58 replies to this topic

[SplashMom]

shouldn't the mom provided proper paperwork? I mean the nurse was an idiot, but the mother seems to not accept responsibility for not giving the school permission as per policy.

There is no doubt that the mother should have provided the proper documentation in order for her son to be able to use his inhaler at school. Having said that, a lot of my time is spent calling or e-mailing parents and practically begging them to bring items to the clinic which would be needed by their child in an emergency situation. I'm like a dog with a bone ... I don't let it go until I get what I should have. If a parent marks on the emergency health form that their child will need an inhaler or EpiPen at school, I don't stop hassling them until I have it. This past school year, I had 19 EpiPens for students who had severe food allergies or bee sting allergies and I had 37 inhalers for students with asthma. I once had to ask the principal to intervene because I could not get the (divorced) parents of one child to bring in an EpiPen for her nut allergy. Each parent wanted the other to do it. I don't give a s#!t which parent brings it ... just bring it already!

Just as I have trouble with parents bringing in the medications, I also have trouble with them picking them up at the end of the year. I have over 100 medications for students that are kept in my clinic each year (Tylenol, cough syrup, Ritalin, EpiPens, inhalers, etc.) Beginning three weeks prior to the last day of school, I place a weekly notice in our school newsletter that all medications must be picked up by the last day of school or they will be discarded as I am not allowed to keep them in the clinic during the summer months. Because EpiPens are so expensive, I also personally e-mail those parents to remind them and, if I don't get a reply to the e-mail, I call them. One child in our middle school was unable to go on an overnight field trip (camping) because his mother never brought an EpiPen for him. That particular nurse involved her principal, too, but the mom just couldn't get with the program.

[beli]

shouldn't the mom provided proper paperwork? I mean the nurse was an idiot, but the mother seems to not accept responsibility for not giving the school permission as per policy.

There is no doubt that the mother should have provided the proper documentation in order for her son to be able to use his inhaler at school. Having said that, a lot of my time is spent calling or e-mailing parents and practically begging them to bring items to the clinic which would be needed by their child in an emergency situation. I'm like a dog with a bone ... I don't let it go until I get what I should have. If a parent marks on the emergency health form that their child will need an inhaler or EpiPen at school, I don't stop hassling them until I have it. This past school year, I had 19 EpiPens for students who had severe food allergies or bee sting allergies and I had 37 inhalers for students with asthma. I once had to ask the principal to intervene because I could not get the (divorced) parents of one child to bring in an EpiPen for her nut allergy. Each parent wanted the other to do it. I don't give a s#!t which parent brings it ... just bring it already!

Just as I have trouble with parents bringing in the medications, I also have trouble with them picking them up at the end of the year. I have over 100 medications for students that are kept in my clinic each year (Tylenol, cough syrup, Ritalin, EpiPens, inhalers, etc.) Beginning three weeks prior to the last day of school, I place a weekly notice in our school newsletter that all medications must be picked up by the last day of school or they will be discarded as I am not allowed to keep them in the clinic during the summer months. Because EpiPens are so expensive, I also personally e-mail those parents to remind them and, if I don't get a reply to the e-mail, I call them. One child in our middle school was unable to go on an overnight field trip (camping) because his mother never brought an EpiPen for him. That particular nurse involved her principal, too, but the mom just couldn't get with the program.

Okay, here's the flip side.. in this day/age there are parents that don't have insurance/and or may be on state aid. What happens if parents can't afford extra medication than what they already allotted and the state refuses to allow medication after a certain point saying they already gotten their number allowed and won't give anymore. What then? The student already has what medication he is needed on the person, but can't get the school the extra they need.

Or hell it could even happen w/ insurance companies... they refuse to pay for extras after a certain # of refills already given.

Edited by beli, 28 May 2012 - 06:01 AM.

[jack1212]

What would have happened if the kid had died with his inhaler right there? He would have rec'd CPR and EMS would be called but he would not get any medication that is not authorized and that includes the inhaler. When EMS arrived, he would be given epi to attempt to open his airway. I'm not a paramedic so I'm not sure what their rules are (maybe a paramedic on here can chime in) but it's possible the paramedic may be able to give the kid his inhaler. I doubt it though since they have better stuff, like the epi.

We would be allowed to treat him under implied consent. Once we Put him on our stretcher, the nurse, nor school would have any say. we would also need to see any and all paperwork regarding the childs Hx and records.

If he meets the criteria, he would get a nebulizer breathing treatment. If that didnt work, simply move on to other meds.

And yes, if it's the right pt, and its his prescribed inhaler and it's not expired, a Paramedic can give it to him.

Keep in mind this is NC here. Other states may do different.

[paycuthurtme]

The world needs more heroes... more people willing to take personal risks to do the right thing.

Lots of luck on that one.

[sirrowan]

The world needs more heroes... more people willing to take personal risks to do the right thing.

Lots of luck on that one.

Ikr? I recall that my mom had some sort of insurance in case she was sued for helping someone. Ya know, like giving CPR, saving someone's life, but cracking a rib in the process. People will sue for stuff like that.

[SplashMom]

Okay, here's the flip side.. in this day/age there are parents that don't have insurance/and or may be on state aid. What happens if parents can't afford extra medication than what they already allotted and the state refuses to allow medication after a certain point saying they already gotten their number allowed and won't give anymore. What then? The student already has what medication he is needed on the person, but can't get the school the extra they need.

Or hell it could even happen w/ insurance companies... they refuse to pay for extras after a certain # of refills already given.

That does happen on occasion. We have some community service resources with whom we work. Occasionally, we're able to get medications for a child. We have an eye doctor that works with us that will actually do eye exams and provide the glasses for a child in need. We also have an agency that comes in each year to perform free physicals for any child who does not have health insurance or if the family is on free/reduced lunch plan. Of course the parent must complete the paperwork and sign the appropriate forms and we encourage them to come to the school the day the physicals are done to be there with their child(ren). The thing is, we do what we can to ensure the health and safety of all our students.

Ikr? I recall that my mom had some sort of insurance in case she was sued for helping someone. Ya know, like giving CPR, saving someone's life, but cracking a rib in the process. People will sue for stuff like that.

Each of the school nurses in my school distict has professional liability insurance that is paid by our district each year. For non-professional rescuers who perform CPR, but are certified, the Good Samaritan Law would cover them. I would hope that someone who receives CPR and might get a cracked rib in the process would realize that a cracked rib is much better than the alternative. Sadly, less than 8% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting survive. If more people would learn CPR and if more people would actually step up when someone is in crisis, we could save many more lives. It's very sad that we live in such a litigious society where many are suing or living in fear of being sued.

Edited by SplashMom, 28 May 2012 - 03:10 PM.

[sirrowan]

Okay, here's the flip side.. in this day/age there are parents that don't have insurance/and or may be on state aid. What happens if parents can't afford extra medication than what they already allotted and the state refuses to allow medication after a certain point saying they already gotten their number allowed and won't give anymore. What then? The student already has what medication he is needed on the person, but can't get the school the extra they need.

Or hell it could even happen w/ insurance companies... they refuse to pay for extras after a certain # of refills already given.

That does happen on occasion. We have some community service resources with whom we work. Occasionally, we're able to get medications for a child. We have an eye doctor that works with us that will actually do eye exams and provide the glasses for a child in need. We also have an agency that comes in each year to perform free physicals for any child who does not have health insurance or if the family is on free/reduced lunch plan. Of course the parent must complete the paperwork and sign the appropriate forms and we encourage them to come to the school the day the physicals are done to be there with their child(ren). The thing is, we do what we can to ensure the health and safety of all our students.

Ikr? I recall that my mom had some sort of insurance in case she was sued for helping someone. Ya know, like giving CPR, saving someone's life, but cracking a rib in the process. People will sue for stuff like that.

Each of the school nurses in my school distict has professional liability insurance that is paid by our district each year. For non-professional rescuers who perform CPR, but are certified, the Good Samaritan Law would cover them. I would hope that someone who receives CPR and might get a cracked rib in the process would realize that a cracked rib is much better than the alternative. Sadly, less than 8% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting survive. If more people would learn CPR and if more people would actually step up when someone is in crisis, we could save many more lives. It's very sad that we live in such a litigious society where many are suing or living in fear of being sued.

The Good Samaritan Law is great, but we didn't always have it.

On the flip side, I remember learning in Business Law, that there exists case law where someone was sued for NOT allowing someone to use their phone to call 911. What I learned is that if someone tells you to call 911 and you do not, you can be held liable if something happens (like a murder etc) that could have been prevented had 911 been called. Lesson learned? If someone tells me to call 911, I'm calling!

[iH8cra]

Sadly, less than 8% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting survive. If more people would learn CPR and if more people would actually step up when someone is in crisis, we could save many more lives. It's very sad that we live in such a litigious society where many are suing or living in fear of being sued.

Sadly, most people who suffer cardiac arrest ANYWHERE do not survive. The highest percentage I've seen is 30% and that seems very high to me. My opinion is the true percentage is around 15-20%. Yep, even in a hospital with a defibrillator, crash cart, and slew of highly-trained people, the overwhelming majority of people who suffer cardiac arrest will die. TV and movies make CPR seem very effective when the truth is that it is not.

It's true that if more people just tried CPR in an emergency that more people would live. Even if you've never taken a class, have no idea what you're doing, and everything you learned about CPR came from an episode of Friends, then at least do that. Something is better than nothing.

Edited by iH8cra, 28 May 2012 - 05:08 PM.

[angeleyeskkhr]

.Sadly, less than 8% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting survive. If more people would learn CPR and if more people would actually step up when someone is in crisis, we could save many more lives. It's very sad that we live in such a litigious society where many are suing or living in fear of being sued.

Eh. The number of people my dad has performed CPR on is in the double digits. He likes to joke that he is amserialckiller that can rival the Son of Sam, et al., because not a single one survived.

He even managed to kill not save my mom's pastor.

But at least he ain't the one to kill Santa in the grocery store in front of kids.