Just irritated that teachers parade into my office announcing there is a "stomach bug" going around - makes me cringe. I want to send an informative email telling them that vomiting could be from any number of things and not just a "stomach bug". I just Dr. Googled causes for vomiting - here is the list that may prove my point:
Nausea and vomiting may occur separately or together. Common causes include:
I like to remind my teachers and students that those "stomach bugs" are generally spread by fecal oral contact and that it is exactly what it sounds like. Then I direct them to my sink so they can wash their hands.
Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
I had a student come in after "vomiting" in lunch AKA "ate too fast and started coughing up the food in his mouth." No fever, tolerated water and crackers just fine in my office. His teacher came into my office right as I was sending him back to lunch.
Teacher- Please don't tell me you're sending him back.
Tomato- Yes, he is fine to stay in school. Send him back if he complains of any pain or nausea.
Teacher- He is sick.
Tomato- No he's not. I checked.
Teacher- He vomited.
Tomato- I am aware.
Teacher- I don't want to get sick.
I wanted to go "Oh gosh, you don't? I thought you wanted to get sick! That's why I was sending him! Thanks for letting me know, most people love getting sick. That's why I was confused."
I tell every one of my kids that I would not be sending them back to class if I thought they would be spreading anything to others, that makes more work for me. The teachers finally understand that, after 18 months.
I like to remind my teachers and students that those "stomach bugs" are generally spread by fecal oral contact and that it is exactly what it sounds like. Then I direct them to my sink so they can washtheir hands.
Yes, I used to notice this "go for the gusto" behavior a lot being done by the clientele just before they reached for a door handle or knob at St. Elsewhere.
And they call some people germophobes.
But in their defense, they may be anal retentive about some things but only in a "word to the wise way."
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Had a kid just come in because he threw up. The teacher tells me he ate his lunch, then after lunch is running around, then after that he threw up all his lunch. "Is it contagious?"
No... he probably just either ate too fast, moved too fast, or ate something funky. He was doing okay in my office, so I sent him back.
I had a student come in after "vomiting" in lunch AKA "ate too fast and started coughing up the food in his mouth." No fever, tolerated water and crackers just fine in my office. His teacher came into my office right as I was sending him back to lunch.
Teacher- Please don't tell me you're sending him back.
Tomato- Yes, he is fine to stay in school. Send him back if he complains of any pain or nausea.
Teacher- He is sick.
Tomato- No he's not. I checked.
Teacher- He vomited.
Tomato- I am aware.
Teacher- I don't want to get sick.
I wanted to go "Oh gosh, you don't? I thought you wanted to get sick! That's why I was sending him! Thanks for letting me know, most people love getting sick. That's why I was confused."
I had a teacher complain that her kg kids were always sick, which was making her sick. Umm, you work in an elementary school cesspool of germs! Did you not know that before you became a teacher? Geesh, wash your hands and stop complaining to me about it!
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Exactly! It's like, it's like I said in the Pathogen presentation, don't want to get sick? Hand sanitizer or wash your hands, it's simple. These are kids... they are germy, get used to it.
kidzcare
3,393 Posts
I like to remind my teachers and students that those "stomach bugs" are generally spread by fecal oral contact and that it is exactly what it sounds like. Then I direct them to my sink so they can wash their hands.