SO. SICK. OF. MASK. ISSUES.

Specialties School

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Specializes in pediatrics, school nursing.

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Let me start off by saying that masking is essential and necessary and that I don't believe we should be without masks in school until a "herd immunity" has been obtained, BUT GOOD LORD AM I SICK OF MASKS.

Half the kids wear the same disgusting masks day in and day out, and the other half seem to have to change their masks every hour for one reason or another. Fighting with kids who are wearing ill-fitting masks or can't seem to keep them on. Teachers CONSTANTLY emailing me or texting me that the masks are out in their room, by this door, by that entrance. The constant battle with the teachers over a kid who isn't sick, but just has a runny nose made worse by the mask wearing... I kind of want to put the mask supply in the same spot as the tissues and let them have at it - leave it up to them to resupply their rooms...

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Specializes in School nursing.

I have spent SO MUCH money on masks. My school will just buy them for me, thankfully, but I've spent at least $7000-$8000 on them.

Also 1/3 of my student do NOT even show up to school with one! And these are families that can afford it and have been reminded, not the families who I would help out with extra masks in a heartbeat (those families, actually, always come in masked).

I don't stock the classrooms with extra masks as much anymore after the MS and HS student took extra masks and used the mask loops to SAW into the plastic classroom chairs. Yes, you read that correctly.

My teachers don't usually bother me too much with it as my admin team takes on improper mask wearing (I am very lucky here), but I am constantly reminding folks.

Also, it isn't just students...I still have a few staff that love to pull down their masks to talk to other adults. Sigh.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

Experiencing ALL the same stuff in my district.  All of it.  I am so tired of feeling like the mask police, especially with the adults in there building.  Grow the F up and follow the rules.  Seriously.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..
On 12/8/2021 at 6:23 AM, JenTheSchoolRN said:

I have spent SO MUCH money on masks. My school will just buy them for me, thankfully, but I've spent at least $7000-$8000 on them.

See if you can get anyone to donate... We have a large car production company nearby and they've donated about 10,000 masks, if not more.

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Specializes in School nursing.
1 hour ago, OyWithThePoodles said:

See if you can get anyone to donate... We have a large car production company nearby and they've donated about 10,000 masks, if not more.

I don't actually need anyone to - a lot of the money paying for them was donated for it. I'm just upset so many kids that have masks do not wear one to school. 

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We just got a large amount of masks from the PTO.  They had researched masks to recommend to parents then also allowed parents to buy additional ones for donations.  A lot of them are different shapes than the traditional blue procedure masks we give the kids, and they stay on and cover the nose better.  I have been giving them out liberally but also encouraging admin to suggest these new masks for chronic nose-slips and to come to the front desk (not me) to get some if needed.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

Yup I go thru at least 4 cases of masks every week! We use more masks than the bottled water! It is crazy! Kids are not wearing them to school or brining them in, then they change them after lunch or recess. I don't really care, as we are not paying for them, but it is a total PITA!!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

If patents are not mask compliant the children will not be mask compliant...generally speaking. 

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