Teachers sending students down..

[littleINlpn]

This is our 4th day of school. I had a teacher send 3 students down at the same time with the same headache, stomachache symptoms and I already had 2 in the office at that time. How do you (politely) tell a teacher not to send students down when I know in fact they just wanted to get out of the classroom because of testing? One of the students told me "Its easy to get out of class, you just say you're not feeling well and he lets you go see the nurse." Not cool...

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Would administration or guidance services intervene since this is clearly avoidant behavior?

[Farawyn]

I would talk to the Principal first and tell him you want to put out a friendly email as to when students should be sent to the nurse.

The teachers will send them anyway, but at least when you send them right back you are CYA.

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

Some teachers feel it is your job alone to decide if a student is sick or not and their job is to let them come down anytime they ask. I'd tell the teacher that the students she sent down were fine and admitted to faking illness to come down and get out of class. Then ask for help in nipping this in the bud because if it continues to be an issue you will need to involve the parents and principal. Let her know that unless a child is vomiting or in severe enough distress they can't sit still or look obviously ill she needs to tell the kids they can see the nurse just as soon as there is either a break, recess, lunch, specials, or something like that so those kids that try and come down to get out of work will be missing their fun times instead and it may stop it from happening. If the student who looked fine five seconds ago suddenly says they're going to puke tell her to put a trashcan beside them. Kids know how to work teachers that have no backbone. She can start with the two kids who admitted to faking and explain to them that's why they have to now wait which will also be an example to the rest of the class. If need be maybe she'll let you speak to the class and explain to all the kids that if you see them more than so many times a week or month for claimed illnesses and they really aren't sick you're going to call their parents. Maybe this will help. I do know I've never had any success in just telling the teacher to quit sending so many kids. Some just do not get it.