Spare clothing

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

the age old problem for school nurses...........children coming to the clinic for clothing when they have wet/soiled their pants. i am running out of clothing for these kids. i have sent letters home asking for donations. the borrowed clothes never find their way back to the clinic. i hate to call a parent at work an hour away, to come get their child who has had a bathroom accident. but i am now out of everything to clothe them. oh, and there are no funds here to buy clothing for the clinic......any ideas ???

thanks,

praiser :heartbeat

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

Stop by garage sales and let the sellers know you will pick up any leftover childrens clothing if they will donate it. Check local churches and ask if they will organize a "pants drive" to benefit the school. Send notes home whenever you give pants to a student and ask the parent to launder and return them. Just a few thoughts off the top of my head

[caretakerofkids, RN]

I ask teachers to bring clothes (mostly pants) that their children outgrow. Also, there are several community organizations and churches that help us with clothing donations for our "supply closet." Our local Lions Club (who is also VERY generous in helping our children with obtaining eyeglasses/eye exams) donated several items, as did our county's Dept. of Corrections and local churches. Word of mouth has been the best help for us!

I NEVER understood why the kids that have accidents on an almost daily basis are the ones that never have any spare clothes and the clothes I supply them with become part of their permanent wardrobe :) I kept an extra set of clothes in my boys' backpacks until 2nd grade. (never know when you need a change of clothes for a nose bleed, throwing up, spilling milk or syrup, etc.)

[2ndgenschoolnurse]

PTA!!!I have to say they are a wonderful resource! I just let them know I am in need of ______ and I usually get a couple of packs of unders dropped off. I also have been known to call parents and let them know that I have had to give their child many changes of clothing and now I am out, so they will have to come and pick their child up for wetting themselves. When they get there I also let them know that this will now be the plan. If their child has an accident they will be called if there is no change of clothing in their backpack. Funny now that child always has a change!

I also found what I thought was wonderful...a catalog that was selling disposable boxers....until I got them and though they were marked small and the waist was elastic, the legs WERE HUGE!! So I returned them, but what a great idea.

[meeka720]

I have had the same problem. I started to offer incentive for them to bring the clothes back washed or unwashed. I tell them they will be rewarded when they return the clothing with a prize from the box (a pencil, eraser, stickers, or bookmark). I usually see the clothes before 9am the next day! It has been working very well! :)

[ColleenJune]

Boy, can I relate. Clothes go out and don't come back... and it seems like more children are having accidents every year! My underwear stock at the start of the year was 3 dozen boys and 3 dozen girls, and I am already out of the girls and down to 5 of the boys. A couple of years ago I tried writing the school name in black magic marker across the seat of the loaner pants, but several parents complained that their children were humiliated by having to wear something that so obviously pointed out that they had wet their pants, so that was out. I'm thinking of having the children check out clothes like they do library books. If I get permission to do so I'll report how that works.

[smily nurse, BSN, RN]

ask your manager who supplys the clothes? I have stopped spending my own $$$$. The PTA is a good idea. Maybe add it to your budget for supplies!!!

[NYnursejo]

I agree with the above posters, Most of our teachers are donating their childrens clothes once they have outgrown it, All teachers send a notice at the start of the school year about a spare set of clothing, most of them are really good about reminding on that 1st parent-teacher meeting. I label all clothes loaned from our office with a sharpie , and ask parent to wash and return for another student who may need next time around. If parent needs to come pick up the student I ask for 2 sets of clothes, one for the current need and one for the next. And of course you parents that are very appreciative and work with you and those that you never see that set of clothes again... when supplies are running low the parents get the hint after having to leave work for these petty reasons, and MIRACULESSLY extra clothes comes in the backpack