Seems parents aren't parenting

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Has anyone else noticed parents are becoming more irresponsible? This year I've had a 2nd grader whose parents do not give his insulin after breakfast so by 8:30 his GCM is alarming d/t high BG reading (they give him a McGriddle every am on the way to school), he is a very picky eater and won't eat at school so we deal with lo BG after lunch. I've suggested packing a lunch, but have yet to see him bring one. A 4th grade diabetic with a pump comes to school with no insulin in the cartridge, and of course all phone calls go straight to voice mail with no return calls. That's on top of the little darlings that come to the clinic with true vomiting, hi temps or BAs and contact #s have been changed, they're not taking calls at this time or goes straight to voice mail. I've sent the SRO to their homes, yet there's no answer at the door either. Is anyone else dealing with this?

Invitale-

Schools are a place for kids to LEARN, not for them to be taken care of when they are sick.

2 hours is a very long time when you have a student with 104 degree temp.

2 hours is a very long time when you have a student vomiting every 15 minutes.

2 hours is a long time when a student has a bleeding laceration or a fracture.

Talk to me once you have been in these situations. Until you have sat with a child who is vomiting, crying and begging for their mom for hours, you will never get it. I understand things happen and you may not be able to get here right away-but at least answer your phone and give me an idea of when you can.

Schools are here to educate children, not to take care of them. When circumstances arise during the school day where a student is ill or injured and not able to learn, then the parents need to take the responsibility for their child back. If you are out and not reachable by cell, or if you have a job where you can't take calls, make sure we have phone numbers of other people who can either get a message to you or come to get the child.

Amen! Can't like this enough!

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I am not even a school nurse but d*** straight I've called CPS on kids with poor parenting.

Working retail in high school with a parent that thought the toy aisle was baby sitting... Oh you are looking for little diaper wearing Susie? Yeah the PD took her.

Working at a movie theater during high school doing Star Wars when someone realized Phantom Menance its way too loud and scary for their 18 month old so they brought them out to the front lobby and left them there crying. Movie ends over 45mins later... Oh you are freaking out that you can't find your little baby? Yeah the police took him when I called them for an abandoned baby.

Working at Starbucks in college and parents feel its a perfect place to drop off their kid to wait until the other divorcee parent shows up, usually its hours later... Oh you were looking for a little 4yr old boy? Yeah CPS has him, don't yell at me or CPS will love the police report and your eyes will love my pepper spray.

In the ER you left your 3 small toddlers sleeping/playing in the lobby while you went to visit someone... Oh you are looking for all of your kids you JUST left right there to go to the vending machine over 2 hours ago? Yeah CPS has them.

Mind you I have always asked the police what they want me to do like stop the movie and find the parent, page the parent more times, search the hospital with security, etc... Cops/CPS have always said no they will come get them. One time I discussed it with a CPS worker and he said no that this is at least now on their record so if anything ever happens again they have a track record so these children can be protected. It also makes it where the parents now have to appear before a judge and usually are required to attend parenting classes.

So if the parents don't ever respond then heck yeah threaten CPS or better yet send them out 911. It isn't a school nurse's responsibility to baby sit people's children. They are nurse NOT CHILDCARE

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NurseNHowell, that was brilliant. Truly.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
I am thinking you are not a school nurse? Unless you have been in these situations, you truly don't know how you would respond!

I do actually know how I would not behave. I would never under any circumstances threaten anyone with CPS. I would simply call when it was warranted. I would never threaten anyone with the police for not returning my phone call within 2 hours.

If you called the division in my state for this ******** they would give you a serious talking to. Repeated moves like this might result in disciplinary action against you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I do actually know how I would not behave. I would never under any circumstances threaten anyone with CPS. I would simply call when it was warranted. I would never threaten anyone with the police for not returning my phone call within 2 hours.

If you called the division in my state for this ******** they would give you a serious talking to. Repeated moves like this might result in disciplinary action against you.

There has been a lot of input here. But has this thread changed your mind in any way, shape, matter, or form, as it relates to your original post?

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
I do actually know how I would not behave. I would never under any circumstances threaten anyone with CPS. I would simply call when it was warranted. I would never threaten anyone with the police for not returning my phone call within 2 hours.

If you called the division in my state for this ******** they would give you a serious talking to. Repeated moves like this might result in disciplinary action against you.

Given your line of thought, they are not threatening anything, as they are going to go through with the action, they are merely giving them a last chance to make that poor parenting decision. It is actually a loving thing to do.

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Specializes in kids.
I do actually know how I would not behave. I would never under any circumstances threaten anyone with CPS. I would simply call when it was warranted. I would never threaten anyone with the police for not returning my phone call within 2 hours.

If you called the division in my state for this ******** they would give you a serious talking to. Repeated moves like this might result in disciplinary action against you.

As a first year nursing student, you seemingly have a lot of knowledge of how your state child protection services work. Did you work in another type of job prior to nursing school where you had frequent contact with them? Just curious.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
I do actually know how I would not behave. I would never under any circumstances threaten anyone with CPS. I would simply call when it was warranted. I would never threaten anyone with the police for not returning my phone call within 2 hours.

If you called the division in my state for this ******** they would give you a serious talking to. Repeated moves like this might result in disciplinary action against you.

So, what would you do with a child who can no longer function in the classroom and parents refuse to be reached?

Are you saying we shouldn't even have told the parent's the next step was the police and just called the police (and CPS) without giving the parents an opportunity to do the right thing (which, by the way, they did and are currently receiving extra support for their child since this incident)..

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

NurseNHowell -- That was brilliant. Pretty sure we all love you...well, all us school nurses anyway!! :yes:

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Specializes in School Nursing.
Given your line of thought, they are not threatening anything, as they are going to go through with the action, they are merely giving them a last chance to make that poor parenting decision. It is actually a loving thing to do.

This actually did lead to the family getting extra help and services through the community. This child has a lot of issues and the family is/was overwhelmed and had absolutely no idea how to deal his complex needs (8+ daily meds given at different times throughout the day, NO education about the importance of sticking to the regimen strictly, learning the hard way that not all the meds are regularly stocked and refills needed to be done prior to running out, etc.). He has been hospitalized several times this school year, and with previous discharges, they were simply handed scripts and referrals and after which NO FOLLOW UP or access to ongoing services (that is another rant). This is a very poor and under- educated family. After this incident we had a meeting and coupled them up with an organization that is doing family counseling (they come to their home), individual counseling (they come see him at school) and financial resources to make sure they can actually pay for the meds and treatment (another reason some of his meds weren't being refilled). He is also now receiving more services in school.

Even though some parents thing their job ends when they drop their kids off at school- I don't feel like my ends when the child goes home... I feel good about helping this family reach the help they so desperately need.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
This actually did lead to the family getting extra help and services through the community.

That family just needed that little kick in the pants and now life is much brighter for all involved. This is the response we love to see doing what we do. Thanks for sharing this lifelearningrn, I love to hear how lives are impacted by someone willing to do more than just their job. Invitale, when you become an RN, let this be a marvelous life lesson to not look on the surface of something and be satisfied with the what, always strive for the why.

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Specializes in kids.
This actually did lead to the family getting extra help and services through the community. This child has a lot of issues and the family is/was overwhelmed and had absolutely no idea how to deal his complex needs (8+ daily meds given at different times throughout the day, NO education about the importance of sticking to the regimen strictly, learning the hard way that not all the meds are regularly stocked and refills needed to be done prior to running out, etc.). He has been hospitalized several times this school year, and with previous discharges, they were simply handed scripts and referrals and after which NO FOLLOW UP or access to ongoing services (that is another rant). This is a very poor and under- educated family. After this incident we had a meeting and coupled them up with an organization that is doing family counseling (they come to their home), individual counseling (they come see him at school) and financial resources to make sure they can actually pay for the meds and treatment (another reason some of his meds weren't being refilled). He is also now receiving more services in school.

Even though some parents thing their job ends when they drop their kids off at school- I don't feel like my ends when the child goes home... I feel good about helping this family reach the help they so desperately need.

Well done!!!

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