I have some interest in school nursing as a career but I’m an Aussie and it’s really not very common to have a school nurse, though in my first year of nursing school I remember getting an email about second year or higher students acting as an assistant nurse for a program trying to introduce health professionals to some primary schools
but I want to know if any of the amazing and very funny peeps here were frequent flyers to either their school nurse or the front office of the school? And how do your schools help keep kids at school or at least up to date with school work?
I was 300% the frequent flyer sort, except I’d just call mum on my mobile phone from the bathroom and rock up to the office when she arrived to pick me up, much to the office ladies annoyance, I did have legit medical issues that were sending me home and I was the most anxious kid, my school really went above and beyond to help me stay at school by allowing me to leave class and go to the library to do work or for my teachers to post home work for me instead etc... I had a multitude of hidey holes on campus that I could escape to
Nope! I only went to the nurse a handful of times in my life. My elementary school nurse yelled at kids a lot so I was too afraid to go see her unless an adult made me go. I try to be warmer than she was but not so warm that kids want to hang out in my office.
I don't even remember a school nurse in elementary or middle school. In high school it was the front office secretary, I think I may have visited once.
Back when I was in primary school, we had an LPN as our school nurse. I can still picture her and remember her name. I rarely used her for anything as back then, we were allowed to take our own medicine, etc. Pulling my teeth in the middle of class to give a break during class. No nurse needed.
For example, I remember that in 2nd grade, I took my bottle of cough syrup to school and took it at lunch as I was supposed to in the cafeteria. Then I dropped it in the hallway and it broke (glass bottle, of course) -- grape cough medicine all over the floor. I was mortified!
Specializes in Community and Public Health, Addictions Nursing.
I remember my elementary school nurse for the time that I had chicken pox. She was so sweet in getting me picked up from school right away, and my class even sent me a get well card (I think I was absent for a solid week with those darn itchy bumps!).
Other than that, the only other time I needed the school nurse was when I had terrible periods in high school that would make me throw up and double over in pain. She was so kind, let me go home early, gave me some helpful advice about periods that I still remember to this day, and kept the whole issue confidential at a time when I was already a big enough dork and didn't need anyone to know about my pukey periods. And of course, I can't remember her name to save my life, because that's how much she made health all about the student and not about herself.
Nope not me. I didn't even know that we had a nurse, until we had lice checks (some things never change). My mom would have killed me if the school called her to come get me lol.
We never had a school nurse. I went to a small Catholic school up until 10th grade, and if you needed your temperature taken, or needed medication, you went to the receptionist. I went to a public high school, and you would just go to the front office and call a parent to come and get you, or give you permission to drive home. Senior year, I joined as many clubs as possible so I could participate in activities away from school. I think I missed 37 days, and they were all excused!
I had a little stretch in the fourth grade where I would try to go home. No one was being mean to me and I loved my teachers. I knew my mom was about a five minute drive away and I would have chewed my right arm off to go HOME. That little phase of trying to leave school finally passed. (Though, even now I still just want to go home:)))
Then I went to the other extreme. I didn't have one more nurse visit even through high school. I was a senior and fell walking in the gym. I landed on both of my elbows. I stood up saw little silver starrs and felt like vomiting. I could barely move my left elbow. I went on to my next class as there was only one left and didn't say anything. At the time our nurse was not the most welcoming. It did not even occur to me to ask to go see her. I drove myself home. About three hours later the x-ray revealed I had fractured my olceranon process. Leave it to my klutzy self to break my funny bone. My mom and I laughed and laughed.
Yes I was in grade school. Looking back I think it was due to the fact I was intolerant to the milk because I can remember many many times doubling over in severe pain after lunch. I didn't drink milk at home when I was little because I didn't like it and as an adult I get horrible stomach pain and sinus infections if I drink it now so I haven't for years. The nurse would have me lie down until it passed and then I was fine. Also, my parents went through a nasty divorce (and fought for years) and my mom was a work-a-holic so I had a lot of anxiety looking back. I was a perfectionist as well so that didn't help. My nurse was very involved in my school and always so helpful and caring to me. I wanted to be a nurse like her one day and here I am! ?
In middle school I would get bad migraines and none of the teachers would ever let me go see the nurse so I learned to carry Tylenol in my pocket (grounds for suspension now) and I'd just go to the main office and ask to call my mom when I felt sick and they'd let me.
In high school I never went to the nurse because she was rarely in her office anyway and all I had to do was tell my mom my throat hurt and she let me stay home. So for the days when I wasn't truly sick sick but just emotionally overwhelmed I used the sore throat trick to stay home. I didn't do it enough that she ever caught on and either one day was enough to feel better or it truly would turn into something where I started coming down with something.
We've since learned about ACE's (Adverse Childhood Events) and how they affect kids and my number is pretty high so I really think the extra stress affected me. Constant stress like that really takes a toll on you and I think trying to be a perfectionist was my way of trying to control my environment a little.
So I do have a few frequent flyers and some kids are just more needy than others. Thankfully I have a great staff that really work on making every kid feel special here!!!
Other than routine screenings I don't recall being in the nurse's office much. I remember coming down and feeling sick and after killing some time there went back to class and then promptly vomited. Another time I took a pretty hard tumble down a hill taking a short cut to school that needed attention.
BrisketRN, BSN, RN
916 Posts
Nope! I only went to the nurse a handful of times in my life. My elementary school nurse yelled at kids a lot so I was too afraid to go see her unless an adult made me go. I try to be warmer than she was but not so warm that kids want to hang out in my office.