Will It Always Be This Crazy?!

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First day of school with the kids today! Third day back to school with staff. I'm in a PK-6th grade elementary school, and I have a ton of work to do! Our schools are very well stocked and each school in our district has a nurse. I'm certainly not in the boat of people who have to build their health offices from the ground up, but this is my first year school nursing full time and the first few days have been nuts. I try to complete one task and get pulled away by something else that opens up the door for 5 more tasks. I'm an extremely organized and detail oriented person, but I'm trying to get my priorities straight and it's taking a long time to get things done. I've been the last one leaving the building these past few days! I know this is normal so I'm trying not to absolutely freak out but I need someone to tell me I'll get to leave at 3:00 instead of 5:30 or 6 eventually! Does it get easier year to year too? I love taking care of the kids, but the extra paperwork and other associated items are killing me. Not to mention I got stung by a bee today when I was called out onto the playgroup because two students smacked heads at recess and one was bleeding from a gash on his forehead. Go figure. Good thing I don't have a LTA to bees. I didn't even have time to put an ice pack on my arm today let alone each lunch. :woot:

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Welcome!

NO... it will not always be this crazy, but there is a learning curve, like any job.

Try to set boundaries and stick to them this year.

Keep in mind that the STUDENTS are not our PATIENTS unless they get sick. It's a very different type of nursing than most.

Good luck, this SN Forum is great!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Far gives good advise...keep in mind the only ones who really know your are there is the staff; wait till the word spreads through the student body that you are there - another outlet for getting out of classwork, PE, tests, and school in general. Keep a tight rein!

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Specializes in School Nurse.

You can't do everything at once. Priorities for me are 1. Health alerts & conditions - needed for teachers and you. 2. Call parents to clarify their cryptic descriptions of alerts & conditions. 3. Medication orders 4. Immunizations 5. Hearing and vision screening. Everything else is on hold.

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You can't do everything at once. Priorities for me are 1. Health alerts & conditions - needed for teachers and you. 2. Call parents to clarify their cryptic descriptions of alerts & conditions. 3. Medication orders 4. Immunizations 5. Hearing and vision screening. Everything else is on hold.

Good list.

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For me, at a Pre-K through Second grade campus, the first of the year and end of year paper work is always CRAZY! You will get very good at multi-tasking! The start of the school year is like juggling and trying to keep 10 balls in the air! Mid year it's more like only juggling 5 balls!:up: But once you learn what system of doing things works for you, it will get a lot smoother.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
2. Call parents to clarify their cryptic descriptions of alerts & conditions.

Tining- I LOVE this description-- cryptic.

Annnnd, we allllll know exactly what this is referring to!! :sarcastic: :yes: (I'm so glad I finally got to use the rolly-eyed smiley guy!!)

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Yes on cryptic! Also, my child has asthma. Then you ask them to get the MMP filled out and they reply, "Oh, well, the doctor never said it, I just give him his cousin's (brother's, sister's, whatever), inhaler and it works. :no::banghead::banghead::no:

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I dread having to call the parents. I have and "Allergic to grape juice" this year. Clarification - gives her a stomach ache. Sigh.

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I dread having to call the parents. I have and "Allergic to grape juice" this year. Clarification - gives her a stomach ache. Sigh.

Yes, I have this same problem. It's always the "odd" allergy that this seems to apply to. Once our data clerk sees this on the registration form, she enters in onto the child's record. When the teacher accesses it, they just see "ALERT - FOOD ALLERGY" but doesn't say "grape juice" which causes a panicked call to me from the teacher "OMG I DIDN"T KNOW THEY HAD AN ALLERGY WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?" This generally happens when I have a clinic full of sick kids and 4 kids waiting to take their ADHD meds with absolutely no impulse control :). After chasing it down it inevitably ends up being a stomach ache or "she just doesn't like it" per Mom. WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME!!!! I do not have the time to trace down 300 plus reports of "allergies" for 900+ kids. If someone brings me in MD documentation and medication, I take it very seriously. Otherwise I figure if they can't be bothered to bring in anything it must not be that bad.

Geesh.....

:nurse:

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I dread having to call the parents. I have and "Allergic to grape juice" this year. Clarification - gives her a stomach ache. Sigh.

Ha! I found an allergic to GMO this year. Mom acted like "GMO" was a single thing that was added to foods.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

It's always crazy the first couple months of school. Hang in there. It will get easier.

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