What would you have done?

[blackscrubs]

Ok, I get a call from the high school saying that someone stapled their finger! I get up their and sure enough someone had a staple in their finger. I debated forever on what I should do?!?!? Should I pull it out...I don't really want to send her to the ER for something as small as this...SOOOOO...I pulled it out. I called the mom, told her what happened and advised her to take her and get a tetorifice shot at the nearby clinic. Mom was fine with that and said that she would. Later talking to the mom, come to find out she didn't take her. The more I think about it, the more I start to freak out. Did I do the right thing???? UUGGHHH...

[tencat]

Yes, you did the right thing. The ER would NOT have been amused by a stapled finger, and it was not a life or death emergency. All you can do is chart that you told mom it would be best if she took kid in for shot, then leave it at that. I'd also put it in writing to the mom, with copies for your principal, just to cover your posterior.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Yes, you did the right thing. The ER would NOT have been amused by a stapled finger, and it was not a life or death emergency. All you can do is chart that you told mom it would be best if she took kid in for shot, then leave it at that. I'd also put it in writing to the mom, with copies for your principal, just to cover your posterior.

All of the above. I would have done the same thing. Just document everything--what happened, what you did, what you told mom. Don't freak out. It's been a really long time since anyone in the U.S. got tetorifice from a stapler.

[safarirn]

I am sure what you did was fine & I am sure mom is grateful.

Honestly, I probably would have tried to cleanse/ stabilize the wound & then call mom. I would have advised her to go to her doctor's office or a simple walk-in clinic to have it removed. I'm sure at that point, mom would have just removed it herself.

[bergren]

I would have done the same as you. You gave mom your best advice and she chose to ignore it (her perogative) - nothing else you can do. Ditto on the document, document, document!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I agree - you did the right thing. We can only recommend when it comes to things like tetorifice shots following injuries. Unless the student is violating state vaccination code, just document document.

I once had a student with a sewing machine needle stuck through his thumb nail. We couldn't determine how deep it was so I told him i'd give it one try to pluck it out. It wouldn't budge so i ended up telling mom to take him to the ER.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

I probably would not have pulled out the staple. That being said, I don't feel you did anything wrong or have anything to worry about. As school nurses we always have and always will second guess some of our decisions. I guess it comes with the job.