unhappy parents

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I am dealing with lots of unhappy parents recently.

The previous nurse (who was so surprisingly let go) was allowing students to bring in their own daily ADHD meds. Now they are upset with me for enforcing the policy/law. Ug. I hate being the messenger.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started. And the last nurse was, let's just say, unorganized. In being completely honest, I'm probably not up to code on things myself. But, now that I know what I'm doing, I'm trying to get caught up. And I know that next year parents will probably be unhappy with my new, known demands of them.

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Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.

OMG Far, you're gold now! I just noticed!

Anyway.

My predecessor let a LOT of things slide. Kids self-carried inhalers without permission, she gave meds without orders (the orders eventually came in via fax or parents but she gave them beforehand) she let kids with fevers stay in school because nobody could come get them. Nobody said it out loud, but I get the impression that our principal was not sad to see her go.

It wasn't just parents, either. She had her favorite students who had no problem telling me all the things the let them do in the office. Sit at the computer, put band-aids on kids, "watch" a special ed student while the nurse went to the bathroom. It was madness. I run a much tighter ship and people quickly realized that. I still have teachers coming in and marveling at how much calmer my office is these days. I take it as a compliment.

It can be hard to fight against what the parents have come to expect. It sounds like your responses are excellent. Keep it up and good luck.

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Gold?

ETA: Oh, that dot? I wonder what that means.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
OMG Far, you're gold now! I just noticed!

Anyway.

My predecessor let a LOT of things slide. Kids self-carried inhalers without permission, she gave meds without orders (the orders eventually came in via fax or parents but she gave them beforehand) she let kids with fevers stay in school because nobody could come get them. Nobody said it out loud, but I get the impression that our principal was not sad to see her go.

It wasn't just parents, either. She had her favorite students who had no problem telling me all the things the let them do in the office. Sit at the computer, put band-aids on kids, "watch" a special ed student while the nurse went to the bathroom. It was madness. I run a much tighter ship and people quickly realized that. I still have teachers coming in and marveling at how much calmer my office is these days. I take it as a compliment.

It can be hard to fight against what the parents have come to expect. It sounds like your responses are excellent. Keep it up and good luck.

Even I my very first job, many moons ago. I was the first, ever, nurse in my hometown school. Had lots and lots of rules to enforce. But, I have a confession.....

My own kids were in jr. high then. and, we still laugh about the day that most of my daughter class escaped math class to hang out awhile. We even called the Christian radio station that I was listening to and won a contest to win a prize!! Oh those were the days.

Confession over. But, I am not really apologizing. That day, we made a memory :)

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Gold?

ETA: Oh, that dot? I wonder what that means.

When I hover over it, it give a post count and says you are gold, so you must have surpassed some goal. Way to be.

It's your participation trophy.

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When I hover over it, it give a post count and says you are gold, so you must have surpassed some goal. Way to be.

It's your participation trophy.

Good lord. I need a life.

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Good lord. I need a life.

If you leave us to get a life we will be super sad (and totally smack talk you)

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
If you leave us to get a life we will be super sad (and totally smack talk you)

True Story.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I haven't quite dealt with the same thing with a child bringing in a daily med - but when children do bring in that one time dose of tylenol or the forgotten dose or ritalin or whatever it is and I come across it I make a pretty big deal out if it and make sure that the student and parent know that in my district it can be viewed punishment wise along the same lines as transporting drugs into school. (Does it ever go that far - No, but by virtue of saying that it gets the point across loud and clear and i usually don't have any further problems)

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"stay gold, Far, stay gold" :up:

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