Working from Home During COVID-19 Shut Down

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

If you’re working from home during the shut down, what are you doing? I don’t have access to e-school (our charting and information program). We have to be “doing our jobs” from home.

[Nurse Trini]

I'm drafting my end of year notices (which may not go out, I guess I'll have to come up with a plan for what to do with the stuff in my office that normally goes home at the end of year if we don't reopen). They just adopted next year's calendar, so I'll work on some scheduling and beginning of year paperwork for next year. Of course, perhaps I'll have to figure out a plan if they modify the school year again (rather than just forgiving the time we're losing).

Of course, what I won't be seeing is any students dropping by the house ?

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Can your IT people make a change in that?

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

29 minutes ago, NutmeggeRN said:

Can your IT people make a change in that?

As far as I’m aware, no.

I think this is uncharted territory for all involved and I would not worry too much about making sure it looks like you are "working" during this crisis. I think making sure you check work email various times a day and staying informed on your District policies during the next several weeks is about all you can do. I know our district is taking it day by day. They have assured us we will be paid. We have been instructed to make sure we are checking email on a regular basis, and we were just told to join Zoom so we can hold virtual meetings. I think if and when we are all back in school, everything will have to be reevaluated and a plan moving forward will be put into place. My guess is there will be no state testing this Spring, and the start of the 2020 school year will have to be review of some sort.

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

I’m hoping that’s true. However, I was told I had to submit the items I’m working on. If checking e-mail and attending meetings are all I have to do, great! If not, I’m trying to come up with things I can do.. just in case it’s required.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

5 hours ago, MHDNURSE said:

I think this is uncharted territory for all involved and I would not worry too much about making sure it looks like you are "working" during this crisis. I think making sure you check work email various times a day and staying informed on your District policies during the next several weeks is about all you can do. I know our district is taking it day by day. They have assured us we will be paid. We have been instructed to make sure we are checking email on a regular basis, and we were just told to join Zoom so we can hold virtual meetings. I think if and when we are all back in school, everything will have to be reevaluated and a plan moving forward will be put into place. My guess is there will be no state testing this Spring, and the start of the 2020 school year will have to be review of some sort.

Yep and yep. I also think it will be unfair not to promote any student that might have been on the cusp.

[Bulldogs, CNA, EMT-B]

I'm working on data entry and state reports. Basically doing end of year things just in case we do not finish. If we happen to go back I will be ahead of the game.

[RedKat]

I'm in NY. The local health department is doing a live facebook feed this afternoon, so I'll watch that... plus the state hosts a weekly call-in Q&A session for all NYS healthcare providers, so I'll probably try to call in and listen to that weekly. And I'll probably see if I can find any other free trainings or webinars now & then. I had already sent out my first round of letters regarding immunizations needed for the start of the 2020-21 year, so there's not much I can do with that for now. Plus I'm a bit more computer-savvy than the other nurses in my district, so I've offered my services to them if they have any trouble running reports at home from the program we use (SchoolTool). Can't think of much else for now!

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

I'm in MA and we will be closed through at least April 6th. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will extend this through at least the end of April, and maybe the remainder of the school year.

I have a district laptop and can access SNAP in the cloud from home; I set up a Google voice number so that families can reach me from home with any questions; I changed my voicemail at school to direct families to that number. I am also checking email hourly. I'll definitely chart any phone call or email I receive to give myself credit for "working" at home. We use the Google suite of services in my district, so having all of their apps on my phone, and being signed in to them with my work email makes it easy to separate what is work and what is personal, therefore allowing my brain to "leave work" after 3pm each day! All of my yearly letters are drafted already, so all I would have to do with them is change the date, which would take a whopping 5minutes, so I might as well leave that to right before I send them out! We tried to get families to come pick up all meds this week already in preparation for if the school remains closed through September...

Other than that, I'm just trying to stay in touch with admin at my school and in the district as a whole and making myself available to help out wherever is needed, though I'm over 30minutes away and so many in-district employees have offered to help pass out lunches/breakfasts on the daily that I doubt I'll be called.

I'm sure I'll use this time to work on Union proposals and offering to help with admin tasks that can be done remotely, but other than that, I'm just trying to relax.... And mentally prepare for needing to help out an area hospital, if it gets to that point!!

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

I'm closed and "working from home." My principal has asked me and our school counselor to work together to send health & wellness tips to parents. I'm working on tips (drink water + why/how much/tips on how to remind yourself, get up once an hour, stretches--maybe making a PDF guide of stretches to do). Is it really my job? No, but at least I'm putting something out and hopefully parents will be appreciative.

Other things I'm doing: learning how to use excel (super tech challenged) and setting up for logging data, staying in touch with the department of health, revamping my teacher lessons (allergies, asthma, etc.). Brushing up on state laws related to school nursing.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I'm launching a Google classroom with other nurse hopefully next week. It isn't to teach, really, but we developing it as space to promote social health and have a message board.

I'm thinking of launching a "Nurse's Office" hour on Zoom next week as well for students to just jump and chat if they want; thinking of all my frequent fliers that needed that during the school day and wondering if they'd like the virtual option as well. No one may go or they will and we may just chat about TV shows, but you know what? That is totally okay.