Will I get in trouble with the State Board of Nursing

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Hi everyone. I am an LPN school nurse in the state of Florida. I started this position in July and it is my first position in the field of school health. Recently I made what I now see as a poor lapse in judgement involving applying triple antibiotic ointment on a child's lips (1st grader, autistic) whose lips were SEVERELY chapped and cracking. I figured since TAO is petroleum based and I didn't see any warning on the container against using it on the lips that it would be okay. Well the kid I put it on's parents are both RN's and called the school absolutely livid saying that if ingested tAO could cause all these adverse effects (which I did not consider that the amount was enough to be toxic or cause adverse effects) I was incompetent and that they would report me to the BON. I have already spoken to the director of my school and we decided to rid the use of TAO completely (at least until next year when I can get parent consent for it) and I admitted that I did not use the TAO for its indicated purpose (where I went wrong).

My question: Can this affect my license/can I get in trouble with the BON?

*edit to the last post*

I did not call the child's physician. I have the administrative guidelines for school health for my state in my office. I will double check the procedure for medication errors in the morning as well.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I'm comparing this to if it occurred in Texas, but something to investigate.....I'm not sure the BON would have jurisdiction since, in Texas you can't be employed as a LPN unless your district has a supervising RN. You could work for a school district tending to the health needs of the students but the fact you have a licenses might not be relevant. For instance, a non-licensed person could have put the antibiotic on the child's lips and the BON would not have jurisdiction. You might not be employed as a LPN, according to BON rules, that is.

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Are you referring to the TAO that is found in Walgreens and other drugs stores (more often than not) OTC?

IMO, the parents are doing a little much, over some glorified Vaseline being applied to their child's severely chapped lips.

I highly doubt if the amount applied could result in adverse affects.

In the right amounts almost anything ingested could cause adverse affects. The carmex that they should've gave their kid before leaving the house...could also cause adverse affects if ingested :/

Tell the parents to arm their child with some chap-stick and retire the theatrics

(Lol)

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IMO, the parents are doing a little much, over some glorified Vaseline being applied to their child's severely chapped lips.

I totally agree. What nonsense.

I use TAO on cuts and scrapes all the time. I don't have an MD order for it. And to think it could harm a child from being on lips is ridiculous.

Truth? I think the parents were neglectful to send their special needs child to school with such severely chapped lips that they needed TAO!!!

I agree with getting just to have it.

I like Aquaphor for really chapped lips.

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

I stopped carrying TOA in my clinic because I have 2 students that are allergic to it. I don't want to have to remember which 2 students out of 20 each day have that specific allergy. It has been shown that sop and water is just as effective.

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I thought the parents were way overreacting as well but truth is it is a medication. I do not want any problems with the board or any negative notes on my license, especially over something like TAO! I don't have an order for it at this point so I have discontinued using it to avoid further problems. I am considering having parents sign consent for its use for next year or just stop using it altogether as it is not absolutely necessary though beneficial. By the way I have been seeing that vaseline is able to provide similar benefits so I am considering a swap (still want to get parental consent). Also, I have since purchased .

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I'm sorry you are going through this. Trust me when I say you would not get disciplined by the Board for that. They have WAY bigger fish to fry.

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Technically I guess you shouldn't have done it; realistically, the parents are total jerks. Look at us, we're RN's, look how important we are. Rolleyes. And yeah, I'm an RN.

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We can't even use petroleum jelly. We wouldn't use triple antibiotic ointment either.

You are right - we get tossed into this job without policies and procedures for the most part and have no one above us to provide medical help.

I do belong to NASN (National Association of School Nurses) and the California branch of same.

I was fortunate when I first started that there were 6 new school nurses in the entire county and one nurse with vast amounts of experience and ready to retire did a free orientation one day a week for 6 weeks for us.

Yes, is necessary and inexpensive ($100/yr). I would get it.

(p.s. We don't have a school district physician as well).

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Technically I guess you shouldn't have done it; realistically, the parents are total jerks. Look at us, we're RN's, look how important we are. Rolleyes. And yeah, I'm an RN.

I think they are going overboard too.

We should work together unless it is truly a medical mistake that causes harm. I'm sure they've made their own share of mistakes.

Glad you got insurance. As I mentioned, we had to sweep our schools clean of petroleum jelly. We can only clean wounds with soap and water. Can't put anything on itchy skin.

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We can't even use petroleum jelly. We wouldn't use triple antibiotic ointment either.

You are right - we get tossed into this job without policies and procedures for the most part and have no one above us to provide medical help.

I do belong to NASN (National Association of School Nurses) and the California branch of same.

I was fortunate when I first started that there were 6 new school nurses in the entire county and one nurse with vast amounts of experience and ready to retire did a free orientation one day a week for 6 weeks for us.

Yes, malpractice insurance is necessary and inexpensive ($100/yr). I would get it.

(p.s. We don't have a school district physician as well).

Man I wish I could have had that. This first year has been a big learning experience for me for sure. I am going to join NASN and have been doing my best to take CEUs relevant to my practice. For the future I will be erring on the side of caution rather than apply something that may be questionable later.

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The next thing you know, parents will complain that the child reacted to the soap! I feel soap can be just as much of an issue if a child has sensitive skin and the wrong soap is used. (My son is allergic to Dial soap.) We do the best we can..

I'm surprised about not being able to use vaseline. We used it for newborns at the hospital and never needed an order.

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