When do you send home for eyes that are pink?

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Allergies are very much in full swing right now. This sounds dumb. But, I just need to ask you, as I know you have "been there and done that". I don't think it is necessary to send home every kid that has some red/pinkness of their eyes. In a nut shell- How do you determine whether to let them stay or send hone? By what I have read, it seems like if there is drainage or not, is the big factor. If so, if they tell me they had gunk when they woke up, but doesn't get anymore at school. Can they stay? I am not asking so much for myself because I will go with my nursing assessment. But, for my secretaries who do my job when I am not in the building. Anyone got a little tidbit I can pass along to them?

Thank you and Happy St. Patty's Day.

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I go by drainage vs no drainage. No drainage, no complaints=warm cloth. Sometimes I'll be on the fence, so I give the parent a call and ask if this has happened before. Before winter break, my school had a massive outbreak of pink eye, so everyone with redness and crusty lashes got a call home.

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there was a thread going on that has a good diagram

https://allnurses.com/school-nurses/pinkeye-1023220.html

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

Had a girl with ? pinkeye, my wife and I were in the office and I erred on the kicking her out and she said she could stay. Ended up giving it to her brothers and a few classmates. Not that I was "right", just that it is that highly contagious and if you are going to err, it should be on the pinkeye side. Funny thing, doctor cleared her the next day (Saturday) but gave her the ABX gtts.

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there was a thread going on that has a good diagram

https://allnurses.com/school-nurses/pinkeye-1023220.html

YES!

I go with drainage, pain, itching, blurred vision, 1 eye vs. 2, and other allergy symptoms.

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I go with drainage, pain, itching, blurred vision, 1 eye vs. 2, and other allergy symptoms.

Me too! I call if there is unilateral redness with thick drainage. Or if a trustworthy student reports drainage that morning. I call the parents and say "Johnny is in my office with a really red eye and he says there was quite a bit of crustiness to it this morning. It's looking pretty suspicious for pink eye, so I'm going to need someone to come get him and get it checked out."

Usually, they are right on it. Sometimes they will say that drops were already started and the kid failed to tell me.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

Depends on the case & the kid. Goopy, itchy eyes on a kindergartner who can't keep from rubbing them goes home. On a 3rd grader who may be better about not toughing them & washing hands well I might let stay.

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Depends on the case & the kid. Goopy, itchy eyes on a kindergartner who can't keep from rubbing them goes home. On a 3rd grader who may be better about not toughing them & washing hands well I might let stay.

If they have goop I send 'em out. Even teachers.

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I sent home if they have discharge or are clearly too uncomfortable to work.

I also follow the recommendations here: AAP Updates Guidelines for Infectious Disease Exclusions : Pediatric News

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i have them return periodically throughout the day if still being bothered. Just last Friday I had one pink eye that started out itchy, and a little watery and by the end of the day both eyes were full on goopy.

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Goopy, of course, being a medical term.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

of course! We're professionals around here!!

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