"The Nurse doesn't really DO anything" -Middle school students

[RNTadaaaa]

My son is in middle school at the K-8 where I work and he told me a couple of his classmates discussed that I don't do very much when they come to the medical room. I told him to ask if they could give specifics on things they would like to have done when they come to the medical room. Maybe I can educate them more on what a School Nurse does?

Of course I know that I do everything that I can for the students but it still stung a bit to hear that.

I have come across this type of feeling mostly with middle and high school. K-4 think we're angels on earth and 5th grade hasn't made up their minds just yet.

Have you experienced this in your school nurse career? If so, how do you fix that perception if at all?

[tining, BSN, RN]

22 hours ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

Some school nurses DONT do much. As part of RN school I had to get school nursing experience and some of them take the job because they can get away with doing very little. The nurses I followed excitedly told me “school nursing is where it’s at!” Because “we can slip out early and get a long lunch break” etc. they didn’t seem very knowledgeable.

You did not follow me!

“we can slip out early and get a long lunch break” This has NEVER happened in my 13 years of school nursing.

If they were not very knowledgeable the probably were not good at bedside nursing either.

[CanIcallmymom, BSN, RN]

48 minutes ago, tining said:

You did not follow me! 

“we can slip out early and get a long lunch break” This has NEVER happened in my 13 years of school nursing.

If they were not very knowledgeable the probably were not good at bedside nursing either. 

Right? Most days I don't even get a full 30 minute break. When I walk away from my office, I'm getting called on the radio or my cell because a student needs me.

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

@RNTadaaaa My sister (a middle school teacher) told me that yesterday some of her students told her that every lesson she's ever taught is boring an awful. Turns out middle schoolers aren't just mean to each other. Mean to staff too!

[ArmyRntoMD, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, tining said:

You did not follow me!

“we can slip out early and get a long lunch break” This has NEVER happened in my 13 years of school nursing.

If they were not very knowledgeable the probably were not good at bedside nursing either.

These particular nurses never did bedside. They said they did school nursing right out of school.

I say every single nurse needs a year preferably 2-3 of bedside nursing to learn the basics.

[RNTadaaaa]

6 hours ago, BiscuitRN said:

@RNTadaaaa My sister (a middle school teacher) told me that yesterday some of her students told her that every lesson she's ever taught is boring an awful. Turns out middle schoolers aren't just mean to each other. Mean to staff too!

Jeeezz! Thats terrible. Where's the filter on these middle schoolers? God forbid we dont have our sweet voice on one day and suddenly we have an administrative meeting with parents. ?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i miss the days that we could just do our jobs and not have to have this "customer service" mentality

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

21 hours ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

These particular nurses never did bedside. They said they did school nursing right out of school.

I say every single nurse needs a year preferably 2-3 of bedside nursing to learn the basics.

I went straight into school nursing (had a great mentor to help me) and in the 8 years I've doing it, never have I been able to slip out early or get a long lunch break (I'm lucky if I get a lunch break at all).

I had a nursing school friend sub for me - she works Med Surg. She was shocked at hard and taxing my job is - but she was also in NP school and told me that school nursing helped her more with her NP assessments than her current med surg job at the time.

I'd have put you to work in my office and been grateful for the help :).

[EnoughWithTheIce]

On 11/15/2019 at 10:42 AM, NurseHeatherBSNRN said:

@ruby_jane I just reviewed our disease/exclusion policy with a teacher yesterday, who then felt the need to talk to administration, because she wants every kid who vomits to immediately be sent home. Keep in mind that Little Bit yesterday vomited "clear stuff" in the middle of a coughing fit ?. Thankfully, admin agreed with the policy and my stance that one vomit does not mean go straight to home, do not pass go, do not collect $200!

Luckily, our policy states exclusion after 2 bouts of vomiting in 24 hours. I am in MS and if I sent every gagger, spitter, phlegmer, unwitnessed vomit in the bathroom or locker room - the school would soon be empty.

[Amethya]

Mine told the others I was basically good for advice, so I became the advice person for my students. I didn't think I was doing anything until I left and I had kids cry to me because I left.

But others said the same thing, "The nurse didn't do anything!" I still hear this in my new job. Even then yeah, we do something, we gave you water! ?

[bluebonnetrn, BSN, RN]

One of my T1D girls said this yesterday in front of a teacher "She doesn't do anything for me. I do it all myself!"

OH Really!?!?

?
But honestly she sounded like a two year old "I do it myself!"

Yes, yes you do sweet girl ?