I'm a home health nurse, doing private duty. I go to school with my client. We spend most of the day in the special ed room, but we also attend band and chorus. My client is there to listen, and I try to be unobtrusive as possible.
Among other things, my client requires suctioning. I usually suction before class, but sometimes he needs suctioning during class. I hated the idea of suctioning in the classroom, so I asked Mom about it. She suggested doing it when there is music playing. When the family goes to church, Mom suctions my client during hymns, so the sound is drowned out. I followed Mom's suggestion, with mixed results. The chorus teacher asked me not to suction him in class. Taking him out to the hall from the chorus room is very tricky, so if he needs a lot of suctioning, we skip chorus. The band director has never said anything.
Today, band had a sub. My client needed suctioning, so I waited for a piece to start. When I pulled out the catheter and started suctioning, the band sub visibly recoiled. He looked like he was going to vomit. I ended up suctioning my client in the hall.
I don't blame the band sub for reacting the way he did, but part of me thinks I shouldn't have gone into the hall. The regular band director has never complained. Since I deal with this every day, I'm inured to it.
Should I suction my client in the classroom at all? How have other nurses handled in-school suctioning?
Thanks all. I am in Florida. Yes it is us- the private duty nurses, my boss and Mom versus the school district. Poor Mom is at her wit's end over this situation. Yes, I think we are going to need legal help to allow this child to be suctioned. This is by the way, a special school for special need students!!!!!:eek:
I had thought they would have been trained to be able to deal with all "special need"s of children.
You're welcome, Blackcat! It irks me how often agencies, schools, whatever try to "get one over" on the parents or child or caregiver. I am a fierce advocate for my child and try to help other parents when I can.
Local news is ALWAYS interested in human interest stories. If "proper channels" don't work, that usually does. I resorted to that once. All it took was one phone call from the reporter to the agency and I got a call from the agency "Mrs. W---, we have reviewed our policy and find that your request does in fact fit under guideline XYZ." That didn't even make the news, it just took the mere interest of the reporter to get it resolved.
OMG!!!! Ventmommy-Thanks again for another super good suggestion-:yeah:Why, I didn't even think of notifying the local newspaper. But yes I think they would be interested in this story of this boy and his right to breathe.
If all else fails, I bet Mom would indeed contact the newspaper. I could just see the look on the school principal's face-:eek: if she received a phone call from a local reporter. Yes!!!!!
I gave Mom the info about the disability rights group and she is very grateful. She is going to contact them. I haven't suggested yet to Mom about the idea of contacting the newspaper. I am going to wait and see how things go first with the disability rights group helping her. I really do think that this group will help her. However, if it doesn't work out then I will suggest to Mom that she contact the newspaper not me.
I agree. The first site you mentioned is what we need. I will give this information to Mom. Yes, this is great!!!!!!
:eek:
Blackcat99
2,836 Posts
Thanks all. I am in Florida. Yes it is us- the private duty nurses, my boss and Mom versus the school district. Poor Mom is at her wit's end over this situation. Yes, I think we are going to need legal help to allow this child to be suctioned. This is by the way, a special school for special need students!!!!!
:eek:
I had thought they would have been trained to be able to deal with all "special need"s of children.