For the love of all that is good and holy, can somebody please tell me why the school nurse is the person to go to for clothing issues?
Examples:
typical potty accidents (don't really know why that is a nursing issue, but ok)
a kinder student who likes to pee on the floor when he's mad - I get called to the classroom to help change him (why is this a nursing issue?)
a student who's jacket zipper is stuck and can't get out of the jacket (I cut the kid out of it - why is this a nursing issue?)
a student's who's shoes are FALLING apart - the soles are almost completely separated from the shoe (taped the shoes with medical tape and called mom).
Seriously, I have teachers who will call/text/email parents because the kid has "a really high fever" (temp was 99.0) or because the kid has "a bad rash" (known eczema), but can't contact parents for shoes or clothing issues?????
Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..
This isn't my first rodeo, I did this a couple of years ago for 3 years (I left because the Army moved us to Germany).
I used to get the "gum in the hair" all the time. In case nobody has taught you this trick, Vaseline gets gum out like a charm! It dissolves the gum. Yes, the kid is left with a greasy head, but that can be resolved at home. I don't know if it will work on gummy bears, but it's worth a shot if you are faced with that situation again.
Also, welcome! I don't post on here a lot, but when I did my first year of school nursing, this board was (and still is) an INVALUABLE source of information and companionship! Please feel free to PM me if you don't want to ask a question on here....I don't know everything, but having a personal contact to reach out to, even just to vent, is sometimes all you need to get you through a day!
I used to get the "gum in the hair" all the time. In case nobody has taught you this trick, Vaseline gets gum out like a charm! It dissolves the gum. Yes, the kid is left with a greasy head, but that can be resolved at home. I don't know if it will work on gummy bears, but it's worth a shot if you are faced with that situation again.
I didn't think about Vaseline, but it makes sense! Oil is what is supposed to be what does it so at home I have used olive oil
Yes...all so annoying. I get a lot of earring issues also. This morning a teacher sent a girl down because her earring fell out and she wanted it to be put back in. No blood, drainage, redness, or any sort of problem - just to literally put an earring in. It doesn't make sense to me for this girl to miss class time to walk down here and back, just to do something you, or anyone, could have done in 5 seconds.
My favorite is when there is a hole in clothing... I am a nurse, not a seamstress! I guess the previous nurse would sew things frequently. Sorry, I can't sew! It's funny how we end up being the catch all for everything...
Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
I get all the clothing issues sent to me because I have all the clothes!! Yes, for some reason ( I'm guessing its the old "its always been that way" excuse) my office holds pants, shirts, underwear, socks, shoes, coats, boots, snowpants, hats, mittens and any other odd thing you could want. Didn't dress up for picture day? Go to the nurse. Your class was supposed to all wear blue shirts today? Go see the nurse. Spilled your milk on you at lunch? Go see the nurse. The snow that was forecasted for two weeks now caught your parents off guard? Go get stuff from the nurse. It's never ending!
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
After I made a big deal at the admin about the peeing issue in the beginning, I made sure that they sent a letter to the parents of K and 1st to put extra clothes in the backpack because I am limited on items. I have no boy underwear but girl underwear. I have some size pants, but not bigger than 14 in girls and boys. I have some elementary uniform shirts and middle school shirts but that's it. So when they come to me because little Jimmy peed himself, I ask if he had extra clothes in his backpack, if not then what I do is I call mom, let her know the accident. If she's okay with Jimmy wearing girl underwear for the day, I will give the kid wipes and the clean clothes and let him change. If she has a problem with that, then I tell her she needs to bring him clothes now and to please next time bring extra clothes in his backpack just in case. Since then, I rarely have a incident.
I have been fortunate, in 2 years I have had one urine accident. We don't do extra clothes so parents have to be called. I still deal with dirty shoes, etc., but being a small school, I can deal with it.
Yea and peed their pants and needs chapstick and cough drops with 5 min until dismissal while I'm attending to multiple diabetics makes me want to scream.
nursetlm, ADN
171 Posts
I had one with a broken flip flop and one who was sent with her shoelaces in a knot that the teacher couldn't get out.