The Pacer Test

[BunnyBunnyBSNRN]

WHY? WHY? WHY?

Geez! Who comes up with this?

(sitting around the idea table)

Administrator/Government Official 1: Kids these days don't get enough exercise.

Administrator/Government Official 2: True, but what can we do?

A/GO 1: That's the million dollar question, isn't it.

A/GO 2: (drumming fingers on table) What to do? What to do? OH!!!! I'VE GOT IT!!!! We'll have them run until they drop once a year!

A/GO 1: BRILLIANT!!!! That will get them to exercise!

Meanwhile, back at the school.....

School Nurse: (sobbing silently and banging head on desk)

[nursmimi, BSN, RN]

Here in AR, we are mandated to check BMI for all even classes K-12. HUGE hassle; teachers and nurses hate it (well this one does)! We have to measure height-measure weight-measure height again. We are not allowed to let the student see their own weight. Then we have to enter each reading into a special website and it then generates letters telling parents that their child is "normal, under or over weight".

In theory this seems like it would be helpful, however we have had nothing but bad feedback in all the years that we've been doing it! The parents that care, already know that their child has issues; those that don't, get really ugly with us. It only took a couple of years to learn that if we wait to send the letters home with the last report card, then we don't get the ugly phone calls from the parents. We just have to deal with Facebook rants

[ohiobobcat]

Here's a breakdown of the pacer: The PACER Fitness Test / Fitness / Cardio

Well that looks horrific. When I was a kid, all we had to do was the shuttle run (same, Farawyn!!). No beeping!!

[Running Cat Lady]

Here in AR, we are mandated to check BMI for all even classes K-12. HUGE hassle; teachers and nurses hate it (well this one does)! We have to measure height-measure weight-measure height again. We are not allowed to let the student see their own weight. Then we have to enter each reading into a special website and it then generates letters telling parents that their child is "normal, under or over weight".

In theory this seems like it would be helpful, however we have had nothing but bad feedback in all the years that we've been doing it! The parents that care, already know that their child has issues; those that don't, get really ugly with us. It only took a couple of years to learn that if we wait to send the letters home with the last report card, then we don't get the ugly phone calls from the parents. We just have to deal with Facebook rants

Our district is part of university study testing this theory out! This is the final year of this multi year project. It's not all grades or all schools, just a select few but I have the pleasure of being one of them and it's frustrating to say the least. When I have multiple students in here with their shoes off during PE (because ht/wt is always done in PE) the office smells AMAZING and not in a good way.

[NanaPoo]

Is that like when it gets truly hot in Georgia and the entire third grade comes to the clinic after recess saying they feel dizzy, clammy, and nauseated?

I say, "yes, it's called summer in the south. Have some water and sit still in the air conditioning. You do not need medical attention."

[SchoolNurseTXstyle]

If I ever just decide to quit and walk out on the spur of a moment, I am sure it will be on a pacer testing day!

[Amethya]

I had 3 kids feel horrible after the Pacer, panicking that they were having an "heart attack" because their heart was racing. After some rest and some water, they were okay. I had one girl who came to found out she had asthma because of this... I hated Pacer time back then, I hate it now.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Here in AR, we are mandated to check BMI for all even classes K-12. HUGE hassle; teachers and nurses hate it (well this one does)! We have to measure height-measure weight-measure height again. We are not allowed to let the student see their own weight. Then we have to enter each reading into a special website and it then generates letters telling parents that their child is "normal, under or over weight".

In theory this seems like it would be helpful, however we have had nothing but bad feedback in all the years that we've been doing it! The parents that care, already know that their child has issues; those that don't, get really ugly with us. It only took a couple of years to learn that if we wait to send the letters home with the last report card, then we don't get the ugly phone calls from the parents. We just have to deal with Facebook rants

In my state, we used to send the letters home and they had to come from the nurse. Some school nurses would call them the "fat letters" and hated them. I was also not a fan of them.

Luckily, after my first year, the state did away with requirement. I still have to measure BMI for grades 7 and 10, but the data is sent to the state for tracking purposes only.

However, I will say that several kids have "obesity" written as a medical diagnosis on their physical and I have mixed feeling about how that word make look to a middle schooler who can be classified in that category through the very basic math of BMI, but also be still adjusting weight and shape during puberty .

Now as for kids running the mile - it is a 5th grade requirement for us and I deal with older kiddos at my school. But our gym teacher for that grade does try to work them up to it with some shorter runs and even a "trial" mile. It helps, but even so some kids are not used to the activity. I'm a champion walker - could power walk 10 miles easily, but running is a different story...

[WineRN]

Meanwhile, back at the school.....

School Nurse: (sobbing silently and banging head on desk)

YES!! They stagger which grades do it here, so I had a Pacer week.

[kidzcare]

YES!! They stagger which grades do it here, so I had a Pacer week.

How thoughtful of them!