Oh please, just let me vent!!!

[mc3]

OK, teachers. I would like to clarify a few things for you.

#1. I cannot cure hiccups. Why are you sending the student to me? Ditto for a cut that happened a week ago at home, a sunburn from a we

ekend at the beach, or numerous other minor complaints. I know you don't want hear whining, but neither do I. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO!

#2. I cannot make the children germ-proof, so you won't get sick. Don't work in an elementary school if you're concerned about getting sick. You're in the wrong place. I'm sorry, but it is a hazard of our job!

#3. See #2

#4. I do not sit around on my butt eating bonbons all day. I know you're tired of them. I'm tired too. Everyone is tired and grouchy and school needs to end. All of our jobs are hard. But please don't send them down to me for every-little-bitty-thing. You have 20 kids. I have 60 kids/day. Really.

#5. See #2

#6. No, I can't tell the parents to keep the kids home if they don't have a temperature. If the parent feels the child is fine and they don't have any symptoms, they need to be in school. We get in trouble for that. It's called denying the child their education.

#7. Yes, I know the majority of parents think we are baby-sitters. I cannot change that. I cannot tell parents how to raise their child, or teach them common sense on when to keep them home. Some will never get it, and some don't want to get it. See #2.

#8. I'm thrilled that you're pregnant. But I still can't germ proof the kids - all 900 of them. Kids have germs, and you mostly likely will end up getting sick at some point. See #2 and #6. Just try and wash your hands a lot, and don't let little ones get too close.

#9. Loose teeth hurt. Yes, they do. I cannot pull the tooth our nor make it better. Ice won't help it. I can give TLC, but so can you!

#10. Yes, children can vomit quite easily. Especially after lunch. Sometimes on command to get out of class - really! Please try and trust my judgment, OK? I'm following the school policy; you may not agree with it but I have to abide by it.

#11. I'm not just here to rubber stamp someone you want sent home!

#12. All of the above doesn't apply to the little kids - pre-K and K. If they don't feel good, I automatically call Mom to come pick them up. I'm not heartless. Really..

Thank you for listening! I feel better now...........(sigh)

11 days and counting.............

mc3:nurse:

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

If the child that MotherRN referenced above does not have some sort of developmental delay and established behavior plan, then absolutely no reinforcer for taking meds. (and candy of all things!!i was marginally on board when i was under the assumption that there was some sort of intense behavior plan attached to it) Granted, I get it that you are just the occasional sub and are really not in any place to dictate how the office is run - you probably just want to get in, have your day run as smoothly as possible and then jet.

As far as the adult refusing EMS - it's their call. You made a medically appropriate call, they refused. It's on them. Just be sure you document that on your incident and illness report, as it all goes back to CYA (cover your a--)

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Then we have the RN mom, me who has kept her kids out but has run out of parent notes. I am not taking them to the doctor for every stomach virus, or URI they have that I am capable of handling as a nurse myself...so truant charges might happen if I try to keep them home without a waste trip to the doctor for a freakin virus. Screw it, next year they might do home school online since my parental judgement means **** to the school system.

Don't get me started with associating candy and med administration!! You bet, Flare, that could keep another thread running for months! In regard to venting.....one must remember the growth and development of "most" (I said most) of the administrators and teachers we deal with. These guys have NEVER lived or been employed outside of some type of educational institution. How could you expect them to have knowledge, insight, or experience in the "outside" world otherwise. We, school nurses and other late-comers to the educational institution, are weird to them, we have different views, ideas, and opinions about EVERYTHING as far as they are concerned. It upsets their programming; it's not their fault!! We are the cause of their frustration!! It's like watching a line of ants when you drop a branch over the trail. Oh, I bet I'm gonna get a lot of flack for this one!!

These two posts describe what frustrates me.

I have a 5th grade child who goes to one of the elementary schools where I work (2 elem;2 HS; and 7 other campuses). I've always had issues with the school district (I have 3 adult kids). Being an employee of the district now and a parent is hard. But being the parent comes first.

So much ridiculous stuff going on in our public schools now. Very frustrating.

I like the kids - no real problems there.

[OldDude]

Here's an example of what I'm talking about; this is for you Spidey's mom....We have PK at my school. Two classes per day - am and pm - each 3 hours long. Today is the last day of school for the students and there is early dismissal 1:00 pm. The schedule for the afternoon PK class today is to report to the cafeteria, eat lunch, and dismiss from the cafeteria home - 30 minutes.....our tax dollars at work!!! Have a wonderful summer!!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Here's an example of what I'm talking about; this is for you Spidey's mom....We have PK at my school. Two classes per day - am and pm - each 3 hours long. Today is the last day of school for the students and there is early dismissal 1:00 pm. The schedule for the afternoon PK class today is to report to the cafeteria, eat lunch, and dismiss from the cafeteria home - 30 minutes.....our tax dollars at work!!! Have a wonderful summer!!

Movies . . . that's what is happening with our kids. Teachers are letting them watch movies. Last week in band instead of practicing for the concert my son came into his class early and saw the intermediate band watching Hunger Games. He knows he isn't supposed to watch that movie and it was turned off when the beginning band showed up.

Movies, trips to a water park, trip to a movie theater . . . .. I don't want to hear complaints about not having enough time to teach.

[SchoolNurseTXstyle]

I am just amazed at the lack of common sense. A teacher will refuse to let a kid come to the nurse for asthma problems and in the next breath send a kid with a 2 day old microscopic bug bite.

A teacher a few weeks ago was poking her nosy head in the door to see why paramedics were called and literally 3 minutes later sent a kid down to me for a broken flip flop. Seriously you idiot- I am a little busy here with this kid turning blue around the lips!

My biggest pet peeve is "emergency nausea/ vomiting." I have been summoned to the opposite side of the building, left a clinic full of kids to watch a kid spit phlegm in a trash can because 80% of the time it is postnasal drainage and not vomit. Do they call 911 at home when their own kid vomits?

One day, I would just like to fall on the floor and fake being passed out. What would they all do? OMG, call the nurse......oh, no that IS the nurse! Nurse, wake up, wake up! There is a kid here that needs emergency flip flop surgery!

Don't even get me started on the diabetic staff member with an infected wound who I told: 1. You need to go to your doctor, that looks infected. 2. We no longer recommend using hydrogen peroxide for wounds. Next day, " does it still look infected, I used more hydrogen peroxide and i don't think it helped." If you don't want to heed my advice leave me alone, i have flip-flops to fix. Don't ask me for any advice after you have to have an arm amputation when the gangrene sets in either!

Mc3- double ditto for your #2!!! Speaking of which, teachers go see if your tummy aching kid 10 minutes after lunch can do their own #2 before sending them to me!!'

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

One day, I would just like to fall on the floor and fake being passed out. What would they all do? OMG, call the nurse......oh, no that IS the nurse! Nurse, wake up, wake up! There is a kid here that needs emergency flip flop surgery!

A similar thought has crossed my mind so many times especially when I;ve worked through lunch, gotten a but hypoglycemic myself - i've thought, if i passed out due to low blood sugar, they would probably have no idea what to do and would just stand there shouting my name saying that someone nees an ice pack for their 3 day old bump.