When do you send home for eyes that are pink?

[Cattz]

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.

[txbootsy]

Usually pink eye is close to hot pink and has colored discharge. (green, dark yellow)

Clear discharge (light yellow) and mild redness and itchy is usually allergies.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

We have full on outbreak, can't wait until tomorrow for spring break. Need to reset this.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I was going to link back to my diagrams, but someone beat me to it!

So, I'll say this. Possibly conjunctivitis in a HS kid is different to me vs. possible conjunctivitis in a elementary school kid. When I worked with the younger ones, they touch their eye, they touch every else, etc...infection spread city. In the HS, most times it stops with the kid, maybe some spread to a dating partner (in my experience). Also viral and allergic...it will resolve with time. It will be uncomfortable, but unless it is really distracting a kid from focusing, they stay.

If I do suspect bacterial, I'll call home for a doctor's appointment to be made and dismiss, but honestly, if it is bacterial, the kid is usually miserable and non-productive anyway.

[nursekoll, BSN, RN]

On the subject of spring pinkeye. . . We have had a LOT of Pinkeye at my elementary school. One came back to see me today after he was sent home a week ago with it. Started antibiotic drops last Tuesday, improved by Thursday and Friday, but eyes became crusty again Sunday and Monday. Sclera are clear today, but there is definitely crusting of the lashes and gunk in the corner of the eye. One eye is worse than the other, student reports that the eye feels "a little itchy". Mom reports she has been giving the drops in both eyes three times daily since last Tuesday. I recommended she call the Dr to see what they recommend at this time. Should I have sent this kid home??

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

On the subject of spring pinkeye. . . We have had a LOT of Pinkeye at my elementary school. One came back to see me today after he was sent home a week ago with it. Started antibiotic drops last Tuesday, improved by Thursday and Friday, but eyes became crusty again Sunday and Monday. Sclera are clear today, but there is definitely crusting of the lashes and gunk in the corner of the eye. One eye is worse than the other, student reports that the eye feels "a little itchy". Mom reports she has been giving the drops in both eyes three times daily since last Tuesday. I recommended she call the Dr to see what they recommend at this time. Should I have sent this kid home??

Very timely, have a kid sent home last Tuesday, did the 5 day run and back with unilateral itchy, "sandy" eye, no redness. I am sending home and having MD clear. Could it be a resistance issue?

[nursekoll, BSN, RN]

That's what I thought, maybe need a different antibiotic gtt. Also, this student has two brothers, one of which was also sent home with pinkeye last week, so I wonder if they were all trying to share the same bottle of drops and cross-contaminated the bottle, skimped on doses, or ran it out before the recommended 7 days of treatment. Either way, mom was going to call the Dr and hopefully get another bottle. Probably should have sent him home. . .

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Tough call on sending home. Mine was a third grader on the immature side of the scale, not too hard of a call, and I had your post in mind, the real deciding factor. Thanks for posting it.