School nurse is an idiot

[Brooke]

i got a phone call from my daughter (She is 18 next week) this morning telling me she was having an asthma attack at school. This happened once before in middle school (5 years ago) and so I talked to the nurse. She said Aubrey was talking fine and had enough air but needed her inhaler. (The nurse was given one the beginning of school but had none for her today ) So I tell the nurse, I live a half hour away so please call 911 if she is in any trouble. She sounded like she was gasping for breath in between talking on the phone and I didn't like it. The nurse assures me she is really fine. She will call 911 if she needs to... I jump in my car with the inhaler and start speeding to school. I called my daughter twice to see how she was doing...

I decide to call the office at school to tell them what is going on and ask for an administrator to go make sure my daughter is ok, and over see her care... the administrator calls me back ( I wish it was the principal but it wasn't) this guy says she is talking and joking and laughing so she is fine, just come with the inhaler. I was 10 min away at the time...

I get there... Aubrey's hands are numb, and cramped in a claw like.. her face is numb, her eyes hurt, and she is having real trouble breathing. I say to the nurse...Call 911 now. I cant drive her like this... the nurse did not want to call and starts to explain why, and I say CALL 911 NOW! The ambulance comes, and they are asking how long she was in distress...It was a good 45 min. They are angry and shocked the school waited... I am so angry at them. The paramedics tell the nurse that just because you can talk doesn't mean you don't call 911... her heart was working over time, she was hyperventalating and it was pretty bad.

Aubrey is fine now, but it is so scarey that she has this attack after 5 years with no trouble of asthma. Her inhaler is with her most times but she happened to switch pocketbooks and left it out.

I find out later that she got hit in the chest with an elbow during a game and i triggered the attack. And the nurse sent her to her car to see if she had and inhaler!!! Then she decided Aubrey was ok and sent her BACK TO GYM!!! The gym teacher was so mad she walked my daughter back to the nurse!!!! Then the nurse had her call me!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it???

Sorry so long...I;m just so angry with these people who are supposed to know what they are doing. I will meet with the principal and let him know what happened.

[Tink]

Brooke, that's downright scary!
It stinks when the people we count on to protect and care for our kids don't do it. I'm glad your daughter is ok, and hope she keeps her inhaler with her now "just in case". I'd be raising some caine about this with the school too. They need to learn from this so it never happens again.

[Janet]

Yes, I agree!! Let the school administrators know what happened. This should never have happened in the first place. Just what are the school nurses' credentials anyway. Sounds like someone off the street. I would be so angry that the school would be paying what my insurance didn't cover. They should be safe at school, with knowledgeable administrators and nurses. Man!!!!

[Kimberley]

That's horrible and that nurse has obviously forgotten what she is there for. Contact the superintendant and see if something can be done about this.

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Kimberley

That's horrible and that nurse has obviously forgotten what she is there for. Contact the superintendant and see if something can be done about this.

I agree with Kimberley. I think that you should contact the school superintendent and let him know about what happened and how incompetent this nurse was. She should be in trouble for her LACK of action. The consequences could have been very serious!!

[Gina]

Originally Posted by DianaB

I agree with Kimberley. I think that you should contact the school superintendent and let him know about what happened and how incompetent this nurse was. She should be in trouble for her LACK of action. The consequences could have been very serious!!

Yes I agree with the above posts, this is your child, the nurse was 100 % wrong, who is she to make that call. <meaning thinking it was nothing>
I definetly would not let this rest, like Diana said the consequences could have been very serious. This nurse shouldn't be working at a school for she sounds like she is very very incompetent. I am glad that your daughter is fine, Thank God..

i know this may be a little off the exact topic. but have you ever tried going to the chiropractor for her asthma? we have more than several patients in our office just specifically for asthma and 100% of them have had enough improvement to either stop using their inhalers entirely, have no attacks in at least the last 6 months (i havent had one person tell me or the doctor about one) and 2 have went to the doctor and the doctor couldnt find any symptoms/signs that they presently had or ever had asthma. i just wanted to let you know that there is an option out there to help your daughter out so you dont ever have to think about going through this ridiculous situation ever again. it terrified me to think of her sitting there not being able to breathe and having no one help her. i would be furious and calling everyone... the newspaper...evvvveryone. that is unacceptable. but yes please pm me and i will look up chiropractors in your area to make sure you are going to one that is worth it and that will help your daughter.

[Brooke]

Originally Posted by tumblnstar

i know this may be a little off the exact topic. but have you ever tried going to the chiropractor for her asthma? we have more than several patients in our office just specifically for asthma and 100% of them have had enough improvement to either stop using their inhalers entirely, have no attacks in at least the last 6 months (i havent had one person tell me or the doctor about one) and 2 have went to the doctor and the doctor couldnt find any symptoms/signs that they presently had or ever had asthma. i just wanted to let you know that there is an option out there to help your daughter out so you dont ever have to think about going through this ridiculous situation ever again. it terrified me to think of her sitting there not being able to breathe and having no one help her. i would be furious and calling everyone... the newspaper...evvvveryone. that is unacceptable. but yes please pm me and i will look up chiropractors in your area to make sure you are going to one that is worth it and that will help your daughter.

Thanks for the concern. Abrey hasn't had an attack in 5 years. She was playing basket ball and took a hit to the chest that knocked the wind out of her. This triggered the attack as far as we know. We will watch to see how things go now...I am hoping she won't keep having them

[Brooke]

I met with the principal, and he listened to everything I said, and was taking notes... even stopped me to make sure he got it all... He had a meeting with the head of the fire and rescue right after me to talk to people out side of the school system and find as much out as he could. I saw the chef of fire and rescue waiting when I left...

The principal told me he would be talking to my daughter and to the gym teachers and the other people involved... He was not happy. He even said why not be on the side of caution. He would rather call rescue and have them say theres no emergency then to have one arise because of waiting...



Thanks for all your concern, it feels good to vent a little and have others agree with you! Your all so great to talk with!
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[Tink]

Well done Brooke!
If we don't speak up for our kids, who will? Hopefully your daughter will never have something like this happen again, but even so, it's good that you've made this known so hopefully the nurse will take the next child/parent seriously. You might have saved a life simply by speaking up.

[Janet]

Way to go Brooke. We sometimes just have to take a stand. I hope your daughter never has to go through something like this again. Best wishes to you and your daughter.

[Marilyn]

Brooke, be sure and follow up on this and find out what the principal really did and decided. We've had administrators give us lip service before. They act all concerned and like they are checking into things, but they made a show of checking and really blew us off.

So sad this had to happen to you and your daughter. As has been said, we trust these people to be professionals and take care of our most precious possessions, or children, and they so frequently fail. They are human, too, but should err on the side of safety.