Vent Sesh

Specialties School

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?

Specializes in Corrections, Public Health, Occupational Medicine.

I'm just going to say one thing- I CANNOT DO THE JOB THAT YOU ALL DO. I have great respect for all of you.

3 Votes
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I've had a kinder the last 2 days brought to me WAILING... ask him:

are you feeling sick? -no

hungry? - no

Tired - no

hurt? no

want to rest? no

want me to call mom? no

are you mad, sad, angry? no no no

He just wants to wail. There is not one medical thing I can do. Sorry teacher!!

3 Votes
2 minutes ago, Flare said:

He just wants to wail. There is not one medical thing I can do. Sorry teacher!!

Frustrating! Especially when they look shocked that there's nothing you can do for them. Maybe refer them to the social worker? ?

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i think it's more that he is very immature for a kindergartener. Not that I have high expectations of a five year old, but his behavior is more inline with that of a toddler. Perhaps there is something that a neuro could find - could be on the spectrum or ODD but too early to dx. who knows - i certainly can't diagnose.

Got a call through the front office of an emergency, a medical emergency. Front desk asked twice if it was a true emergency and was reassured that it was. Nurse and wheelchair was needed. So I left my low diabetic, grabbed my bag and wheelchair and with heart pumping and a healthy dose of adrenaline racing, booked it to the library. Kiddo sitting there with foot propped on an ottoman, saying he really didn't need the wheelchair. 15 minutes later, wrapped and iced, (overkill in my mind) he was able to limp to lunch. Librarian (long term-er) defends her choice saying she had to because of the crowd that she had watching.

GRRR!

2 Votes

FF comes in this AM because he "fell" and "hurt" his wrist. Nothing wrong with it but he swears he can't flex it. Ok, ice it. He then comes in about an hour later asking me to take his temp because his stomach hurts. No fever, he then proceeds to tell me it's because the juices here give him a stomach ache and he drank 7. Welp there you go. He comes back about half an hour later asking for pepto because he feels like he's going to throw up. I told him to see if throwing up makes it feel better. He then asks me to call for someone to pick him up. No, we are not going to call. I just found out that he went home. I guess he called or texted for someone to come get him because he threw up. Why do parents feed into their kids nonsense and keep them home for any little ailment? Btw this is a 7th grader with poor attendance and grades and is always in the nurses office with make believe ailments. ?

3 Votes
Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

Had a high school girl one day, diffuse complaints and admitted she had attendance issues... no objective symptoms, no notes of any kind, told her she could rest during her free periods and sent her back. her guardian is her non driving grandmother who evidently she called from the bathroom claiming she threw up. I told grandma she wasn't currently in the office but if she comes back I will send her home. Then I called the counselor to ask about psychosocial reasons this could be going on and got zero help. without objective symptoms and guidance I followed my gut and let sleeping dogs lie. The girl never did come back.

Another school, younger child, 6th grade unwitnessed vomit. Called grandma who told me that student can "Puke at will" so, with no other objective symptoms I sent him back to class, he came back 10 minutes later with a call from his teacher that if he vomited he HAS to go home. I shrugged my shoulders and called grandma who was annoyed but sympathetic. I said the teacher will come to regret this but that grandma could try boredom therapy at home. She laughed and I don't think he had that much fun at grandmas that afternoon!

Life of a sub!

3 Votes
3 minutes ago, AutumnDraidean said:

boredom therapy at home

This!!!! If more parents/guardians did this, I suspect more kids would want to be in school. I do "boredom therapy" in my office and it works miracles, but only for kids whose parents won't pick them up for just anything.

3 Votes
40 minutes ago, nursex23 said:

This!!!! If more parents/guardians did this, I suspect more kids would want to be in school. I do "boredom therapy" in my office and it works miracles, but only for kids whose parents won't pick them up for just anything.

I let kids with fevers color, read books, or do an activity book (mostly to keep them out of my hair). Sometimes the kids with "headaches" or "belly aches" ask if they can get the coloring supplies, and I say "sorry, only kids with fevers get those." Somehow cures all the headaches and belly aches.

6 Votes
4 minutes ago, BiscuitRN said:

I let kids with fevers color, read books, or do an activity book (mostly to keep them out of my hair). Sometimes the kids with "headaches" or "belly aches" ask if they can get the coloring supplies, and I say "sorry, only kids with fevers get those." Somehow cures all the headaches and belly aches.

This is gold!! But I think I would have line out of my door with kids asking me to take their temps in the hopes of maybe having a fever ?

1 Votes
Specializes in School Nurse.
1 hour ago, AutumnDraidean said:

if he vomited he HAS to go home.

He would have stayed at school for me after confirmation of 'vomit at will' - sorry teacher not all vomit goes home.

5 Votes
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
15 minutes ago, BiscuitRN said:

I let kids with fevers color, read books, or do an activity book (mostly to keep them out of my hair). Sometimes the kids with "headaches" or "belly aches" ask if they can get the coloring supplies, and I say "sorry, only kids with fevers get those." Somehow cures all the headaches and belly aches.

same. I have a book rack with various coloring books and a box of crayons. i also have some blocks and a few cars both if which are mostly used as a reinforcer for the SPED kids that need that type of intervention to get an assessment done. I won't allow coloring by my quick visits, but if a parent is a bit of a drive away, i have no issues with a little art therapy for a waiting kid. Especially if they are expecting that I'll entertain them the whole time they're waiting.

2 Votes
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