Up the Nose and In their ears

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Hello Everyone,

I've been reading the threads and seeing such awesome support and information being given, so I figured I sign up and share my woes :sarcastic:

I have had a couple of students lately sticking things up their nose and in their ears (un-cooked rice grains, paper, unknown items etc.) in my preschool classes. When brought to me the students are sometimes crying or hysterical. Once I am able to calm them down and look up their noses, sometimes I do not visibly see any foreign objects with my pen light. I assess their breathing, oxygenation, and monitor them and I also have them blow their noses to try to remove the object naturally, but sometimes this does not work. My question is, is there anything else that I can do other than calling their parents if the child will not cooperate? Call me crazy but I am not keen on the idea of sticking tweezers in a squirmy hysterical child's nose or ears, but I feel a hint of side eye when I say that we have to call their parents. I just want to make sure that I am doing all that I can.

Thoughts?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

If whatever the foreign object is...if it isn't visible and easily removable, stop and call the parents to take the kid for further evaluation. You're doing the right thing.

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Anything deep in the nose or the ear is considered "invasive" so I would not try to take them out due to the risk of pushing it deeper in or causing harm to the tissue. I call parents and explain the policy to them.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

If it isn't right there, I don't go digging, esp on the little ones. Too much chance they will pull away in the wrong direction and I would injury them. I call parents and suggest a clinic visit.

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Thanks everyone! That's usually what I do, I just wanted to 1. make sure that there wasn't something else I hadn't thought of and 2. get a little support :)

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And as far as that "side eye" from the pre-school staffer goes… Just look at em straight on and quote policy. Pre-school staff are a whole nuther breed!

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Specializes in School nurse.

Since I'm not an archeologist, I don't go digging. You did the right thing.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Nope- no digging in noses or ears here either... too invasive. I agree it bites to have to call parents but this is definitely an MD visit.

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Once had a student who shoved a bead wayyy up his nose. He was sitting here waiting for mom...Then suddenly a giant sneeze and the bead flew across the room. I called mom and said "crisis averted!" :yes:

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

I had a kiddo break off the tip of a crayon in his ear. His teacher brought him in and said "He said he has something in his ear." And rolled her eyes.

So I got my pen light first, saw nothing.

Then I get my otoscope and ta-dah! The tip of a red crayon is deep in there. So deep I wouldn't have been able to get tweezers in there even if I wanted. I called dad to pick him up, letting him know it was deep.

The next day he comes in and said dad dug for about 45 minutes with tweezers and finally got it out.

C'mon now! The amount of damage you could've done. Especially with a foreign object that can break apart.

As far as the side eyes...tell them to stop letting kids stick things in holes and you wouldn't have to call home. ;)

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Sully, that poor kid. :cry:

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The next day he comes in and said dad dug for about 45 minutes with tweezers and finally got it out.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

Oye, I can't even.

My ear hurts hearing that!

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