What are you ??

Most days I'm both all in the same day... sometimes within the same hour... or the same minute... sometimes with the same student, depending on the situation.

Mostly I am a no nosense nurse. I work in a poorer district and I do everything in my power to keep the kids in school and striving toward an education. I also work toward having them take responsibility for themselves (just because you don't want to be here doesn't mean you are sick and need to go home).

All that being said, there are some kids I realize will go home no matter what I try. They will call mom from their cell phones or from another school phone. When one of these kiddos comes in, I'll assess them for the symptoms they claim and then ask them if they want to call mom. I'm up front about telling them when I talk to mom I am going to tell her I have no criteria for sending them home, but if the parent elects to pick them up, then it's up to the parent.

Right now, I'm burned out and just hanging on by my fingernails until the break! 8.5 more school days!

I guess I'm a happy median....I don't "coddle" them unnecessarily, but I'm not always "no nonsense" either. I guess because I'm so young, people usually expect me to coddle the kids and baby them, but I don't. I may tend to coddle the younger ones more than the older (PreK-5th), but when it comes down to it, they are all in school for the same reason and that's to get an education. It's my job to make sure that they stay in school if they are physically able to.

I"m both, depending on the situation. I'm no-nonsense with these teachers who send kids up to get vaseline for chapped lips. I'm no-nonsense with the kids who wanna come hang out during math. I'm no-nonsense when it comes to vomiting and stomachaches. But I can be soft when I know a child really is sick or hurt. I don't exactly coddle, but I'm more solicitous. If you've got a runny nose, here's a tissue, now be off with you. If you have a 102 degree fever, come lie on my couch with my nice blanket and a cool drink while I call your mom.

I am both as well, depending on the situation. I tend to lean towards the no-nonsense side though. Even though I am pretty strict as far as illness criteria, I do tend to speak more sweetly than sternly unless the situation just really calls for sternness. So while I am telling the 5th grader who claims to have vomited in the bathroom but has no fever or other sign of illness and wants to chat with her friend who is in my office for meds, I am likely to state it is "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but if I don't see it, it didn't happen" (with a big sweet smile and pouring on the Southern charm).

Being from the deep south, there is a lot of "Sweetie", "Baby", "Dearheart", and now even "M'hija or M'hijo" coming out of this office. It makes even the most bitter pill go down a little easier

I am a "no- nonsense" nurse for sure. Like most of you said, I can be both depending on the situation but I lean more toward the one.

I am both! I love my little ones...really I do! But, I don't put up with a lot, and they know it, if they are sick, I will take care to get them home, but if they are just "not feeling well," they know I want them to get through their day! I agree with Purplescrubs, sweetness makes the bitter taste of reality easier to swallow!

Most days I'm both all in the same day... sometimes within the same hour... or the same minute... sometimes with the same student, depending on the situation.

Yeah, that.........(I couldn't find the smilie!!)

mc3:nurse:

Today, for example, there was a frequent flyer in the clinic. I job share and my partner was keeping the clinic for me until I got done with some training. Apparently, Little FF had come to see her several times. She asked me if he was coming to see me and much as he's coming to see her. Uh, no. I don't cotton to malingerers. When I got there he took one look at me and disappeared.

The research shows that ff typically do have anxiety problems. What we need to do as school nurses is find the best way to intervene so they do not miss class and decrease the anxiety.

Shannon, R. A., Bergren, M.D. & Matthews, A. (2010). Frequent visitors: Somatization in school-aged children and implications for school nurses. Journal of School Nursing, 26, 169-182. Frequent Visitors â€" The Journal of School Nursing

I am not a coddler. Not to say that i don't give those that need it a little extra compassion, i just don't coddle the students.

A little of both...depends on student needs, sometimes they need a lil TLC and they are good, others need a more stern tude then their good.