Solutions for General Student Complaints?

[kmazur2]

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to school nursing, so I'm just trying to figure out a few things.

Anyone have any recommendations for students who have general complaints? Sore throat, stomachache, headache?

I'm so used to being able to do an intervention but school nursing is completely different. I usually recommended carrying water bottle for these kids, but the teachers are starting to complain about the kids bringing them in class.

I want to do something for the kids to make them feel better and send them back to class asap, since they're pretty benign complaints (after assessing/evaluating students).

I work with 5-8 graders, so I'm trying to find the balance between being caring/compassionate but also not babying the students too much and sending them home or calling home for every complaint.

We're not allowed to do meds, obviously, so cough drops are out.

Just wondering what everyone else does? I'm the only school nurse, so I'm figuring all this out on my own.

Thanks!

[fetch, BSN, RN]

One tip I don't use often due to size limitations, is the "bake and wait." Let them lie down, under a blanket or their sweatshirt, for 10-15 minutes after 2-3 cups of water. If they're getting really sick, the temperature will probably go up or they'll vomit when they sit back up. If they're just tired, they get a short little nap. If they're cranky and want attention, they get "therapeutic boredom" and are ready to go back to their friends afterwards.

For sore throats where there's nothing else going on, I have them gargle salt water but I tell them it doesn't work right away, it takes 15-30 minutes and they have to wait that long before drinking any more water or coming back to see me. Building in that time means that some of them forget about it, start to feel better and get involved in classwork, etc.

Depending on your school/district procedures, you might be able to get peppermints to suck on for cough or stomachache. But like someone else said in a different thread, watch out for the ones "made on the same equipment as nuts" or whatever it says.

Sometimes kids have stomachaches because they didn't get breakfast, and they're too embarrassed to say they don't have food in the house. Crackers from the cafeteria kept on hand to give to frequent no-breakfasts can help.

And sometimes, they just need a break from class. Especially with that age group, I'd try talking to them about what they're learning in class, what they enjoy or dislike, what they're excited about, etc. Sometimes getting them talking will help them perk back up, sometimes it identifies an anxiety/stressor, and sometimes it's just a nice little break from paperwork for you.

Hope some of that helps.