Why don't parents

Published

Specializes in Peds, MS, DIDD, Corrections, HH, LTC, School Nurse.

Keep their contact info up to date? I have had a student in the clinic since 11:30, vomiting and no temp. All numbers for parents are not working, voice mail not set up for grandmother's contact # and auntie's phone" isn't taking calls at this time".

An hour after lying in clinic little guy says I think I feel better, can I try to make it the rest of the day. I'm thinking might as well since we can't get in touch with anyone, I call his teacher explain the situation and she agrees.

Teacher calls back within 15 minutes, little guy just vomited in the classroom trash can, sending him back.

Start interrogating little guy... where do your parents work, do you have any other numbers in your tracker, etc. Doesn't know the name of parent's employment. Mom's a "blood taker" somewhere and doesn't even know if dad has a "real job". In between the other 40 kids coming in and out of the clinic I find out that he is a car rider, but that he goes to Educare after school. I wait for the Educare director to arrive at 2:30 pm to check if she has different contact information. Yep! She has a different number for mom.... a working number that mom answers! Finally mom is on her way to get LD after more that 3 hours of the child being sick at school. There should be some kind of law or something to hold parents responsible for ensuring all people that have contact with their child have up to date info.

AND another thing.....

What is up with the "this # isn't accepting calls at this time"... so when do you accept calls, in the evening when your child is home with you? AND why don't people set up their voice mails? If they do have a VM set up.... try checking it when I leave a message instead of calling the front office saying "someone called from this # and I don't know who it was" there's over 600 extensions that are connected to the main #, check your message and you'll know who called!!

OK rant over!

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I've always assumed "this number isn't accepting calls" means someone didn't pay their phone bill.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

I'm sorry. I often feel the same way.

I get admin involved because this is absolutely, positively unsafe. I guess in a real emergency you'd send the principal or whomever with little guy to the hospital and parents would wonder at 6 PM where he was?

I wish you the best for this little guy.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I had a counselor drive over to the house too.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

We get the police to go to the address.

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Specializes in pediatrics, School LVN.

One of my biggest frustrations, I feel your pain.

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Specializes in pediatrics, School LVN.
11 minutes ago, OldDude said:

We get the police to go to the address.

I bet that doesn't happen more than once.

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Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

I've pretty much presumed that a phone that isnt accepting calls is a phone that hasn't been paid for.

In one case I was told to call the emergency contact who said that she doesnt speak to "mom" anymore since "mom" screamed at her. She did find mom for me, mom didn't call back, she just showed up at school.

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Specializes in NCSN.

I have gotten "This line isn't accepting calls from this number" before when parents have tried to block my office number (because you know I am just calling all the time for my own sake and not their child's)

I agree with everything you said Feral.Cat.Herder. We have decided that next year in order for parents to receive the survey on where they would like their child placed the next year they will HAVE to update/confirm that no contact information has changed in our online system we use.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
36 minutes ago, Glitternurse said:

I bet that doesn't happen more than once.

It does spur some action.

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This happens on a regular basis here (three times this week in fact) and it's so darn frustrating! Esp the ones that walk in the school with a fever right off the bat. We also send an officer to the house as a last resort but even then sometimes the parent is not home. I also love hearing from the other emergency contacts things like I don't talk to them anymore or I don't have a car...I would never allow myself to be unreachable for my own children as I'm sure none of you would either! Grrr!

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Specializes in Peds, MS, DIDD, Corrections, HH, LTC, School Nurse.
15 hours ago, OldDude said:

We get the police to go to the address.

We've done this before also, Old Dude. Unfortunately, yesterday the parents weren't home and unable to be located. ?

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