LUCK! :wacky:

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

OMG these tests are the DEATH OF ME!

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Have a preconference with your PE teachers

Repeat after me, Teachers: a student who is out of breath after running needs to rest and drink water. They do not need to see the nurse. I will send students with asthma to use their inhaler BEFORE running. I am an adult with a college education who knows that heavy breathing is expected after exertion.

I wish the athletics dept would have given me a heads up. It was only in passing that I learned of it. Yesterday, a middle schooler came in with a c/o painful ankle after rolling it while practising for the mile... so that was how I found out. I talked to the PE teacher after and she made a joke about how my office "would be full tomorrow" (i.e. today, the Mile day). I wish I had a good reply like this to say to her at that moment! haha! If it is a big problem, and my office is "full" today, we will definitely be having a f/u convo!

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Specializes in school nurse.

On the bright side, it can double as auditions for the DRAMA club...

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Specializes in Prior Auth, SNF, HH, Peds Off., School Health, LTC.
On the bright side, it can double as auditions for the DRAMA club...

:up:

If you have video in your office, you can even call them screen tests.

Or you could have the drama teacher/advisor hiding around the corner or behind a curtain and call them blind auditions :whistling: .... I won't tell..... :speechless:

Just think of the talent you'll find-- could end up casting the best spring production ever... and you'll have the athletic dept. to thank. :facepalm: :coollook: :lol2:

:roflmao: :yes: ;) :cheeky:

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Specializes in Prior Auth, SNF, HH, Peds Off., School Health, LTC.
Have a preconference with your PE teachers

Repeat after me, Teachers: a student who is out of breath after running needs to rest and drink water. They do not need to see the nurse. I will send students with asthma to use their inhaler BEFORE running. I am an adult with a college education who knows that heavy breathing is expected after exertion.

I can't *like* this enough..... :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

Because they're not just college-educated.... if they're teaching PE, they probably have a degree in PhysEd, and should therefore have a working knowledge of exercise physiology.

So how do they not get this? Can they really not see the difference between a kid who, as expected ,needs to catch his breath and cool down vs. actual SoB/ respiratory distress?

It's usually pretty clear if you take the time to try to talk with the kid. I'm sure your 'business' would go down by 80-90% if they took 60 seconds to observe and talk to the students they're "concerned" about..... but why do that when they can pawn them off to you--I mean that's your job, isn't it? :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

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It's usually pretty clear if you take the time to try to talk with the kid. I'm sure your 'business' would go down by 80-90% if they took 60 seconds to observe and talk to the students they're "concerned" about..... but why do that when they can pawn them off to you--I mean that's your job, isn't it? :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

But why especially when they probably have to walk 1/2 way across the school to get to the nurse?? Just let them sit for a few minutes and explain that it'll take a bit for their heart rate to come down!

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But why especially when they probably have to walk 1/2 way across the school to get to the nurse?? Just let them sit for a few minutes and explain that it'll take a bit for their heart rate to come down!

that's exactly what I was thinking. the gym and field is on the opposite end of campus and it's a solid 7 minute walk door-to-door. If the kid sits and rests for 7 minutes they would have already been back to normal!

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UPDATE: I survived! Only one student with an asthma issue, and one student who lost a contact. I can't believe it went so smoothly. I went down and thanked the PE teachers haha!

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Mine had their pacer test today. Sigh. I'm always so popular on any day that requires running.

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I did have a few with nausea that mysteriously presented RIGHT before PE class - haha.

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I did have a few with nausea that mysteriously presented RIGHT before PE class - haha.

Yep. And there are always the kids with the notes from home to excuse them for whatever vague, old, fake, etc injuries that prevent them from running, but are somehow fine when they have club sports after school.

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Specializes in Prior Auth, SNF, HH, Peds Off., School Health, LTC.
I did have a few with nausea that mysteriously presented RIGHT before PE class - haha.

Gotta wonder how much of that was legitimate- a symptom of anxiety or stress or fear of the run- vs. manipulative- consciously trying to get out of doing it.

It's hard to tell sometimes, b/c the manipulators are getting more and more skilled. :sorry:

But I think it's better to be compassionate and give the benefit of the doubt, and maybe teach them some quick stress/anxiety reduction techniques (there's an app for that... so you can let them listen to the guided imagery, while you keep manning the desk) than automatically treat almost everyone coming in like they are faking. The non-fakers usually will at least try the relaxation techniques, because they want to feel better.

I'm glad things went well, though. And good on you for thanking the PE teacher....you know, effects of positive reinforcement and all that... :happy:

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