Your favorite extracurriculars?

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No, I'm not talking about coaching or clubs. I'm talking about the completely unrelated-to-nursing tasks that you have embraced, or had thrust upon you, in your school nursing role!

My favorites: bugs and drugs. For reasons I cannot understand (but have finally just accepted), I am in charge of capturing and identifying all suspicious insects. I'll put on gloves, I'll bag 'em, I'll take pictures and zoom way in, I'll nod while someone compares them to online photos. I will openly say, "I'm no more qualified to name this bug than you are," or "you really don't study bugs in nursing school," but it seems to make people happy if I squint and appear to take it seriously.

Also, I am in charge of identifying any loose, suspicious medication or substance. I've identified everything from vitamins to Oxycontin (nothing that I administer! Presumably meds that have been stolen, lost or sold and then dropped or hidden).

4 minutes ago, SchoolNurse91 said:

Of course. I am really flattered that they think we are all knowing. I can't tell you how many times I get a call to see if something is broken as well. Unless there is a bone popping through the skin, you're gonna need a x-ray to make that call. I had a principal say "You can't look at something and tell if it's broken???"..almost acted as if I were stupid. It's swollen. It hurts. Is there a possibility it's broken? Yep. Is there a possibility it's not? Yep.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-X-ray-Spex-Amazing-Vision/dp/B001DBEARY

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Specializes in School Nurse.
1 hour ago, BrisketRN said:

https://www.amazon.com/Original-X-ray-Spex-Amazing-Vision/dp/B001DBEARY

I think we should all get a pair of these glasses and put them on every time we are asked if something is broken. ?

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
2 hours ago, SchoolNurse91 said:

I'm in charge of determining if a kid is high...

They don't call the police officers we have on campus who are fully qualified to conduct sobriety tests.

"We think this kid is high. Can you come check."

Assessment normal/abnormal. Tell admin my findings. "Well, are they high?"

I tell them I'm not qualified to make that determination yet the call every single time.

"Legally I cannot make him/her pee in a cup and I don't have the special thingamabobies that would turn purple if s/he was high."

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

I get to do announcements when our principal will be out in the morning. The first time we made a contest out of it...had the kids try to guess who it was. My daughter got it right.

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1 hour ago, GdBSN said:

I think we should all get a pair of these glasses and put them on every time we are asked if something is broken. ?

I have a nurse doll in my office. I think these would look wonderful on her. Doubt if anyone would get the humor but I would find it most amusing.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.
1 hour ago, GdBSN said:

I think we should all get a pair of these glasses and put them on every time we are asked if something is broken. ?

Getting these for the nurses in my district for Nurse's Day!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

We all wear so many hats! Some days include me as secretary, disciplinarian, custodian, counselor, bus monitor, lunch lady, hall escort, classroom monitor, and anything else that comes up!

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Specializes in school nursing/ maternal/child hospital based.
3 hours ago, GdBSN said:

I think we should all get a pair of these glasses and put them on every time we are asked if something is broken. ?

I always say " If I had one super power, it would be x-ray vision" Would that ever make school nursing easier!! I'm going to get these, wear a cape and that will be my costume for next Halloween!!

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3 hours ago, SaltineQueen said:

I get to do announcements when our principal will be out in the morning. The first time we made a contest out of it...had the kids try to guess who it was. My daughter got it right.

I could just see me doing the announcements at my school. I can't even eat or go to the bathroom.

"I pledge allegiance to the............no, I said pinch it - don't stuff the kleenex up your nostrils........United States.......just sit in front of the trash can and give me a minute....of America. I don't have your inhaler, you are a self carry. And to the...oh never mind, they just called me to the band hall, someone just passed out."

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Specializes in Pediatrics, school nursing.

I have a bulletin board with a monthly school events calendar that I am in charge of, I am the resident pill identifier, and several staff members bring me their lab results to discuss. I use Google on my phone to look up the tests, but that doesn't seem to discourage them from coming back.

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Specializes in School Health.

At work I am nurse/secretary/end of the day late car riders watcher. At home, I enjoy archery and fishing.

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eyeglass repair (the kit is here, so I don't mind, but it certainly isn't medical)

babysitter for any student who doesn't want to be in class, but also isn't ill (usually all of the behavioral and/or class avoidant kids)

gym pass writer (even with a note from a doctor, they want me to write the exact same note on my special paper for them)

designated uncomfortable phone call maker (usually calls that SW or special ed teachers should be making)

oh, and I'm also the only staff with no lunch break, and the staff will see me trying to house my sandwich and still send me frequent flyers with no medical issues that "can't concentrate."

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