When teachers go behind your back...

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

And call a parent to pick up a "sick" child after you, as the school health professional, have determined that they do not need to be picked up. What do I do?!? I hate confrontation and this is the first instance of a teacher going behind my back. The father of this student came to pick up his daughter and I knew nothing about it. I felt like a complete idiot.

[kidzcare]

Yes, this has happened and it is frustrating.

I am not the best at being assertive (in person anyway) but that's how this should be approached. Ask the teacher what happened that he/she thought it would be best for the student to go home and then remind them that all illnesses/injuries should go through the nurse's office. If the teacher is not receptive to this then get administration or your supervisor involved.

[AdobeRN]

I don't let it bother me - if I notice it happening frequently I will say something. In our district stunts like that will end up hurting the kid if there are truancy issues - if kids go home sick without going thru the nurse it is considered unexcused.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

I would go to administration first, as it is most likely your assessment that matters, not the teacher. I would have had to say to that parent that she didn't meet the district's criteria to go home. This probably does warrant confrontation. I would make the analogy that you wouldn't go behind her and change a grade, which is her assessment of the student, her area of expertise, she shouldn't do it to you, either.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I don't have as big of a problem with the teacher calling the kids home sick than i do with the kids not liking my verdict and going to the main office and calling from that phone or bypassing me altogether and going straight to the office to call home or occasionally calling or texting from cell phones. Then I get the call from the office "Jimmy Smith's mom is here to sign him out as sick." and i say he's not here, i haven't seen him all day.

What's better is the times that i am occasionally out of my office to make a copy or run a paper to my office and a student is in the office to get picked up as sick and they are surprised when I have no idea what is going on.

Parent: I'm here to pick up Sally, she's terribly sick. She called me from the nurse's office

Secretary: Uhhh... that's the nurse right there. Where is Sally Jones?

Me: (confused as ever) Sally? I don't know. Probably class. I haven't seen her in my office in about a month.

Parent: (steaming mad and contemplating leaving) fine just call her - i'm here i may as well take her

end scene

[Farawyn]

I would go to administration first, as it is most likely your assessment that matters, not the teacher. I would have had to say to that parent that she didn't meet the district's criteria to go home. This probably does warrant confrontation. I would make the analogy that you wouldn't go behind her and change a grade, which is her assessment of the student, her area of expertise, she shouldn't do it to you, either.

Disagree. I would go to the teacher first. Why go to Admin. before trying to handle it yourself?

How would you feel if a co-worker went to your supervisor instead of talking to you?

[Farawyn]

I don't have as big of a problem with the teacher calling the kids home sick than i do with the kids not liking my verdict and going to the main office and calling from that phone or bypassing me altogether and going straight to the office to call home or occasionally calling or texting from cell phones. Then I get the call from the office "Jimmy Smith's mom is here to sign him out as sick." and i say he's not here, i haven't seen him all day.

What's better is the times that i am occasionally out of my office to make a copy or run a paper to my office and a student is in the office to get picked up as sick and they are surprised when I have no idea what is going on.

Parent: I'm here to pick up Sally, she's terribly sick. She called me from the nurse's office

Secretary: Uhhh... that's the nurse right there. Where is Sally Jones?

Me: (confused as ever) Sally? I don't know. Probably class. I haven't seen her in my office in about a month.

Parent: (steaming mad and contemplating leaving) fine just call her - i'm here i may as well take her

end scene

Thisismylife.

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

I emailed the teacher (I'm in a different building today) and explained that all kids who go home sick must go through the health office so we can document it appropriately. Otherwise we have no record at all of this kid leaving and why. The teacher replied to my email saying she didn't realize she needed to inform me when a student goes home. Really? It seems obvious to me but whatever. Then she came down to the health office because she was "confused" and my health aide told her point blank. "You are not qualified to determine the health status of a student. We are." Have I mentioned how much I love my health aides. Ka-pow!

Also turns out that mom and teacher had been emailed back and forth all day about keeping an eye on this kid. Really? You don't think I need to be in the loop?

Anyway, I called to check on the kid because she was called in sick to school. Turns out they took her to the doctor because of a cough (which wasn't the reason she came to see me yesterday, by the way) and they are testing her for whooping cough and put her on nebs! Mom was very nice and thanked me for calling to check on her daughter.

So it's over and done with but I still feel ticked off.

[MHDNURSE]

Ouch! I'd be pretty mad. I too hate confrontation though but I guess I would muster up the courage to have a "crucial conversation" as we lovingly refer to it here at my school.

[Farawyn]

I like confrontation.

Send them to me, MHD.

[GdBSN, RN]

The text from students to parents happens quite frequently at my HS. There is just no way to get around technology, but the attendance clerk and I are on the same page. If she has a parent come to sign their student out, she calls me to find out if I am sending them home. If I haven't seen the student or they do not meet the criteria to be sent home, she explains to the parent that it is their right to take their student home, but it will be an unexcused absence.

[Farawyn]

Gd, we tag team it, too.

Trying to work with the new Principal on a better plan.

Sadly, the parents are the biggest enablers.