This is gonna be a loooong year

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

See my previous post about the T1D student no-showing to meetings for background information.

So he was supposed to start yesterday. Staff was trained Friday afternoon (I stayed 2 hours late at work to do this). I spent the weekend prepping (both mentally and physically on the computer) and arrived yesterday to school earlier than my scheduled time to make sure I was here before them. They never showed up :no:

Mom eventually called me saying "I was confused about the long weekend (?) , I also didn't have my food stamp money yet so I couldn't buy the snacks he needed (she wants US to provide school snacks so this is a non-issue) and I had too much to do to get ready. Sorry. I told her that school starts at 7:45 and if he didn't arrive tomorrow (today) at 7:45 he would be marked late. She said she understood and would meet me at 7:45.

So I get in this morning at 8 am and I know you are all shocked to learn he wasn't here :yawn: He DID eventually show up at 8:23. Mom, her son (cute as a button by the way) and I sat down to once again go over all the supplies, the plan from the doctor, etc.

Can I just say that this mom is utterly confused about what his actual management plan is and I was the one educating her! She told me to give him a "protein bar" (a generic chocolate chip granola bar) "before gym if his blood sugar is less than 70"!!! I had to tell her that if his BS were less than 70, we would be following his emergency plan and giving him juice and not sending him to gym. She seemed surprised that the doctor ordered that!!!

So anyway, after a lot of back and forth and a lof of education and discussion, I said "I know you don;t want him checked until lunch, but lets have him check himself now so I can see that he can self monitor and then we can walk him to class. He did it perfectly (he is 6) completely on his own. His BS was 367!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And when I told her we now needed to check ketones, guess what? Yup, no test strips for his ketone monitor.

So mom is now at CVS (with the kid b/c he can't stay here) trying to get a refill.

I am really trying to be patient, not create a single story about her, I keep telling myself that she is doing HER best, but honestly, it is taking everything I have in me not to lose my mind.

She seemed shocked his sugar was that high. Did I mention his lunch was a sandwich, fruit snacks, grapes and potato chips and juice?

It's gonna be a long year working with this family. He was diagnosed a year ago so it is not like this is new for her. I am going to call his nurse at the diabetes clinic but of course, she is on vacation!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I agree with you...but hey, that's why you get the big bucks!!

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Specializes in NCSN.

I think we have hit this in other threads, but this situation is proof on why school nurses ARE NEEDED at every school. She obviously isn't understanding the information the doctor is giving her, and can you imagine if it was just up to a random admin to handle this situation?

It is going to be tough but thank goodness you are there to be this little ones advocate and teacher.

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I agree with you...but hey, that's why you get the big bucks!!

Is this meant to make us laugh or cry?

I think we have hit this in other threads, but this situation is proof on why school nurses ARE NEEDED at every school. She obviously isn't understanding the information the doctor is giving her, and can you imagine if it was just up to a random admin to handle this situation?

You hit the nail on the head Wine!! Yikes!!

This is frustrating to read! I'm sure you are beside yourself! I am so glad that this family has you to guide them and to educate.

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Ketone strips are one of the hardest things for me to get. I'll bet 85% of our kids never check ketones at home when they're high.

I'm just curious, how high does the blood sugar have to be before you won't keep the student in school? Our children's hospital endo department has given us some MMPs that allow the student to stay in the 500's as long as there are no ketones! I really don't like that. Granted, kids in puberty are all over the place with their numbers, but wow...I hate having them on campus that high.

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Ketone strips are one of the hardest things for me to get. I'll bet 85% of our kids never check ketones at home when they're high.

I'm just curious, how high does the blood sugar have to be before you won't keep the student in school? Our children's hospital endo department has given us some MMPs that allow the student to stay in the 500's as long as there are no ketones! I really don't like that. Granted, kids in puberty are all over the place with their numbers, but wow...I hate having them on campus that high.

This student's DMMP says if >0.6 then I need to call his endocrinologist to see if they want to see him or to get an order for insulin.

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I am going through a similar situation now. Guardian of child rescheduled the meeting 4 or 5 times. She finally came in yesterday and the documentation the doctor provided...a LETTER saying the child is being treated for DM1 and is okay to attend school! No information on how much insulin for meal coverage, correction dose, when to check for ketones......ARGH!!!!!

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I am going through a similar situation now. Guardian of child rescheduled the meeting 4 or 5 times. She finally came in yesterday and the documentation the doctor provided...a LETTER saying the child is being treated for DM1 and is okay to attend school! No information on how much insulin for meal coverage, correction dose, when to check for ketones......ARGH!!!!!

Crazy!!

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Specializes in NCSN.
I am going through a similar situation now. Guardian of child rescheduled the meeting 4 or 5 times. She finally came in yesterday and the documentation the doctor provided...a LETTER saying the child is being treated for DM1 and is okay to attend school! No information on how much insulin for meal coverage, correction dose, when to check for ketones......ARGH!!!!!

Is the guardian ESL? It sounds like they may have thought you were trying to prevent the student from attending school, instead of trying to get them in and care for them properly.

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