I know, I know. It's inconvenient, they have to take off work, I've totally disrupted their day---I get it.
But really??? Didn't you sign a form at the beginning of the year indicating you'd read the policies? Fever goes home. Vomit goes home. Red eyes with gunk coming out of them go home.
And no, yelling and cussing at the nurse does not change the rules. I thought I was done with people yelling at me for doing my job when I left the hospital. /endrant
Specializes in school nursing, home health,rehab, long-.
Yes, yes, yes. A 1000 times. Everything everyone else posted. And the congregation said, "Amen!" Perfect attendance, field trips, and class parties, and picture day have been the cause of spreading more illness than I can possibly count. You know that is what everyone wants a class picture with your red honey crusted eyelashes to be forever captured in a photograph. "I'm sorry you already paid, I will make sure your money is returned you you."
If I had been a woodland critter in Narnia she would have frozen me with her Ice Queen stare.
Speaking strictly as a parent (and no, I would never cuss and yell at the nurse, never), the pressure is from the employer. Workers are made to feel miserable when they leave because of their kids. No understanding at all. Also, no pay for most people or some loss of hours. Mostly, I hated the way my bosses made me seem like I was going on a nice vacation. Also, it felt like I sent my kids to school just to catch some stupid virus. One year my child was home 25 days out of the month because they kept coming home with various viral nonsense. I finally figured out they were drinking from the water fountain. Bought a huge water bottle.
I might as well throw this one into the ante; this may be number one on my pet peeve list...."BUT THIS WILL RUIN THEIR PERFECT ATTENDANCE." AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! There is no telling how much absenteeism is generated by this stupid perfect attendance award.
Or sometimes for me, the opposite: "my child has already missed xx days. One more and they will be held back this year." Okay, most of those absences had to do with you taking your child out of school to go on vacation, leaving no buffer for when your child has vomited 3 times in the past 30 minutes. Please pick up your child and let him vomit at home.
Specializes in family practice and school nursing.
High schooler feels sick and wants to sleep on my cot. Me: why did you come to school if you are sick? kid: so I don't miss classes. Duh .. sleeping in my office = missing classes.
Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
Or sometimes for me, the opposite: "my child has already missed xx days. One more and they will be held back this year." Okay, most of those absences had to do with you taking your child out of school to go on vacation, leaving no buffer for when your child has vomited 3 times in the past 30 minutes. Please pick up your child and let him vomit at home.
Ooh I get that one alot! "She has missed so much school already" I don't care. She's throwing up and has a fever over 102F and climbing. You either get here in 5 mins. or you meet her in the Emergency room with EMS.
I don't care about missed days, perfect attendance, etc. My job is to keep them in class, keep them home, or keep them safe.
One year a child was sent to school with a trash can from home, so that if she continued to vomit at school she could use her private vomit container and remain in class. Seriously?? Yes, her parents were "helping" her earn that perfect attendance award. They were quite unhappy with me when i sent her home...
On the other hand I remember getting a huge attitude when I got a call over a sick step-kid. Just puny, maybe he threw up (this was like 1999). I had no car, I told this nurse I can't come right now, give me a few minutes to see if I can page dad (so 1999 right?). She was ugly.
And to the OP, sucks you still get yelled at but I think as long as your nursing job involves conscious humans or their families, this will remain a possibility.
One year a child was sent to school with a trash can from home, so that if she continued to vomit at school she could use her private vomit container and remain in class. Seriously?? Yes, her parents were "helping" her earn that perfect attendance award. They were quite unhappy with me when i sent her home...
Seriously? They weren't even trying to hide that she was sick? We should all write a book...
One year a child was sent to school with a trash can from home, so that if she continued to vomit at school she could use her private vomit container and remain in class. Seriously?? Yes, her parents were "helping" her earn that perfect attendance award. They were quite unhappy with me when i sent her home...
Like I said....PERFECT ATTENDANCE...AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
I had a dad call me yesterday morning to let me know that his daughter has an earache and she will be "coming in to see you all day because she's in a lot of pain". She can't stay home anymore or she'll have to repeat kindergarten. He didn't bother to even give a pain reliever because he didn't have anything. But he would go buy some, if necessary, and bring it up to the school for me to give it to her. Yeah... no. Come get your child.
I had a parent run over her son's foot yesterday during drop off. Poor kid walked in limping. Mom called about 20 minutes later to make sure he was okay. Ugh...
Another set of parents keeps sending their asthmatic son in. He admits that they told him, "You cannot come home today because we have to work." So he walks in and right to my office for his inhaler. They yelled at my sub yesterday (I was on a field trip) because she called them for a p/u. You didn't even need a stethoscope to hear his wheeze. They tried to blame the school. But the kid said he was at soccer practice the night before.
One year a child was sent to school with a trash can from home, so that if she continued to vomit at school she could use her private vomit container and remain in class. Seriously?? Yes, her parents were "helping" her earn that perfect attendance award. They were quite unhappy with me when i sent her home...
WTH?? That is absolutely insane.
It reminds me a little bit of when we were having a "lockdown drill" at school. You know: Everyone stay put, lock the doors, stay away from doors/windows, be quiet, etc. A teacher actually sent a 4th grader to me, in the middle of the drill, carrying a trash can. He complained of nausea, so she sent him. Plus, he is a frequent flyer. I was like, "WTH?!" He was fine. I mentioned it to the principal, and she said, "Well, if he was sick..." Oh, dear God. Absolutely no common sense...
That is absolutely insane. 
I was like, "WTH?!" He was fine. I mentioned it to the principal, and she said, "Well, if he was sick..." Oh, dear God. Absolutely no common sense...
T.H.R.N.
74 Posts
Yes, yes, yes. A 1000 times. Everything everyone else posted. And the congregation said, "Amen!" Perfect attendance, field trips, and class parties, and picture day have been the cause of spreading more illness than I can possibly count. You know that is what everyone wants a class picture with your red honey crusted eyelashes to be forever captured in a photograph. "I'm sorry you already paid, I will make sure your money is returned you you."
If I had been a woodland critter in Narnia she would have frozen me with her Ice Queen stare.