The other thread got me thinking about this. Luckily (hopefully) our emergencies are few and far between but when we have them, they can be doozies! Share them here!
I mentioned on the other thread the first time I had a kid with a broken arm. He came in from PE with an extra bend. Broke both his Radius and ulna running into the wall with an outstretched arm.
I had a staff member slip on ice in the parking lot and he ankle was twisted in an unnatural way. Thank goodness for cell phones or who knows how long she would have been laying in the snow since she had run out on her break to get a coffee.
I have given an epi pen once. A student with severe allergies came in from the bus where another student had been eating candy with peanuts in it (day after Halloween). Student's O2 sat was in the 70s and she was wheezing. The principal had mom on her cell phone and the AP was calling 911 while I administered the epi and got another epi ready in case it was needed before EMS arrived. Scary.
I've had several emergencies this year (my first year!)... Two LOCs from head trauma, multiple asthma attacks with no medication available, broken ankle, broken arm, laceration to the wrist requiring stitches, and a mysterious injury causing significant temperature change in one arm (ice cold!) vs the other arm (perfectly warm). I've made 5 or 6 EMS calls (I've lost count) but several of them could have been avoided if parents had provided the correct medication or if parents had answered their phone and come picked up the student right away. My principal hasn't been too happy that we have had so many calls, but if I did it all over, I'd do the same. Plus, my DON backs me up.
ETA: And I forgot... one OD on hydrocodone (he was okay eventually), possible MI for a teacher (reflux), one good diabetic scare with a student not waking up in class until right as I was poking her for a glucose check... I'm sure there is more I'm missing.
oh, i'm no stranger to calling EMS here. I had a student (autistic, basically non verbal) here for a time that would go into 25-30 minute long seizures. Diastat and versed did nothing. By the time we'd call ems and they'd arrive and assess it was a good 25 minutes into the seizure She would usually start coming out of it. The first time I called they didn't belive me that she was in a seizure until she came out of it and they saw her usually animated expressions and reactions. When it happened again, one knew what was up, the other was giving be the same "are you kidding me?" look. His partner set him straight.
Had to call EMS just the other day (Testing day) for an unknown issue. It resembled a panic attack, but from the history from mom it was something else. I do believe they sent me the reserve team. You know the fresh out of school team. They forgot equipment and had me check BG. They had to use two packs of leads for ekg. I was just in awe. Good thing it was not something truly emergent and they were not seasoned. I would have not blamed them for the "you got to be kidding me" looks. I called because mom wanted us too. Student back on campus today, but has not come by to see me. I did call the next day, but had to get report from sister here at school. They still did not know what was wrong.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.
Thankfully in the 2 years I have been here, nothing truly scary has happened. one student had a seizure at 4PM at dismissal but I leave at 1:30. The administration handled it beautifully and all was well.
BUT- I worked at a Summer camp a few years ago (day camp). Some boys were in the deep end of the pool and no one noticed that they were dropping a huge, heavy rock and then taking turns diving down and getting it. So one of the boys brings the rock to the surface and another boy was leaning over the edge to help the kid hoist it out of the pool. The kid with all his force hoists it out and onto the other kid's hand. His index finger legit EXPLODED open (it was a BIG rock). They called me over and I seriously almost fainted, it was horrible (I am NOT good with traumatic bodily injuries, LOL). It was such a mess that really all I could do was hold it up above his head and wrap tons of gauze around it. Called hi mom and she was there within 5 minutes and took him to the ER. To this day his finger is a big old mess. Never saw plastics and they did a lousy job stitching it up.
BUT- I worked at a Summer camp a few years ago (day camp). Some boys were in the deep end of the pool and no one noticed that they were dropping a huge, heavy rock and then taking turns diving down and getting it. So one of the boys brings the rock to the surface and another boy was leaning over the edge to help the kid hoist it out of the pool. The kid with all his force hoists it out and onto the other kid's hand. His index finger legit EXPLODED open (it was a BIG rock). They called me over and I seriously almost fainted, it was horrible (I am NOT good with traumatic bodily injuries, LOL). It was such a mess that really all I could do was hold it up above his head and wrap tons of gauze around it. Called hi mom and she was there within 5 minutes and took him to the ER. To this day his finger is a big old mess. Never saw plastics and they did a lousy job stitching it up.
(it was a BIG rock). They called me over and I seriously almost fainted, it was horrible (I am NOT good with traumatic bodily injuries, LOL). It was such a mess that really all I could do was hold it up above his head and wrap tons of gauze around it. Called hi mom and she was there within 5 minutes and took him to the ER. To this day his finger is a big old mess. Never saw plastics and they did a lousy job stitching it up.
pedi_nurse
247 Posts
I've had several emergencies this year (my first year!)... Two LOCs from head trauma, multiple asthma attacks with no medication available, broken ankle, broken arm, laceration to the wrist requiring stitches, and a mysterious injury causing significant temperature change in one arm (ice cold!) vs the other arm (perfectly warm). I've made 5 or 6 EMS calls (I've lost count) but several of them could have been avoided if parents had provided the correct medication or if parents had answered their phone and come picked up the student right away. My principal hasn't been too happy that we have had so many calls, but if I did it all over, I'd do the same. Plus, my DON backs me up.
ETA: And I forgot... one OD on hydrocodone (he was okay eventually), possible MI for a teacher (reflux), one good diabetic scare with a student not waking up in class until right as I was poking her for a glucose check... I'm sure there is more I'm missing.