Things you wish you could say to parents.....

[mc3]

In the same light as other threads here, I'd like to start a new one. Here goes:

1. Please don't tell your 5th grade child to come to the nurse if you don't feel good, and you'll come get them. It's a guaranteed ticket to get out of school early, and it wastes everyone's time (including mine)

2. If your child complains of not feeling good, please keep them home. Nobody else wants their germs.

3. If you don't think I made the right decision regarding your 5th grade frequent-flier child who came down with a "stomachache"; had no fever, looked fine and hadn't been in school but an hour, write me a note telling me to call you. I am not a mind reader or know what's going on with your family. Just write me a quick note saying it's OK to call and we'll be good. You'd be amazed at the # of children who tell me "mom said to call" and Mom knew nothing about it.

4. Please please please. If your child had lice and we give you the information booklet, please use the suggestions in there. Using dog shampoo or kerosene, or ignoring the problem is not helpful, and could in fact be harmful. Don't pay attention to the internet! There are a lot of "remedies" that cost $$$ and will not help!

5. Yes, our district still has a no lice policy. I don't make the rules, I just follow them.

6. No, I don't keep a jar of the little critters in my desk and sprinkle them on your child's hair. Really.

7. No, it's not my job to keep checking for nits in your child's hair. It's your job. You are the P-A-R-E-N-T.

8. Please try and abide by the dress code policy. It really isn't attractive to have your daughter dressed like a --------

or wearing shorts to up yonder.

9. Please, oh please, keep us updated when you get a new cell# or when your contacts get a new#. I have spent countless hours trying to chase you down because your child is sick.

10. Please don't send your child in carrying medication. They are not allowed to carry it. The procedure for meds is in the information we give out at the beginning of the year, is in the student booklet that you signed, and is on the school's web site. Guess what? Some other child might get a hold of it, and then there will be big trouble (happened in our school district)

Ok, that's all I can think of now. You can see what I've been doing this week. And please don't tell me I'm being mean or insensitive. This is only a "things you wish" thread, I've had a lousy week (:) and I'm tired. If there was a cranky icon, I would use it!

mc3

:paw:

[mc3, ASN, RN]

As a teacher I have felt some of your frustrations. I had a child throw-up in class one morning. School started less than an hour before. I asked the child if she had been sick before and she said yes. She had thrown-up before coming to school. I asked if her mother knew this and she said yes. She told her to go to school and call if she started feeling worse. This mom was an RN. I have also had stuff like this happen with teacher's kids too. I felt that they should know better.

This happens to me all the time! I feel so bad for these kids...

mc3:nurse:

[Supernrse01, BSN]

I'm in...

1. It is not necessary for your student to come to the clinic on a strict schedule to receive a breathing treatment/inhaler when she doesn't need it, especially when she "NEVER" uses it at home. Let's save the medication for it's intended purpose.

2. I'm from around here. I know how long it takes to drive a car from point A to point B, even when there is traffic and road construction. It should not have taken you an hour and a half to get to school to pick up your student, who I'm quite certain has a concussion.

3. Something like a diagnosis of cerebal palsy or serious eye issues is something that the school should be made aware of. My crystal ball's reception is not that great.

4. Yes it is absolutely necessary for you to completely fill out the medication release form. I'm not going to guess how much medication your child needs, or how often I am supposed to give it. I'm sure if I mess up, you won't hesitate to completely fill out the Lawyer's forms.

[JaeDee]

I'm in...

My crystal ball's reception is not that great.

quote]

I like to say "I'm psychotic, not psychic".

[Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN]

Of course, it is sad how many parents will not listen to any of this because they want us to wear the parent hat. Kids hand-delivering meds boils my blood every time, but cannot think of anything else to stop it.

[Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN]

Please do not send your child to the clinic because "my mom said I NEED my inhaler". Inhaler/Neb tx are not given out like candy. If there is no wheezing or poor oxygen saturation, he/she is going back to class. If YOU still feel like you child "needs" it, have the doctor send me a fax or you come give it yourself.

[Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN]

Yes, you do have to fill out a new emergency card and medication form AGAIN. I know you did one last year, but it has to be renewed every school-year. I know it can be a pain, but you decided to have children, so take the responsibility that comes with it.

[damrcngrl95]

Please do not send your child to the clinic because "my mom said I NEED my inhaler". Inhaler/Neb tx are not given out like candy. If there is no wheezing or poor oxygen saturation he/she is going back to class. If YOU still feel like you child "needs" it, have the doctor send me a fax or you come give it yourself.[/quote']

I do agree that if a child just comes in and says his/her mom says she needs her inhaler that that is not a good reason. I would be questioning if they are having a problem breathing right now. I am an asthmatic and I don't wheeze or usually have very low saturation. I went into my allergy doctor's office with dizziness and feeling short of breath. I was not wheezing and my saturation was about a 96. He did a PFT and it came out as 29% which is very low. After a breathing treatment it went up to the 70's. I felt so much better as I always do after a breathing treatment.

I guess with my history I would not want someone withholding my inhaler from me if I asked for it. I know children can make up excuses. If you feel they are abusing their inhaler then call their mom and see if she won't take their child to the doctor.

If I misunderstood your intent then I will apologize now.:redbeathe

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

typically, if a student tells me they need their inhaler, i will allow it. I figure they would know before I would. I do however, take the opportunity to discuss with them the "perils of unnecessary albuterol use" (i type it like that because i want to make an educational vidoe of the same name!!)

[Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN]

I do agree that if a child just comes in and says his/her mom says she needs her inhaler that that is not a good reason. I would be questioning if they are having a problem breathing right now. I am an asthmatic and I don't wheeze or usually have very low saturation. I went into my allergy doctor's office with dizziness and feeling short of breath. I was not wheezing and my saturation was about a 96. He did a PFT and it came out as 29% which is very low. After a breathing treatment it went up to the 70's. I felt so much better as I always do after a breathing treatment.

I guess with my history I would not want someone withholding my inhaler from me if I asked for it. I know children can make up excuses. If you feel they are abusing their inhaler then call their mom and see if she won't take their child to the doctor.

If I misunderstood your intent then I will apologize now.:redbeathe

I have asthma too. I'm talking about the kids that come running down the hall into the clinic just to tell me that "mom says I need to take my inhaler twice a day in the clinic". How do feel now? Fine, but she says I need it.

I also had a child coming into the clinic several times a day for albuterol neb tx. I called his mother and advised that his asthma medications may need changed because he is needing tx too frequently. Maybe his asthma is not being controlled correctly? She made an appt with the doc and called me a few days later to tell me that her son had been on the wrong medication and now that it was changed, he was doing much better. He has only had to come in once since then.

Maybe I came across harshly (as I do when venting), but I would never throw a child to the wolves in that manner.

[damrcngrl95]

I have asthma too. I'm talking about the kids that come running down the hall into the clinic just to tell me that "mom says I need to take my inhaler twice a day in the clinic". How do feel now? Fine, but she says I need it.

I also had a child coming into the clinic several times a day for albuterol neb tx. I called his mother and advised that his asthma medications may need changed because he is needing tx too frequently. Maybe his asthma is not being controlled correctly? She made an appt with the doc and called me a few days later to tell me that her son had been on the wrong medication and now that it was changed, he was doing much better. He has only had to come in once since then.

Maybe I came across harshly (as I do when venting), but I would never throw a child to the wolves in that manner.

Sometimes it is hard to read someone's intent. I'm sure that you won't throw a child to the wolves. I have just had some well meaning people not take my asthma attack seriously because I wasn't wheezing. I'm sure you can relate.

[mc3, ASN, RN]

Of course it is sad how many parents will not listen to any of this because they want us to wear the parent hat. Kids hand-delivering meds boils my blood every time, but cannot think of anything else to stop it.[/quote']

I take it from the child and keep it in the locked cabinet. I then 1) call the parent and review policy and tell them they must pick up today 2) after they ignore me the first time, I call again and tell them school policy is medications will be destroyed if not picked up in 7 days. When 7 days are up, oh well! I had a parent leave an Epipen in the clinic for 1 1/2 months after school was out for the summer. I sent 2 notices home , then called the ones who still didn't pick up. Each one received a call from me at least twice, saying I would dispose of med by end of school year, per school policy. Guess what? Epipen was destroyed, and parent came looking for it in July. I'm sorry you were not able to pick the medication up, and yes I know it's expensive, but I' notified you at least twice in writing followed by phone calls. Geesh!

mc3:nurse:

[mc3, ASN, RN]

Oh, and I had a mother this year call me and ask me to listen to her son's lungs before I gave his PRN inhaler because he tended to "use it too much when he didn't need to and got a buzz". Her words, not mine. If someone is asking for their inhaler but shows absolutely no signs of difficulty i.e. running down the hall, chatting a mile a minute in the clinic, 0 signs respiratory distress I have to at least question what's going on. I won't just give it blindly without a quick assessment unless it's an emergency.

OK enough of that for now!

mc3