Teachers, Parents and Students

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I'm just feeling defeated and having a pity party right now ! What negative changes have you seen in school nursing in the last few years. Just needed to know if it is just me ?

1. Teachers do not respect me for my degree or what I do to support education.

2. Parents have become very demanding of me and look at me as if I am free health

care.

3. Parents are not parenting these days. Kids get themselves ready for school and come

to school in dirty clothes, no breakfast, no jacket, no backpack, and Mom keeps

sleeping.

4. Parents are demanding and when called at work because they have a sick child, they

out and out refuse to come pick them up. "Sorry, I'm working and no one else can

get them". No back-up plan.

5. Students have no respect. Have no manners. Have bad attitudes.

I always feel I am in defensive mode. Always CYA. Always trying to keep everyone happy, yet no matter what we do, it's never enough.

Just tired. I actually feel inspired and useful when I have a "true" sick or injured student that I can help. And it leaves me with moist eyes when a parent says to me...

Thank you for all you did for my child until I could get here".

Doesn't happen much anymore....but it sure does make me feel good !

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I haven't been in school nursing that long, but for #1 it's the administration. Then again, teachers have 'google nursing' degrees. Half feel like they know more than I do even though I went through many years of school and other experience to land where I am in school nursing today. I feel like admin have no clue what we do and expect us to work miracles that just won't happen.

#2 I totally agree. Then I remind them they truly have free health care in the form of Medicaid and recommend a clinic visit, which because of 3 and 4 seldom seems to happen. Just brings us back to #2. I try to remind them how far I can go, then we need to have a doctor involved because I can only do so much, then it is up to the doctor to intervene and diagnose.

#5 is because of #3. It is unfortunate. Yet another reason these kids really need us in their lives.

It is very exhausting, but try not to give up. I have been made to feel like an outcast of the building. I feel like I don't actually belong as part of the 'team.' That's ok though. I don't need the approval of adults to keep caring for the children. They are the ones who need me, and that's what I try to remind myself every day.

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I feel that everyone in the building expects me to "just fix it." The non-stop line of kids coming in for small scabbed scratches, invisible injuries and sore throats and fever blisters. Basically, everyday inconveniences and not medical problems at all.

For example, there is a student and her mom here to enroll. Student comes straight to see me for a minor superficial curling iron burn on finger. Mom has already put burn cream on it, so I covered it. Mom comes in 1-2 minutes later requesting an ice pack. I try to explain the science of not putting ice on a burn and she looks at me like I have 2 heads. I mean, really????

This kid is not even officially a student yet as she has spent more time bugging me than completing enrollment paperwork!! She has come from another school within our district because of a bullying issue. I have to wonder, is it true bullying or middle school kids being middle school kids and she is so fragile because she has been given no coping mechanisms?????

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.

I share all the same annoyances. What I tell myself when confronted with the "not a medical problem" problems, is that, to these kids (I have k-4), it IS a problem. And they know I can fix stuff, so they are doing the best they know how. Is a loose tooth something I can fix? No, but I just tell them that, in no uncertain terms. Does their invisible injury need an ice pack? No, but will 10 minutes with an ice pack do harm? If and when they return the 10th time for an ice pack for the same invisible injury I have a talk with the student and teacher.

It is likely true that we have a generation of kids with no coping mechanisms because they have never HAD to cope. I just keep telling myself that I don't have to parent all of them, just the four I made. All I need to do is sit in my office and be the nurse. Even if it means doing barely-nursing tasks. Eh. I get summers off still! :up:

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

You know, as I sit here reading these, I have this conviction that perhaps, the reason we as a profession, are trusted most, may be that school nurse so many years ago that was the safe place for us to go. The school nurse was where teachers sent us when they couldn't do it, the superheroes of the school. Maybe a little perspective could change yours?

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You took the words right out of my mouth. I feel the exact same way. Especially the CYA and parents not parenting.

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I feel that everyone in the building expects me to "just fix it." The non-stop line of kids coming in for small scabbed scratches, invisible injuries and sore throats and fever blisters. Basically, everyday inconveniences and not medical problems at all.

For example, there is a student and her mom here to enroll. Student comes straight to see me for a minor superficial curling iron burn on finger. Mom has already put burn cream on it, so I covered it. Mom comes in 1-2 minutes later requesting an ice pack. I try to explain the science of not putting ice on a burn and she looks at me like I have 2 heads. I mean, really????

This kid is not even officially a student yet as she has spent more time bugging me than completing enrollment paperwork!! She has come from another school within our district because of a bullying issue. I have to wonder, is it true bullying or middle school kids being middle school kids and she is so fragile because she has been given no coping mechanisms?????

UGHHHH...pet peeve of mine is ice on burns!!!! I want to send out a PSA next year that I do not give ice packs for burns!!!!! :banghead: I have so many that come up for absolutely nothing. The "injuries" that happened Friday evening that I see on Monday, but parents weren't told! Is is really hurting???:no:

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Mr. Nursex2 I like your perspective, I haven't thought about it that way. :down:

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