Sure, I'll risk my license so you don't have to leave home

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Just had a parent ask if I could just "pretend to be her" for a few minutes and adminster a med to her kid with no doctor's orders or parental permission signed. Um, no, I don't think I will be risking my license just so that you don't have to leave your house with your three toddlers to come to school to give your kid his cough syrup. Sorry. Not going to happen. She was really miffed. I told her this is not just my policy, it is not just district policy, it is STATE LAW. Doesn't seem to matter. Geesh.

I really do love school nursing, but this kind of stuff is really starting to get to me. Maybe it is just a bad day, but I am actually starting to think about returning to the hospital setting. Tell me I am crazy! It is just dealing with the same parents who don't seem to give a rat's patootie day after day after day. And dealing with the same issues with the same teachers, and the same malingering kids every single day. Maybe I just need a "mental health day". Or maybe I'll join the circus :)

Specializes in School Nurse/Supervisor.

:yeah: RE: "I sent a note saying. "He has no fever but I pulled his grades and he did have a c in math last six weeks. He needs some extra tutoring. Make sure you get that done ASAP."

Great Job! I really wish I had the nerve to do that!!

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Specializes in school nursing.
:yeah: RE: "I sent a note saying. "He has no fever but I pulled his grades and he did have a c in math last six weeks. He needs some extra tutoring. Make sure you get that done ASAP."

Great Job! I really wish I had the nerve to do that!!

The longer I am a school nurse....the more nerve I get!!! I wasn't always this way........

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Just remember that the kind appreciative families and teachers far outnumber the idiotic inconsiderate selfish ones. We just tend to focus on the ones that push our buttons.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

You sound burnt out. I doubt if this mother was trying to get you in trouble, she is just overwhelmed with her own problems. 3 toddlers at home does make transportation difficult with their naps and such. I've been in a similar situation many years ago with several small children at home, and practically speaking it would be nice if a parent could give verbal permission over the phone to give an over the counter cough syrup.

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Specializes in LTC.

I hear what you all are saying . Luckily I have a slower day today due to pre-k and Kinderdagarden on field trips !

Now back to the OP. I personally don't even accept medications with out a doctors order, that way I'm not put in a predicament where I have a parent asking me to administer anything. If I don't have an order, then I don't accept meds, and if I don't accept meds , than I can't administer the medications. So this prevents my problems.

However, if a child comes to school with cough syrup in their backpack and moms calls and asks if I can give I refuse just as you did. I also give mom about 3 days to either pick up the medicine or to bring in an order for me to give it , and if mom does not do either then I disgard the medications.

I've learned to be 10 steps ahead of sneaky parents !

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Specializes in LTC.
You sound burnt out. I doubt if this mother was trying to get you in trouble, she is just overwhelmed with her own problems. 3 toddlers at home does make transportation difficult with their naps and such. I've been in a similar situation many years ago with several small children at home, and practically speaking it would be nice if a parent could give verbal permission over the phone to give an over the counter cough syrup.

The OP may very be burnt out, but we have rules and regulations for a reason. Now there are times when I bent the rules for busy parents but when it comes to meds whether its OTC or not, I'm sorry but I don't bend the rules and neither does my RN supervisor.

Kudos to the OP who stuck to her guns !

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Specializes in school nursing.
The OP may very be burnt out, but we have rules and regulations for a reason. Now there are times when I bent the rules for busy parents but when it comes to meds whether its OTC or not, I'm sorry but I don't bend the rules and neither does my RN supervisor.

Kudos to the OP who stuck to her guns !

Well said. I don't think the OP was upset because the parent asked her to do something. I think she got upset that the mom got angry even after she explained the policy AND the law! Would it be ok for someone to ask a pharmacist to give them narcotics without a prescription? Should said pharmacist lose their license if they gave meds without a Dr. RX? Same principal!! And as far as getting oral permission - if student has a bad reaction - only a signature will show you followed policy and procedure.

I have 2 daughters - 12 and 2. There have been several occasions where I did not want to load up the toddler to do something for the older one. However, they are both my kids and therefore both my responsibility even when it is not convenient! Possibility of losing a job, no transportation - I totally understand! But I don't buy the inconvenience excuse!!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

You hit the nail on the head SchoolNurseBSN! I have had many parents request this and that request does not get to me. Usually I simply explain the district policy and the state law and the parents are ok with it. It was the fact that this parent kept on insisting even after I explained this. AND even after I told her I could lose my liscense if I did so!!!!

There is no way I would EVER give anything based on a verbal from a parent, even if law and policy allowed it. If the kid has a reaction it is your word against the parents. I would not give anything without at the very least a signature.

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Specializes in Renal, Orthopedic, and School.

You wanna know the worse ones... when that parent is a TEACHER!!! (in a differ. school) They know the laws! In my case their child was severly disabled also! Yeah right, gonna lose my license over your child. NOT.:angryfire :nono:

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Specializes in Community Health,Pediatric, School nursi.

Love the response to the teacher. Made my day!

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I'm two weeks away from wrapping up my school nurse gig to return to my true nursing love, obstetrics, but since I'm a school nurse for 2 more weeks...

Oh geez, I don't think I've made it through a week this school year without something like this! I usually just shrug it off and say "sorry! As a nurse, I'm not able to give out medications without a doctor's order." If they stay persistent, which seems to be the case frequently, I say "I can't even keep Neosporin up here for cuts since it's technically a medication. District policy is that I can't store any medications that aren't in their original prescription bottle with a physician's order." -- Then they look more annoyed with the district than with me. I don't think anybody does this to be malicious or because they want to risk your license. I think there's just a genuine misunderstanding about scope of practice, and this is a prime teaching opportunity.

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