Waiting in the clinic...

[Aneroo, LPN]

Or the small hole in the wall if you're like me.

Another thread mentioned what students do while waiting for parents, and I saw several mentions about waiting in the clinic/nurse office.

How much space do you have? Is it common for you to have students waiting?

I send them to the office. I will either send them to class to wait, or if bad enough, I will make them sit in the office.

A co-worker has been having problems with the secretary making students go back to class. She's explained to her several times "My decision- they do not need to be in class, spreading whatever germs they have to their classmates, teachers and anyone else. It's more contained here and easier to clean/Lysol".

[kidsnurse1969]

I have a room between the office and the teachers workroom. It is approx. 8' X 12'. I have a desk, metal cabinet, filing cabinet, small dorm refrigerator, and two chairs. I can see 5 kids at a time. The overflow can wait in the office.

I can usually keep kids with me while they wait to be picked up. If there is a reason that I can't keep them, the secretary will let them wait with her. If a kid needs to go home, I don't think they have any business waiting in the classroom with other kids.

The secretary and I try to help each other out. She covers me for lunch and I sit at her desk while she eats. Neither of us really take 30 minutes--its more like 20.

[cowgirlBSN]

My problem is my office is in the grade school office. Our secretary cant stand being around sick kids or someone who has been vomiting. So, she throws a fit or worse, leaves when I have a sick child waiting in the office for someone to come get them. Nevermind that I have 3 or so more children behind them for me to see. Everything is a battle! Sometimes I send them back to class if its minor enough or they are not contagious. I just don't have the room or privacy for more than 1 child at a time!

[bergren]

"Our secretary cant stand being around sick kids or someone who has been vomiting. So, she throws a fit or worse, leaves when I have a sick child waiting in the office for someone to come get them. "

I am always happy when I work with germ phobic teachers or staff. I view it as job security!!!

[pattylpn54, LPN]

i'm in the clinic of a 1300 student body high school(me & i aide). we have them stacked on top of each other! we work the clinic, do any and all early dismissals(sick or not) -- guess there's no attendance office!! we also seem to have the only telephone in the building, because everyone sends the students to use our 1 phone. they all wait in the clinic to be picked up -- sick & not sick. if we send them to the office to use the phone, the office sends them right back to us! my only saving grace is that i'm just subbing until dec. or there would be big changes. this is the way they've always done it(they're insane!). i finally e-mailed the principal this past week and told her it was impossible to take care of sick students while there were ones that were tying up our phone calling mom to bring lunch money, etc. & that the office refused to allow students to go there to make calls. she e-mailed me back & said to send non-sick students to the office to use their phone & she'd notify them of this. the 1st one we sent, they sent them back to us with a note to tell us to let them use our phone. i forwarded the e-mail i sent with the principal's reply to the office & guidance(they were just as bad) staff. haven't had them return any students since. i've been a clinic sub for the last 4 yrs and this is, by far, the worse clinic i've ever worked in. they let the entire school walk all over them. not this nurse!!! i told the aide, i don't get paid to be walked on & abused. they can go back to that when the regular nurse returns dec. 15th!!!!! :banghead:

p.s. the secretary says she is a "germophobic" & i told here she should consult her physician!!

[michigooseBSN]

I have a small office with two straight chairs and 1 1/2 cots (one is a pedi short cot) and I have to triage. The least sickest gets sent back to class but if they are waiting to be picked up because of contagious illness, they stay in my office. Things like toothaches or questionable fx fingers can overflow into the main office but not fevers or GI upsets.