School nursing

For "normal" kids with a complaint that is about all anyone can do unless they are an advanced practice nurse. School nurses care for kids with chronic conditions, like sickle cell and diabetes, give some kids tube feedings or inhalers or insulin or whatever is prescribed by MD. They know CPR. I am sure they is more but this explains why students without a chronic condition do not see the whole picture. I would ask the school nurse about the state's requirements for education, for MD orders, etc. How many students do they have on tube feedings, etc?

As a student I think the best thing you can do is look up some basic information on websites or in your textbooks. I agree with classicdame as well. Just go to the nurse you'll be stationed with and tell her your experiences and what you'd like to gain from this experience. Never be afraid to ask questions!

By the way not many schools have nurses where I'm from so I'd be interested in hearing what you do learn!

Moved to the school nursing forum

Thank you for your responses! KatieQ, what kinds of basic info should I look up in my text or online? We've just learned about giving medications and feedings through g-tube, and i had a lot of diabetic patients in adult health so i'm fairly comfortable with that. I dont know very much about treatments for children with sickle cell so I can look that up. Are there any other common chronic conditions in children that would be beneficial to look up? Again, thank you for any info.

I get that a lot - "you only take temperatures and send them back to class". It may appear so, but while I'm taking the temperature, I am assessing a lot of other things. How is their color? Is their skin cool and clammy? Dry and hot? Do they appear in distress? Are they playful and curious about the books and posters I have around? There is much you can assess just by looking at the student. Generally, but not always, the really sick ones have that "look" that you just learn to know. They are often also very quiet. The ones moaning and all dramatic are often the ones just looking for a ticket home Not always, so everyone gets a thorough assessment.

Other things school nurses do, in between seeing the sick, not so sick, and injured students and staff, include vision and hearing screenings, screening for Acanthosis Nigricans in some states (a marker for high insulin levels that can indicate a higher risk for developing diabetes), height, weight, and BMI screenings, planning health promotion programs and giving presentation to classrooms, staff members, and parent groups, preventing the spread od commincable diseases such as lice, scabies, flu, strep throat...there is lots that we do Since I am at a low income school, lots of my time is spent locating resources and securing medical care of the students and families. Kids need glasses, or need to see a specialist, or need to be evaluated for a suspected condition, or can't pay for their meds...I find a way to get it done.

That's just a glimpse of some other things we do, there is lots more and it varies by school and by district. Hope you enjoy your rotation!