So if they open no matter what...

Published

I see that our President has made it a priority to reopen schools with in-person instruction. I happen to live in a state (AZ) with a governor who's an ardent fan and politically dependent on Trump. My state is in crisis, but I'm pretty sure that we'll be reopening in August even if every last student and staff member ends up infected with COVID.

I will be lucky if we have surgical masks, hand sanitizer and some disinfectant wipes, I think. I sure won't have the negative-pressure isolation room or the distancing options recommended by the CDC.

What are you all planning to do, if you face these circumstances? I am foraging around on ebay trying to get some PPE, maybe including a dozen n95s that I can rotate.

I feel like I'm going to have to assume that any of the apparently healthy high school kids I see could be asymptomatically infected with COVID. Our state is in a real crisis. I'm nervous. I don't even go to the grocery store anymore - sitting in an unventilated health office with 15 kids seems crazy.

Specializes in Peds, MS, DIDD, Corrections, HH, LTC, School Nurse.
On 7/10/2020 at 12:30 PM, IsItFridayYetRN said:

I'm nervous as well. I would be in what's considered a "high risk" category, which makes me even more scared about getting coughed all over all day long. My office is tiny and I do not know how possible it is to distance in there! Not to mention the normal multitude of nonsense that comes through my door every day. Hopefully administration will help to curb the "non necessary" visits. Which honestly, is well over half of the students that I see each day (and I'm very much underestimating). The school nurses in my district have received little to no information about the plan going forward. I feel like it will be a nightmare school year. I wish they would postpone the school opening until Labor Day. Although I did read something recently from a local doctor in my area who felt that one of the quickest ways to get control of this virus is for schools to open and kids to be back around each other. His theory was that since kids fare relatively well with the virus they no longer need to be at home. I am not too sure how I feel about this- it's not just kids who are at school though. What about the staff?

And what about families that care for their elderly parents or others who are "at risk"?

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, psychiatric, rehabilitation.

So I think the anxiety is what is so bad for the teachers because they shut down the schools and they have been home on quarantine doing zoom classrooms. On the other hand- nurses were all just thrown in it. I have wore the same N95 unfitted until straps broke 3 weeks later. We make do. Dementia patients do not keep a mask on for 5 sec and will pull it down to sneeze and cough. We ran out of PPE and "recycle" what we can. Teachers have been out of this loop and have valid anxieties- however- you do the best you can. Our children are getting depressed. Our children need a somnolence of what is their normal schedule. Handwashing and masks go a long way. I have never been provided a face shield or fitted goggles that I don't have to share with every nurse. I say lets try this before we make a premature decision founded on panic and what ifs. What is the long term affect of social isolation on children? How will this generation be educated? I need you all to look at the bigger picture and long term affects of quarantine.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
7 hours ago, VampireBaby said:

So I think the anxiety is what is so bad for the teachers because they shut down the schools and they have been home on quarantine doing zoom classrooms. On the other hand- nurses were all just thrown in it. I have wore the same N95 unfitted until straps broke 3 weeks later. We make do. Dementia patients do not keep a mask on for 5 sec and will pull it down to sneeze and cough. We ran out of PPE and "recycle" what we can. Teachers have been out of this loop and have valid anxieties- however- you do the best you can. Our children are getting depressed. Our children need a somnolence of what is their normal schedule. Handwashing and masks go a long way. I have never been provided a face shield or fitted goggles that I don't have to share with every nurse. I say lets try this before we make a premature decision founded on panic and what ifs. What is the long term affect of social isolation on children? How will this generation be educated? I need you all to look at the bigger picture and long term affects of quarantine.

I think that the anxiety isn't just bad for the teachers- it's bad for the teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, physical therapists, cafeteria workers, speech therapists, etc., as well as nurses like myself (who are responsible for over 1,000 students and staff on a daily basis and working more than one school campus). Please don't think that us school nurses voicing our concerns means that we just don't want to go back to work-because that's not the case at all. No disrespect meant at all, but if you see nurses speak about our concerns about the beginning of the school year and think we are being overdramatic or anxious, then that tells me that you truly have never been in our shoes. School nursing is a completely different dynamic and scenario than any other kind of nursing that I have ever done, and I would have never understood this unless I was a school nurse myself. And frankly, you saying "I need you all to look at the bigger picture..." is a little condescending to me. Please don't think that we have not been trying to look at the bigger picture- as nurses and parents.

That being said, I am so thankful to nurses like you who have been working throughout the whole pandemic. Your sacrifices are very much appreciated.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion