Sending home for suspected conjunctivitis?

[MHDNURSE]

I feel like in past years people were freaking about about it and kids were getting sent home. This year, my principal made some announcement about teachers not leaving school or staying home if they have conjunctivitis and said "You CAN come to work so please do not use this as a reason to stay home".

Just curious what you do in your districts with students and teachers. I have a 2nd grader who has a super red eye and I already called mom to make an appointment to have her seen. Mom can't get here until 10:30. Teacher is freaking out that I am not making her wait here in my office until pick-up...

[SaltineQueen]

I'm pretty relaxed about pink eye, mostly because it's usually not pink eye...just people worried it's pink eye. With older kiddos (I'm K-3) we talk about what "contagious" means and how s/he can help not spread it to friends. If they think they can leave it alone, or at least wash their hands if they do rub it, they stay and I call parents and tell them they might want to have it looked at. If I'm fairly certain it's pink eye & it's a kinder kiddo who isn't going to be good about keeping their hands out of their eyes, I do call and suggest parents come get them.

I'd think a 2nd grader could handle the responsibility for containing it for a couple hours.

[OhioBPH]

If you have discharge that returns quickly after wiping away you get sent home to see the Dr, can return on antibiotics for 24 hours. That said, teachers can be trusted to be more vigilant about handwashing, so unless the discharge is so abundant that it prevents them from doing their job I do not have a problem with them being here.

[KeeperOfTheIceRN, ADN]

I typically send home for it. But that's usually because when I call home and say "Hi Mr. Mom, I have little Johnny in my office and his eye looks pretty red and irritated...." they're saying their on their way to get them before I can finish my spiel. I also keep them in the office while they wait simply because our school is spread out and sometimes it takes a hot minute to track down where the class is. I actually just sent a 6th grader home last week for suspected conjunctivitis. It turned out to be the best call to make as his mom called later in the day to say it wasn't JUST pink eye but cellulitis too but I really think an adult should be capable of being there even with pink eye.

[UrbanHealthRN, BSN, RN]

I'm pre-K, and it's not required that kiddos be sent home for conjunctivitis. If they're very uncomfortable from the pinkeye, it's a constant distraction from classroom activities, etc., then they can be sent home.

Also, if the eye looks particularly bad to me, and I'm worried about some sort of complication or other health issue, I send home. Example: this past spring I was called to a classroom to check on a few kiddos who had what turned out to be bug bites, not rashes. I WAS, however, concerned about the very quiet boy with the swollen, red, draining eye. Mom tried to brush it off as allergies, but I wouldn't let him back in until he was seen for a medical appointment. Turned out he had a double ear infection on top of bacterial conjunctivitis.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I don't always send home unless I suspect it is bacterial (so many times it isn't), but I work with older kids. They will wash their hands and can try and not touch everything. I can also re-post the conjunctivitis charts again if folks want 'em but I use them as my main guide :).

If a staff member has bacterial or hyperacute bacterial conjunctivitis - I want them home until antibiotics kick in. Because it is very, very hard to teach with a constantly blurry eye and gross, discolored discharge requiring a person to have a tissue on hand all the time. Teacher puts said tissue down vs trash - ew, just ew. My school respects this, thankfully.

[Farawyn]

Nope, they go home.

[LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN]

For staff, as soon as I say "Well, if it was me I'd go to the doctor to get evaluated for pink eye..." they go running.

For the few who say they'll not touch their face and wash their hands, I don't make a fuss, but when you work in schools as large as mine, usually the "Your eye is crazy looking" comments from other staff members will encourage them to go home early.

[rbytsdy]

It's really a judgement call. The teachers have sick days so if they want to stay home, they can. But I wouldn't try to force a teacher home unless it there was discharge or they could barely keep the eye open. My kids ophthalmologist said it's not a big deal if it's viral pink eye - think of it like a "common cold in the eye." Unless it's dripping, just practice good hand hygiene.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

What does your policy say? Mine says leave and come back with a doctor's note...I have had one really angry mom who swore up and down it was "just allergies..."

Also since I switched to elementary/middle I am STAGGERED by the amount of germaphobia in my lovely group of new peeps. Just don't touch what the kids touch. You'll be fine....