Dear teachers at my school,
I know that the school year is dwindling down, and many of you (not to mention the students) are frothing at the bit to get out. Tempers and sanity tend to get frayed this time of year.
Now, I know kids do a lot of stupid things. My mentally damaged husband actually spent an hour in his high school nurse's office for swallowing a chunk of dry ice (and still hasn't stopped belching, by the way).
There are many good reasons to send a kid to my office. Recently, though, the number of questionable reasons to be sending them has increased. This usually happens this time of year.
So, to be helpful, I'm putting up a list of NOT ACCEPTABLE reasons to send a child to the school nurse. All of these are things I've seen in the last 2 weeks.
1. "Left his lunch box on the school bus."
2. Any student who comes to my office (for the 3rd time in 5 hours, too) with a note that says "Reason for nurse referral: I'm sick of his crap. Talk to him about it."
3. To get a knot out of a shoelace.
4. To show them how to tie shoes.
5. To tell them to tell their mother that she should quit smoking.
6. "He says his butt itches."
7. "Says she's tired of being at school". REALLY! THAT'S WHAT THE TEACHER WROTE!
8. Chews gum.
9. Chews gum too loudly.
10. Swallowed gum.
11. Ate lunch before lunch hour.
12. "Left money at home". I'm a nurse, okay? Not a bank!
So, please limit your referrals to my office to kids who legitimately need health care, and we'll make it through the next few weeks together. Thank you.
