Suicide attempt while at school

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Ive been a school nurse for 3 years. Before this great adventure, I was hospital based and also did high risk outpatient OB case management. On Monday, I had the scariest nursing experience of my life. Im not handling it well and thought I might share it with other school nurses to help give me some insight.

Im a nurse at a middle school, have approx 740 6th, 7th and 8th graders. I was called to a classroom for an "emergency" I took off running, emergency bag in tow, arrived to the classroom to find one of my 8th graders on the floor convulsing and screaming about pain. Head to toe assessment, as fast as I could. She is well known to me, in fact had recently disclosed that she was pregnant ( long story short CPS referral, lots of visits with me in my office etc she is 13) At that point she screams out, "I just want to die." I ask, "did you take something" She responds, "yes when I got to school" We were in the process of a self inflicted drug overdose. My heart literally stopped. I instructed the teacher to call 911. Maintained airway, kept her conscious, kept her from hurting herself during convulsions. All the time I prayed that this child please not die!! Took paramedics 22 minutes to arrive. One of the most heart breaking moments was when the got her on the stretcher and she screamed "my name, please dont leave me!" I quickly hugged her, told her she was in good hands, that I had to stay to take care of the others. They wheeled her away and I lost it. I cried, I shook and felt like I was going to faint. It was at that moment I realized just how "alone" I am in this job. I have an AED, no narcan (yet) no oxygen, no code team. She will be ok. She is getting the care she needs. We move on. Im having terrible nightmares. I keep dreaming that 3 of my kids do it at the same time, in different places and I cant get to them.

Has anyone else encountered anything like this? Have any of you ever been overwhelmed by the thought that you are the only nurse in your building and that your resources, both materially and in other medical support persons, is incredibly limited?

I have made an appt with a counselor for myself. The emotions of this are exhausting.

Any words of advice? Thank you in advance!!!

OK, I'm packing...hmmm, sun screen, white cotton wife beaters, Dallas Cowboys speedo...what else?

Pink shirt for Wednesdays!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

A reply to anyone questioning you or wedging their stupid opinion in about the event...repeat after me..."How about you suck rocks."

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Pink shirt for Wednesdays!

Maybe even blow the dust off my pink thong:bag:

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Maybe even blow the dust off my pink thong:bag:

This sounds like a euphemism.

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Specializes in School nursing.

Oh, Cas, I also just want to reach out and hug you tight. That student is so very lucky to have you. You may feel like you didn't do enough, etc, but you did. You really did. You assessed that situation and got her the help she needed and that is a fact that can't be forgotten.

As everyone else pointed out, no one else at school will get it. And there may even be information you can't share to help them TRY and get it. But here, we'll get it. We're here for each other.

Be kind to yourself. I'm glad you are seeking counseling. I will continue to send hugs and good thoughts to you and your student.

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Thank you for sharing your experience and raw selfless look at your heroic actions. Hugs hugs hugs, my only advice is to continue to share your experience because you are helping others out there who may one day find themselves walking rather running your run and because you shared they will be better prepared. PTSD is real thing for any traumatic event, continue thru the counseling process, and with time you will find yourself knowing your experience not only lead to the best outcome in that moment but assisted countless others that learned from your sharing. Allow yourself the time, it truly is an individualized process that does not happen overnight. So normal to go through the what ifs and should ofs and could ofs, it is a process, embrace it. More hugs

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Psych Nurse here who works with suicidal youths - Sound like you did everything right. So take a moment to breath. You have just been involved in a sentinel event and I cannot tell you how important it is for you to have a critical incident stress debriefing. This is usually done with a therapist trained to do these debriefing your schools workman's comp insurance should pay for it and give you the referral. This will help you work through the event and how you feel. It will help.

Hppy

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.

Also a psych nurse (and former school nurse!) chiming in - it's people like you who keep them alive to get to us that fight a good part of the battle in these situations. You did amazing, and that girl is alive because of you. Good job, and I'm with OldDude - anyone with an opinion other than "you did amazing" can suck rocks.

Also, I'm down for the cruise.

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
Psych Nurse here who works with suicidal youths - Sound like you did everything right. So take a moment to breath. You have just been involved in a sentinel event and I cannot tell you how important it is for you to have a critical incident stress debriefing. This is usually done with a therapist trained to do these debriefing your schools workman's comp insurance should pay for it and give you the referral. This will help you work through the event and how you feel. It will help.

Hppy

Yes, critical incident debriefings are so crucial in these cases. I hope your school does one. You'd be amazed how many people who weren't directly involved might also be shook up by this.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Yes, critical incident debriefings are so crucial in these cases. I hope your school does one. You'd be amazed how many people who weren't directly involved might also be shook up by this.

Soooo true! Hey, Cas, I'm gonna be honest here - and I bet I'm not the only one who experienced this. I didn't realize it until after I finished reading your post that I had moved to the edge of my chair, my shoulders were up by my ears, and I had to get up and walk around to work the adrenaline out so I could settle back down. As Hppy said, this was s sentinel event which you carried by yourself to a successful completion; the ripples flow wide for all who witnessed or heard about it.

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Wow, Cas. So many emotions while reading your account. Thanking God you were there for your student. Wondering what the fall out will be for the other kids, especially if the school does not provide support... and soon! Will be keeping you in my prayers. Hugs!

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Everyone else already said what I would have said, so I am sending you hugs!!!!

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