Used my scary nurse voice

Specialties School

Published

You all gave me great advice about my recent problem managing a scene....well, we had another altercation today (!). Somehow in the aftermath, the instigator waiting for discipline in the security office got a hold of a stapler. .

Kiddo managed to sink one firmly in his own thumb, only an office staple but one of the long-armed heavy duty ones, all the way down to the bend. He'd actually stapled the other thumb too, but more superficially, and he'd yanked it out himself before I arrived.

This time, as I was getting ready to take your advice and kick out the onlookers, one of them (the same one who said to tilt back the head of the kid with the nosebleed) started yelling at me to pull it out. And telling everyone how *he* would pull it out. And why it should be pulled out right now.

I said in my best scary, quiet nurse voice, "Excuse me, (name)? Do you happen to have a scalpel and Lidocaine on you?" Utter silence from him and the crowd. "Me either. I'm not digging this thing out if it breaks off, and neither are you. Now excuse us please, I don't need help here."

Mr. Good Advice slunk away, Student Staplethumbs went off to urgent care, and I went back to my office to write yet another injury report. Winter break can NOT come soon enough!

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Specializes in kids.

#studentstaplethumbs

I can't even!!!??

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
12 hours ago, laflaca said:


Mr. Good Advice slunk away, Student Staplethumbs went off to urgent care, and I went back to my office to write yet another injury report. Winter break can NOT come soon enough!

You used your NURSE VOICE.

#staplethumbs

Apropos of nothing....we had a camper one year who shot herself in the first finger and she was Katniss Everdeen from then on.

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LOL staplethumbs. I had a kids staple two fingers together. Securely. Yup, off to urgent care. I did wrap the whole thing up loosely first just so people would stop staring at his hand then gasping.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I love love love this story. Way to professionally put them back in their lane.

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LOVE it!!!! You seem to really have your hands full there.

Hang in there. Hopefully Mr. Good Advice backs off for the rest of the year!!

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Heck yeah @laflaca!

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
18 hours ago, laflaca said:

I said in my best scary, quiet nurse voice, "Excuse me, (name)? Do you happen to have a scalpel and Lidocaine on you?" Utter silence from him and the crowd. "Me either. I'm not digging this thing out if it breaks off, and neither are you.

This is precisely why we are here. Critical thinking allows us to play out scenarios. Great call. I had a student imbed a toothpick in her leg that a decent yank could not extract. Ended up in there an inch (stuck in a knee high boot as she knelt down). I was not going to pull any harder for the fear of breaking it off. Mom works at the school and sent her to ER.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Kuddos to you. Love the staplethumb. I hope you have a wonderful and well deserved break. Again thanks for doing a awesome job as a amazing school nurse.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

Drop Mike - or stapler!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I've had 3 kids this year with stapled fingers. WHY!!?

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