Alright y'all. I tried searching, promise. And I could not find a previous post on this even though I know they're there.
I am at a high school now (working with Mr. Poodles!!) and I am unfamiliar with how to assess the students if they're suspected to be under the influence. I was brought one yesterday: Upon entering I first checked smell, through my mask of course. No smell of alcohol or marijuana noted. I check her pupils, gait, speech, how she reacted when I said was going to call mom (about an actual medical concern). I found nothing of concern. The SRO came in after and said his findings were the same.
My question is: Is there anything else I should've done? Do you all make them do almost like a sobriety test (I.e. walk a straight line, nose to finger, etc.)? I want to make sure I am doing everything I can do detect an abnormality if it's there, I've been in elementary the last 6 years, and thankfully, I never had this issue. My 9 years in the hospital dealing with DT patients yields some assistance, but I want advice from my "co-workers".
Miss y'all. Covid is taking up so much of our time I know we aren't on here as much.
I like the forms, thanks. I've just been giving my free form description of general observations. Of course, in our district, if the student is subject to random testing (athletes, extracurricular activities, drive to school, parental opt-in) I can administer a quick urine test.
Can we use the documents above from Cattz in our own schools or do we need permission regarding substance abuse? They are very informative and look useful. Thank you!
They can do a tox screen in the ER. Being a cop is not my job.
What *is* my job...doing a nursing evaluation and determining if someone is unstable. Protecting students' medical privacy. Making myself available to talk to kids who have concerns about substance abuse for themselves or their friends/family. Keeping myself educated about drugs of abuse. Understanding that substance use decisions are interwoven with other struggles in students' lives. Using motivational interviewing strategies to help students move toward healthy changes. Developing relationships in which kids feel safe to talk to me honestly. Coordinating with our social worker to get treatment referrals when needed.
I COMPLETELY AGREE! I am there to evaluate if they are stable or if they need medical attention. If they want proof of substance abuse they need to do lab testing.
That said, our district makes us do the assessment as part of their evidence gathering for the student's discipline hearing. I hate it that they use us to provide "evidence". It's wrong for so many reasons. We had to take a "DiBrep" assessment training given to us by a state trooper (in other words, not a clinical person - I don't need two hours on how to evaluate nystagmus hmmm-mmmm thank you). It has very little medical value, gives absolutely no proof whatsoever of substance abuse or not and is used as someone already said for establishing probable cause on the side of the road. Yet we have to do it. And every single last friggin' time one of the admins will ask me "So did they take something? What did they take?' And EVERRRRY time I explain to them that this assessment tells me squat. We use a different form but it has all of the same information that was linked in the PDF files above. To make it even better I have even had to do these assessments on someone TWENTY FOUR hours after they had taken a ew sips of tequila. ummm....OK..... not sure what you think this is going to do 24 hours after the fact.
It's a dumb waste of time and puts us in a bad spot.
Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
On 2/7/2021 at 10:51 AM, Lisa Janovsky said:
Can we use the documents above from Cattz in our own schools or do we need permission regarding substance abuse? They are very informative and look useful. Thank you!
I don't know of any reason that anyone else can use them.
To make it even better I have even had to do these assessments on someone TWENTY FOUR hours after they had taken a ew sips of tequila. ummm....OK..... not sure what you think this is going to do 24 hours after the fact.
It's a dumb waste of time and puts us in a bad spot.
Oh, yikes. Obviously not a clinical person's decision, that policy. It really puts you in a difficult position.
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
I hate the "can you check him out? He smells like pot" assessments. Our old form had me assess nystagmus like five different ways.....
Seriously, unless you have a doctor's order and a pee test, you are only documenting vitals, what you observe, and anything that the kid tells you. I always say I am not able to diagnose (and that answer works here, too).
This is to CATTZ, I tried to open those documents concerning Under the Influence Documentation but my organization doesn't use "WORD," is there any chance you could resend it as a PDF? I know it sounds rediculous but we don't use MS WORD. ;-(
Nurse Trini
82 Posts
I like the forms, thanks. I've just been giving my free form description of general observations. Of course, in our district, if the student is subject to random testing (athletes, extracurricular activities, drive to school, parental opt-in) I can administer a quick urine test.