Tired of kids coming to the nurse...

[Nurse ABC]

I don't mean the students on meds or the diabetics or anyone that has chronic health issues or the injured, etc. I mean the line of students every day complaining of vague issues of not feeling well or want ice or a band aid for an injury that's not there. The ones that are just trying of get out of class or go home. You know the ones! I'm so tired of dealing with these ones. I'm losing all my empathy. What do you say to these ones to help them understand they do not need to see the nurse unless truly sick or hurt esp when the teachers are no help? To help them understand that just because they are a little tired or not feeling awesome they don't need to go home? It doesn't help when the teachers keep sending them back because they keep complaining. I'm getting really burnt out on this!! The teachers act like I'm trying to get out of doing my job when I complain about this. Of course they also get miffed if I want a half hour to myself to eat lunch. Does anyone else get sick of this? How do you cope? I'm starting to not like this job anymore.

[toomuchbaloney]

I just read this thread.  

Homes are stressed.  Classrooms are stressed.  Nurses are stressed.  

Is this a bad trajectory? 

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

toomuchbaloney said:

I just read this thread.  

Homes are stressed.  Classrooms are stressed.  Nurses are stressed.  

Is this a bad trajectory? 

I worry about that myself - I see it day in and day out - no resiliency. I know COVID played a big part in this, but I (and many of the teachers in my building) feel like the social-emotional learning trend went a bit too far as well. Kids essentially took the "your feelings are valid" thing to an extreme and now, are just not willing to sit with their discomfort and want an adult to fix it without putting any effort in themselves. The number of times I tell kids that it is OK to be a little uncomfortable but also give them tools to help them feel better (breathing exercises, a warm pack, 5 minute break) and they look at me like I just told them to F-off is well, many... 

 

[niferbu]

k1p1ssk said:

I worry about that myself - I see it day in and day out - no resiliency. I know COVID played a big part in this, but I (and many of the teachers in my building) feel like the social-emotional learning trend went a bit too far as well. Kids essentially took the "your feelings are valid" thing to an extreme and now, are just not willing to sit with their discomfort and want an adult to fix it without putting any effort in themselves. The number of times I tell kids that it is OK to be a little uncomfortable but also give them tools to help them feel better (breathing exercises, a warm pack, 5 minute break) and they look at me like I just told them to F-off is well, many... 

 

I agree! I have said - more times that I can count - that we need to have classes on personal finance and classes on self coping! I worry that we have an entore generation that is not set up to be let out in the world! I am constantly telling my high school students that if they are "mature" enough to drive a car, have a job, have relationships (that are far too grown up) then they should also be mature enough to place a bandaid on a cut that they were aware that they had before leaving the house! Or, that because they live in a "smallish" town, they WILL run into their ex or a former friend, so they can not just skip the classes that they have together or come crying/anxiety attack 3-4 times a week to avoid the situation. They either do not believe me or can not understand that in life they will have co-workers that they may not like or neighbors that they find annoying but they can not run away from everything! 

Side note...I do understand that a lot of nursing involves mental health, but I do encourage nurses that have guidance counselors available to refer students! They are trained for these situations. I have 2 guidance counselors and 1 me for 700 students, so we need to back each other up and work in our wheelhouses!

[Cattz, ADN]

niferbu said:

This is brilliant! I might have to steal this idea!!

Let me help you out with that 🙂

 

Illness.Injury Referral Form. Blank.docx

[niferbu]

Cattz said:

Let me help you out with that 🙂

 

Illness.Injury Referral Form. Blank.docx

You rock!! Thank you!!