Vent Sesh

Published

It's one of those days. I feel myself being much less patient than usual. So now I'll spend a minute complaining about everything that's annoying me.

  • Administration moved the printer into my office. People won't stop asking me for printer help "how do I fix a jam? Where do we keep extra paper?" or chatting my ear off while I'm trying to work. Not caring when I say "sorry I can't help, I've got to get this done."
  • I'm keeper of the tissues. While on the phone with a parent a little (old enough to know better) came in and screamed "I NEED TISSUES" then beat the tissue box on my door frame (as I held a "one second please" finger up) until I got off the phone.
  • Multiple high schoolers telling me they feel sick but can't find any words to describe WHAT feels ill or HOW it feels ill. Then flabbergasted when I say they have to go back to class.
  • High schooler came in and reported symptom of "I feel like I'm being sucked to the ground like a vacuum. Like into a black hole." WUT.

Anyone else need to vent?

3 hours ago, pennyeary said:

Parent called principal and complained that I was extremely calm when relaying this information to her and I should probably come a cross a little more hysterical if I want to get my point across.

I had a parent make this same complaint about me over a head injury! Kinder kiddos bumped heads in PE, called to let mom know what happened and that kiddo skipped back to PE, but I would call if anything changed. Called back later because kiddo complained of a headache. Kiddo seen in ER, cleared and returned the next day. Principal let me know that mom called and emailed the superintendent to complain that I was too calm and therefore did not understand how serious this situation was...it is literally my job to remain calm in emergency situations?‍♀️

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10 minutes ago, BeckyESRN said:

I had a parent make this same complaint about me over a head injury! Kinder kiddos bumped heads in PE, called to let mom know what happened and that kiddo skipped back to PE, but I would call if anything changed. Called back later because kiddo complained of a headache. Kiddo seen in ER, cleared and returned the next day. Principal let me know that mom called and emailed the superintendent to complain that I was too calm and therefore did not understand how serious this situation was...it is literally my job to remain calm in emergency situations?‍♀️

This is exactly my story. lol Im thinking the job description says something about maintaining composure in emergency situations.

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Printer in the nurse's office seems like a horrible idea!

My vent over a recent event:

I told office staff one morning, "If ____ _____ comes in to see me, make sure you call me". Student has serious health hx and mom called that morning to discuss some current issues student was having.

About 1:30 that afternoon, I was called to that campus for a severe bloody nose and blood all over restroom. I hurried over to campus (across the street), child wasn't to office yet, but arrived within a few seconds of my arrival. Literally less than 10 drops of FAINT drops of blood on a white shirt, no bleeding from nares AT ALL.....none. We changed his shirt ,and he went back to class.

While I was at this campus for the bloody nose that didn't need me at all, office staff mentioned 3 students came while I was gone....one with a lightly pinched finger, one lost a tooth, and one c/o upper arm pain. All were sent back to class w/o notifying me. Yes, you guessed it.....upper arm pain was the same one I had told that I must be called about....never heard a word and student was sent back to class. Needless to say, child was called to office to assess, and ended up in ER a short time later to r/o issues r/t cardiac hx. THIS is the one I should have been called about! When I reiterated this to the office staff, it was blamed on the little student being too calm, so didn't feel it was urgent.

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12 hours ago, Nurse2Kids said:

When I reiterated this to the office staff, it was blamed on the little student being too calm, so didn't feel it was urgent.

Ay yay yay. Just another reason every building needs a nurse.

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Specializes in school nursing/ maternal/child hospital based.
3 hours ago, BiscuitRN said:

Ay yay yay. Just another reason every building needs a nurse.

THIS 100%

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I just had a student come in because he ate spicy chips and he felt like "woah"

No kidding, a teacher wrote him a pass, not just one of those plastic nurses pass, this one was written out with the student's name and everything. ?

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Specializes in school nursing/ maternal/child hospital based.
24 minutes ago, nursex23 said:

I just had a student come in because he ate spicy chips and he felt like "woah"

No kidding, a teacher wrote him a pass, not just one of those plastic nurses pass, this one was written out with the student's name and everything. ?

we need a face palm emoji!

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Here is another example of a nurse (me) being "too calm":

I am called away from a phone call to the girls' bathroom. In the time it takes me to walk there - I do not hang up and sprint, so it takes perhaps two minutes - I am called on the radio three times. It's urgent!

I arrive. A security guard is sitting at his desk, six feet from the bathroom, surrounded by a variety of other staff gathered in a circle, talking in worried tones. What is the problem, I ask. "(Student) has been in the bathroom a really long time. Maybe she passed out or something."

[Here are questions I don't even bother asking anymore: did you knock? Did anyone go in there to check? Was there something wrong when she went in there? Why would you call me and wait three minutes seated at your desk, if it's urgent?]

Our bathrooms have floor-to ceiling windows to the hallway, allowing you to see in to the sink area but not the toilets. I look in the window; the student is standing in front of a mirror fixing her hair. I knock, she comes over and opens the door, I ask if she is OK and she says "yeah." I search the bathroom and there's nothing unusual.

I didn't even get a, "jeez, sorry about that, I thought something might be wrong." Nope, they are annoyed because I was too calm and 'not taking it seriously.' IT IS SO HARD TO TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY, is what I want to say (but don't).

Happy long weekend, nurses! Let's try to take our relaxation seriously ?

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Lanyards as passes are the bane of my existence!!!! They swing them around and practically hit me in the face, I find them under cots, behind the toilet. They use them to wipe their snot, they bleed on them, cough on them.........

I was new at my school last year, so I went with it. This year, the secretary did not make nurse lanyards at all- only hall and bathroom so that I could institute paper passes. Now, I thought that since teachers are germaphobes that the bodily fluids would win them over to my side.

But, they can never find them, the subs can never find them or their band-aids. I just spent 2 weeks making nice (big) labeled plastic boxes for every room. Yet, here they come still swing those **** lanyards.

TGIF!!!

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16 hours ago, laflaca said:

Here is another example of a nurse (me) being "too calm":

I am called away from a phone call to the girls' bathroom. In the time it takes me to walk there - I do not hang up and sprint, so it takes perhaps two minutes - I am called on the radio three times. It's urgent!

I arrive. A security guard is sitting at his desk, six feet from the bathroom, surrounded by a variety of other staff gathered in a circle, talking in worried tones. What is the problem, I ask. "(Student) has been in the bathroom a really long time. Maybe she passed out or something."

[Here are questions I don't even bother asking anymore: did you knock? Did anyone go in there to check? Was there something wrong when she went in there? Why would you call me and wait three minutes seated at your desk, if it's urgent?]

Our bathrooms have floor-to ceiling windows to the hallway, allowing you to see in to the sink area but not the toilets. I look in the window; the student is standing in front of a mirror fixing her hair. I knock, she comes over and opens the door, I ask if she is OK and she says "yeah." I search the bathroom and there's nothing unusual.

I didn't even get a, "jeez, sorry about that, I thought something might be wrong." Nope, they are annoyed because I was too calm and 'not taking it seriously.' IT IS SO HARD TO TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY, is what I want to say (but don't).

Happy long weekend, nurses! Let's try to take our relaxation seriously ?

Oh my word!! It says so much about you that you were able to maintain cool composure after their behavior! Have a great weekend!

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16 hours ago, EnoughWithTheIce said:

Lanyards as passes are the bane of my existence!!!! They swing them around and practically hit me in the face, I find them under cots, behind the toilet. They use them to wipe their snot, they bleed on them, cough on them.........

I was new at my school last year, so I went with it. This year, the secretary did not make nurse lanyards at all- only hall and bathroom so that I could institute paper passes. Now, I thought that since teachers are germaphobes that the bodily fluids would win them over to my side.

But, they can never find them, the subs can never find them or their band-aids. I just spent 2 weeks making nice (big) labeled plastic boxes for every room. Yet, here they come still swing those **** lanyards.

TGIF!!!

Ours do use lanyards as hall passes, as that's how they get through security buzzers (must swipe pass to get through door). I do understand how you feel about these! They're contaminated weapons!

This year I cut neon orange paper in half, printed "Nurse Pass" large on each half, laminated them. Each teacher got 2-3, with their names written on back in Sharpie. If the student goes home, I put that laminated pass in the teacher's mailbox. We're able to wipe/clean them easily. I've not had to replace one this year!

We're no longer doing the nurse pass form for the teacher to fill out, as most of the time they were hastily done (understandably), illegible, filled out by the students, so a bit of a waste.

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Specializes in pediatrics, school nursing.

Today I am irritated with a teacher who can't stand one of her students and so she sends him to my office to get rid of him as often as possible. He was out Mon & Tues this week, but came back yesterday and he has been sent to my office 4x between yesterday and this AM for "Temp checks" because she wants him to go home so badly. No temp, just cold symptoms. I don't doubt that the kid doesn't feel his best, but I am not making a parent come pick up a child who a) has a history of avoidance and b) doesn't have exclusionary symptoms. I called mom as a courtesy to the teacher, but she has no transportation today, so he remains. I wonder how many times he'll come back today.....

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