That's the third kid this morning

Specialties School

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

who has walked in to my office with a random OTC allergy med and asked me to give it to them. I have K and 1st graders and parents are sending them in to school with allergy meds (eye drops, benadryl, zyrtec) and having them ask me to administer them. Driving me nuts. Three since 8:30 this morning! I keep just handing them the letter and the form to sign and telling them if mom or dad fills it out THEN I can give the medication. Nothing has changed and suddenly it's as if they think the rules don't apply for allergy season :banghead:

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Why the heck can't these parents just give them a dose in the morning before school?!?

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.
Why the heck can't these parents just give them a dose in the morning before school?!?

Right??? Most of the allergy meds are 24 hour. Can give it anytime...like when they wake up...

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.
Right??? Most of the allergy meds are 24 hour. Can give it anytime...like when they wake up...

My thoughts exactly. And as I was typing this, a FOURTH kid came in. Bright red eyes, handed me Rx eye drops...another letter sent home. Insane.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Can you do an email or phone message blast reminding the ENTIRE SCHOOL of the med policy?

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Specializes in NCSN.
Can you do an email or phone message blast reminding the ENTIRE SCHOOL of the med policy?

I tried that when all my little ones were coming in with cold meds to be given during the day without any parental or doctors consent. It stopped the cold meds, but then they are all back again with allergy otcs. :banghead:

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Can you do an email or phone message blast reminding the ENTIRE SCHOOL of the med policy?

This is a great idea.

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It seems everyone (parents, students, some teachers) are getting laxed during the final days. Kids getting caught more with OTC on them (I'm at the HS), students coming in without passes and teachers letting them. So yeah, they know the policy, they're tired, but we're not in enforcing the rules.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I liked your post but really I dislike what you said! I can't believe parents would send their children to school with Benadryl of all things. Can you imagine if they just took it on their own in the bathroom and were falling asleep in class? I understand why parents might not realize eye drops are medication but I can't imagine why they would send oral meds to school at such a high rate like that :facepalm:

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.
I liked your post but really I dislike what you said! I can't believe parents would send their children to school with Benadryl of all things. Can you imagine if they just took it on their own in the bathroom and were falling asleep in class? I understand why parents might not realize eye drops are medication but I can't imagine why they would send oral meds to school at such a high rate like that :facepalm:

Nothing surprises me anymore. I have been waiting on a fax from a doctor all morning because a mom (who is a nurse) doesn't understand why I won't go along with her made-up regimen of changing dosage on her son's methylphenidate. She essentially wants me to triple his dose. She keeps telling me "this medication is not an exact science, it requires tweaking". Which I know, because my son is also on it. As a mom, I keep telling her, it is ok to tweak. As a nurse, I can't just give whatever dose she thinks might work. As a nurse, she should know this and not push me to do it anyway.

Gah. People!

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Specializes in NCSN.
I liked your post but really I dislike what you said! I can't believe parents would send their children to school with Benadryl of all things. Can you imagine if they just took it on their own in the bathroom and were falling asleep in class? I understand why parents might not realize eye drops are medication but I can't imagine why they would send oral meds to school at such a high rate like that :facepalm:

When I was being trained, I was told about how in the fall there was an older student on the bus giving "super hero pills" to the first graders. He was passing out nyquil gel caps. The nurse had four kids all who couldn't stay awake, and all who reported sleeping well during the night, no signs of illness, parents reported they were fine in the morning, etc.

Until one finally brought up the "super hero pills".

Mom of the older student admitted giving the older student the pills to take in school, but never imagined that he would do something like that.

Now as a district we ask all tired/fatigued kids if they had ANYTHING new during the day.

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Specializes in School nursing.
When I was being trained, I was told about how in the fall there was an older student on the bus giving "super hero pills" to the first graders. He was passing out nyquil gel caps. The nurse had four kids all who couldn't stay awake, and all who reported sleeping well during the night, no signs of illness, parents reported they were fine in the morning, etc.

Until one finally brought up the "super hero pills".

Mom of the older student admitted giving the older student the pills to take in school, but never imagined that he would do something like that.

Now as a district we ask all tired/fatigued kids if they had ANYTHING new during the day.

She gave him NYQUIL to take in school in the first place? Ugh...

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