YOUR Childhood School Nurse memories

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

I was a total frequent flyer, especially in 4th and 5th grade. My parents had recently divorced, I was in a new school and my mom was never around so I needed TLC. We didn't actually have a real school nurse, it was the secretary and she would take a temp and give you tylenol or call home. There was no triage system or anything. My mom could never actually come pick me up so I would just sort of hang out in the office. I think now I am SUPER strict b/c I assume they are all malingering. My own DS who is in 6th grade goes to his nurse a lot and she and I commiserate via email all the time, LOL.

I do remember once in High School though, I was getting my aura before a migraine and I knew I had a narrow window to get home. The secretary tried to send me home, but My mom insisted they put me in a cab and send me to her office. I think she thought I was faking (I wonder why, LOL). I always vomit with migraines and sure enough, just as the cab pulls in front of her office building, I hurled ALL OVER the cab. God bless that lovely cab driver who was super nice about it and felt terrible for me.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I can't even remember my Elementary school nurse(s). I do remember getting actually ill once in middle school and being sent back to class and just barely making it to the bathroom to vomit. Can't say I was a frequent flier. I must have been to the high school nurse a few times but don't remember anything remarkable about it though I have the vision of the nurse in my memory.

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Specializes in School nursing.

I went to a small Catholic School. We only had a nurse come in for screenings. I remember being humiliated during a postural screening (done in front of other students) that had me referred out for x-rays. (Turned out I just had terrible posture.)

I remember this every time I have to do postural screenings and go out of my way to make them comfortable and private.

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The only thing I remember is lining up for head lice checks - LOL. I don't think I was sick that often in school. In high school - if I wasn't feeling well I just got into my car and went home.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

That's a long time ago ;)

But I do have a vague memory of feeling horrible and throwing up in this very small room and my mom coming to get me. I'm assuming this was they nurse's office. I also recall standing in a long line in the lunchroom for vaccines. That's all I remember. My high school didn't have a nurse.

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I didn't even know that we had a school nurse until the end of 6th grade. I started getting really dizzy all the time, I'd get a headache, shaky, dizzy, and then tunnel vision and pass out. I was hypoglycemic and subjected to 6 GTTs because the docs were convinced that I HAD to be diabetic. I had a glucometer to monitor my lows. This nurse insisted that I was diabetic and one time, on a field trip, even drew up insulin to give me(don't know whose insulin it was)!!! My BS was 30, luckily the athletic director was also on the trip and knew my history, so he gave me OJ and twizzlers.

I don't recall ever having gone to the nurse's office in elementary or high school and only once in middle school, but that was just to turn in paperworkto carry my glucometer.

The hypoglycemia was due to thyroid being way overactive, which was, oddly enough, caused by my super infected tonsils.

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Don't think I ever once went to the school nurse except for the required height/weight/vision/hearing screenings. Had I gone home, I would have been in big trouble and not permitted to do anything. School was better than home.

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Specializes in kids.
I didn't even know that we had a school nurse until the end of 6th grade. I started getting really dizzy all the time, I'd get a headache, shaky, dizzy, and then tunnel vision and pass out. I was hypoglycemic and subjected to 6 GTTs because the docs were convinced that I HAD to be diabetic. I had a glucometer to monitor my lows. This nurse insisted that I was diabetic and one time, on a field trip, even drew up insulin to give me(don't know whose insulin it was)!!! My BS was 30, luckily the athletic director was also on the trip and knew my history, so he gave me OJ and twizzlers.

I don't recall ever having gone to the nurse's office in elementary or high school and only once in middle school, but that was just to turn in paperworkto carry my glucometer.

The hypoglycemia was due to thyroid being way overactive, which was, oddly enough, caused by my super infected tonsils.

She going to give you (someone else's) insulin for a BS of 30?????

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Specializes in School Nurse.

No lice checks I can recall, but I do now remember elementary school vision screenings.

I also remember lining up for measels (or was it rubela) boosters in high school.

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Specializes in NCSN.

My elementary school nurse was a wonderful woman. I was bullied pretty frequently, and our school counselor was focused on the fact that I don't have a father figure more than the torment my classmates were putting me through. A handful of times the bullying got to the point where I just couldn't emotionally stay in class, so I would go to the nurse who give me a hug, dry my tears and would send me home without a fuss.

I don't really remember my high school nurse, I don't think she was full time.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I did not know there was a nurse at school until I threw up on myself during music class in 1st grade. The sweet music teacher called the nurse to let her know I was on my way. My best friend and I went to the bathroom instead to clean my vomit (she said it smelled "not bad at all, it smells like cookies!") and went on to our regular classroom. I stayed in class, double vision and all, happy as a clam. I loved school and couldn't have fathomed going to the nurse and going home!

In high school a friend told me if you went to the nurse and said you had a stomach ache, you could go home. I went in and she took my temp then let me call my dad on her phone (he does not speak English fluently) and home I went, no fever and no distress but she could probably tell I was not having a great day.

Only one interaction with any school nurse! As a child I only recall other students going due to severe nosebleeds (rather than every single one, like we see now). I think I even stapled my finger once and troubleshooted it myself in the classroom. I am still in my 20s so it was not long ago but it was definitely a different world. I was reminded of me when a boy ran into a pole last year, split his earlobe, was told to go to the nurse, and promptly said, "there is a nurse at our school?" LOL

P.S. I think moms did classroom lice checks at my elementary school!

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Specializes in School nurse.

I clearly remember way way back standing in line in the auditorium and getting the small pox vaccine.

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