The Not So "Nursey" Things...

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What are some of the things that come to your office that have NOTHING to do with the medical field? A common one at my school: "My pants are too big, do you have some string to tie them up?" :sour::yawn: LOL!!!!

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
I gave up on those tiny little screws a couple of years ago. I can barely see them, and my not so skinny fingers make it extremely difficult to even get the thing in the proper place. I now use dental floss to repair them until they get home. It's strong, it threads right through, and it can be easily clipped with nail clippers when they can be properly repaired.

That's exactly what I was thinking of posting myself, when I read the thread right above yours! Thanks for explaining it so well!

Specializes in School nursing.
I love the poop on shoes. How did that become a nurse's job??

I had a kid come down once with a backpack that smelled like cat urine. The teacher wanted me to call home for that since clearly that's a medical issue.

I loathe being asked to call home for kids who smell. If it's not a medical issue, why am I addressing it? Because you (other staff member) feel uncomfortable with it?? But if the student isn't in my office and I don't know the student, what am I supposed to say? Mrs. Jones asked me to tell you that you smell and need to take a shower?

Not to mention, this can deflate a kid majorly when it comes from a person they don't know. It can be awkward enough from a person they actually have a relationship with.

Specializes in School Nursing.
I gave up on those tiny little screws a couple of years ago. I can barely see them, and my not so skinny fingers make it extremely difficult to even get the thing in the proper place. I now use dental floss to repair them until they get home. It's strong, it threads right through, and it can be easily clipped with nail clippers when they can be properly repaired.

I used the floss trick for the first time today and felt like a boss!!! Two pairs of glasses "fixed" today! One came in after falling on her face and the frame broke but was easily secured with tape; the other one's pair lost a screw after they fell off her desk so this was SO helpful. Still did my tape chevrons to hold the arm in place but could not have done it without the floss first! :up: Thank you for the idea!

When I worked in middle school, had a girl come to my office because she spilled water in her back pack. She passed at least 2 bathrooms with paper towels to get to me.

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
When I worked in middle school, had a girl come to my office because she spilled water in her back pack. She passed at least 2 bathrooms with paper towels to get to me.

Now, that's one delicate little princess who needs a class in Common Sense!

Today the speech therapist, across from my office, killed a fly during a session - a student in that session then came to me to ask me "Can you please throw out the gross fly?". The student is just too cute so I did remove the fly. Then he and the other 2 students cheered and one said "Thanks, you saved the day!"

Specializes in School health, pediatrics.
"Thanks, you saved the day!"

Ha! Good job!

Specializes in School.

Just fixed a backpack with safety pins. LD actually asked if I knew how to sew. I do, but don't have a sewing kit her at school.

Can you iron my Girl Scout vest? It's too wrinkly for my meeting tonight...

Nope, sorry kiddo

I love the poop on shoes. How did that become a nurse's job??

I had a kid come down once with a backpack that smelled like cat urine. The teacher wanted me to call home for that since clearly that's a medical issue.

I loathe being asked to call home for kids who smell. If it's not a medical issue, why am I addressing it? Because you (other staff member) feel uncomfortable with it?? But if the student isn't in my office and I don't know the student, what am I supposed to say? Mrs. Jones asked me to tell you that you smell and need to take a shower?

I have dealt with all three of those examples and never understood how they fell into my scope of practice! I refused the dog poop and showed the student and teacher where the sink was.

A few years ago there was a student who really, really smelled awful. He came in daily for a medication and it was BAD. I felt really awful for him. Other students were moving away from him. I was asked to talk to him which I felt comfortable doing since I was seeing him daily. But it never helped. We think it was his clothing. They reached out to the parents to see if maybe their washing machine had broken and if they needed financial assistance to get a new one or use a laundromat and the mom was so insulted. She was way pissed. He tried to cover it up with cologne but it was just a strong smell on top of the cat pee smell. I don't know what the cologne was but whenever I smell it on someone else, I have a flash back to that student and gag a little.

That said, I HATE being asked to talk to a smelly student who I do not see regularly. I feel like that is way more embarrassing for the child. Like, "you smell so bad that your teacher has been talking to all these other people about it and asked me to be the one to let you know" Ug.

I gave up on those tiny little screws a couple of years ago. I can barely see them, and my not so skinny fingers make it extremely difficult to even get the thing in the proper place. I now use dental floss to repair them until they get home. It's strong, it threads right through, and it can be easily clipped with nail clippers when they can be properly repaired.

Yes! I learned that trick on this board a few years ago and it works so well!!

4th grader: "I'm sweating"

Me: "Where are you coming from?"

4th grader: "Gym"

Who gave this kid a pass?

A lot of people ask for change.... we have a deal with the Bank, they don't give out flu shots and we don't make change for 20s!

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