First time school Health Technician (EMT) here looking for some advice.
As part of my very many duties, one of them is being in charge of used and loaned out uniforms. I didn't think that'd be a big deal... However, I'm finding that students are coming in during the toughest of times. I'll have 5-6 students in the office and one more that needs a uniform either for accidents or a plethora of mud.
Because of this, and the increasing demand of students in the office the uniform room has gotten quite messy. Originally the uniforms were folded, but not necessarily in order of size, only by gender and GENERAL size. I go through 3 to 4 uniforms to find one that is an approximate fit, without time to re fold and organize them where they need to go because of the number of students in the office.
I'm also getting clothes in bags, not marked as previously used and needs to be washed, or donations dropped off to the uniform closet. These bags sit there. I'm also responsible for washing and drying the uniforms (in a washer and dryer that's in the cafeteria away from health office.)
Needless to say, the parent liaison is not happy with the organization of the uniform closet. However, this issue doesn't really reach my "priority" list over student health, immunizations, hearing and vision screening and giving out medication.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
800 students. I'm not sure if that's large or not in comparison to other schools.
K-6
An EMT-B with an on call LPN for 800 K-6 students? Wow. Just wow. Regardless of who is in charge of the health office the uniform closet is a ridiculous added responsibility and should fall to the PTA, parent volunteer or administration designed. Can't you go to the supervising RN for support?
Another thought -- if the school does in-house detention/suspension, the older kids could use that time to organize and fold and even do laundry (once trained).
If you get a chance, maybe type up (and laminate or insert into a sheet protector) some instructions for the uniform closet. Then when you go to the parent volunteer room, you can just hand them the list of what needs to be done and walk away. This would also work for kids in detention -- hand them the list that says to refold the clothes, sort them by size, and the instructions for doing laundry.
I wonder if you went into the room where the volunteers were just sitting there and said something like, "Oh ladies, thank goodness I found you and you are not busy! The clothing room is a disaster and between the ill, the injured, and the kids who need medication, I can't stop long enough to even start on the clothing! Since the children's medical needs are my priority, which of you wonderful ladies will be working on the clothing today?"
I'm in charge of extra/used uniforms that I supply out to kids who need a change of clothes during the school day due to bathroom accidents/falls into mud/etc.
We have roughly 360 kids at our K-8 school. I spent a day this summer organizing these uniforms because it seems I spend forever looking for the right size skort or pants for a kid when they do need something.
So, I have two large Rubbermaid bins. One labeled "BOYS" and one labeled "GIRLS." Each bin contains several 2-gallon size ziplocs. Each Ziploc is labeled with what's inside. For example "size 6 skorts." I fold the items up inside each Ziploc neatly then squeeze the air out and zip up tightly. All the ziplocs fit nicely inside and the lid snaps onto the Rubbermaid. Voila! There is also a one-gallon Ziploc in each bin holding underwear and clean sock cause, don't ya know, the pee pee always runs down right into the socks?!?
When a kiddo comes in needing a clothes change, I just check the label on the back of their dirty pants/skort/shorts then pull out the referring Ziploc bag.
I don't do laundry. I send an email to the parent explaining said accident and that the dirty clothes are in a plastic bag in the child's back pack and to please wash the borrowed clinic clothes at their convenience & return.
Those are really great ideas. I haven't seen any in school suspensions yet, but will relay that to the principle that they could have a suspension kiddo help.
With the ziplock bags that is also a great idea. I'm worried about the cost though. Aren't the big ziplocks pretty expensive?
I also just found out that parent volunteers were just sitting there because they haven't had their "orientation" yet. So they were just learning the ropes of what needed to be done and ect.
It's the 3rd week of school... no orientation yet...
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
You can get 2 gallon ziploc bags 5-6 in a box (or more) in the dollar store. Bins are likely to go on clearance soon in Target/Walmart/etc now that back to school is essentially over
OH HELL NO!!!! that is soooooo not your job!!!! That makes me so mad just reading about it!!! I get kids sent to me for dress code and I say "that is not my job, the clothes are in the bathroom." It is so irritating! I have students getting nebulizer treatments who can't breath and nosebleeds and are about to throw up and I'm supposed to get them a new shirt because they can't follow dress code?????? NOOOOOOO!!!!! Ugh!!!
JustBeachyNurse, LPN
13,957 Posts
An EMT-B with an on call LPN for 800 K-6 students? Wow. Just wow. Regardless of who is in charge of the health office the uniform closet is a ridiculous added responsibility and should fall to the PTA, parent volunteer or administration designed. Can't you go to the supervising RN for support?