I am really frusterated and don't know what to do, the school nurse is done on Friday and my daughter starts preschool on Monday. They don't have a replacement for her so they want to pay me to be there when my daughter is there, 3 days a week. I work full time and can't do 2 of those days! My other daughter who is in 2nd grade has epilepsy, no one knows how to care for her either! Am I supposed to just pull them out of school until they have someone! I am so upset! I don't understand what they are thinking!
Wow I dont even know where to start,I dont understand what you mean by the nurse is done on Friday is she quitting orf something?If the school is aware that your daughter is to attend their why didnt they make sure that they had a replacement for the nurse? Did they give you a logical reason for their incosideration?You said that they offered to pay you but are they going to pay you enough to compensate for you to miss going to your full time job,Im sure their not.Im advice is to try to get a hold of the nursing surpervisor that places nurses in that area and let her know whats going on and see if she can help you in anyway.Sometimes going to the higher power makes all the diffrence.I wish you the best of luck.
Do either of your daughters have a 504 plan or an IEP (assuming they are in a public school)? If so, does it promise nursing care for school? If not, can you call a meeting to update and add nursing in? Then, they're legally required to provide it...
I can imagine why you can't miss your job! Can you help the school find a "contact" nurse to fill the position in the meantime seeing as they were ready to pay YOU. Granted, this should be there job, but it might go faster if you help? There are staffing companies that provide therapy and nursing services per hour, sort of like a temp company.
Good luck!!
this happened at my school towards the middle of last year and they had a nursing service come imn. it was a different nurse everyday who knew barely nothing about type 1.. but still, a nurse
at the beginning of this year, they hired a head nurse who is there most of the time and then they have the temp nurses there to help out and also have a couple other nurses who are there as well so there is always a couple nurses
I go to a fairly large high school right now, and all throughout elementary, middle, and now high school, I've never had a nurse at my schools. We have what's called a "district nurse" that goes around to all of the schools in our district (which is a lot), but she is really never at the school. If they really can't get a nurse at the school (I'm assuming that it's a budget issue...), then I would suggest training some of the other staff members on the basics of your child's care- glucagon, BG checks, insulin needs, low and high BG, etc. If you don't want to train them on your own, I believe that the American Diabetes Association will provide free training to school staff members if they call and request it.
That's great to know about ADA doing training!
I bet you have to be extra careful with a preschooler though. Maybe there's an extra motivated staff member who could also learn about T1 to supplement any future nurse. I mean, even if they get a nurse, she could be out sick or something.
BTW, I meant to say 'contract' not 'contact' nurse in my previous posting, but my son was climbing all over me at the time, so I was distracted. (:
No one int he school is willing to take on the responsibility of a preschooler with diabetes. She doesn't know when shes hi or lo and tends to swing very fast. They acually want to pay me to go in everyday until they have someone and then they want to pay me to train that person. Its not a financial issue for the school, its doing quite well actually, its just they don't want anything to happen on their watch and don't know what to do about it. It seems easy to me but too much red tape I think. The problem with me going in is that I work from 2-10:30 m-f and I have on top of my other 2 in the school system a baby. They think its so easy to just drop everything and sit at the school, I would do anything for my kids but what they are asking of me just isn't fair and I bet not legal! Both my girls have 504 and IEP's and both need people in the school at all times who can care for them in the event of emergencies. I am just so frusterated with this whole thing, maybe what I am most upset with is that the school nurses last day is tomorrow and I found out about that yesterday by accident, because I brought my daughters supplies in. They never called or sent a letter or anything. I shouldn't have to take my kids out of school until they can find someone and thats what is starting to happen I believe.
LeAnn - maybe you can check out this post
View this post at http://juvenation.org/forums/p/1665/11903.aspx#11903
It might help you with your legal rights. I can't tell from your post if this is a public or private school. If private, they may not have to follow the 504 in the same way a public school would. I would contact the ADA and see if they can help you. Or get a lawer to help you. If it is in their 504 plan that there is someone there, I can't see how they think they can just ask you to come in (even if they pay you!)
I'm so sorry for you. I'm sorry for us too--Iguess for all of us. I am just dying to know if we are th ONLY PARENTS WHO WORK FULL TIME AND HAVE NO FMILY IN THE STATE WE LIVE IN. I've talked to so many ppl and still have not been able to find the answer to: WHAT DO PARENTS DO WITH THIER TYPE 1 1ST GRADERS DURING THE SUUMER??? God help the next person who tells me abt camp nejeda!! We are talking abt day camp from 8am-6pm. We still both work full time in the summer and the town camp our oldest son always went to wont take our "little liability" (since that what he's so often called). So the answer we have to assume is that one parent is supposed to quit thier job?
Getting back to you...believe me you are not alone. I'm in NJ. Where are u from?
It is so funny you are talking about the summer thing! When they told me I could just come in and tend my daughter needs and they would pay me, (because I have nothing else going on!) and I told them I can't I work full time, the superattendant asked me what I do with my kids in the summer. Its really not about that, I have 3 children!! I have a 15 month old! And thats exactly how they make you feel, like a liability! I feel like screaming, what do you think its like for us to live with it 24 hours a day 7 days a week! We get scared too! We do our best and hope for the best and thats exactly what I expect anyone else to do for her!! I know she can't tell if shes hi or lo and I know her numbers can be very scary...I realize she can't do her own glucose checks!
last year the principal asked if it is out of line to put a heart monitor on her because it might be easier to know if shes too hi or too lo~ ~ ~ um YES! the real problem is that they do not know enough about it all! They are trying to help but they come across ass either being assholes or just plain dumb! But it doesn't make me feel good about dropping off my kid to be in their care for 2.5 hours 3 days a week~ ( I am VERY concerned when she goes to kindergarten!)
anyways, guess I just gave a mouthful! I just don't get it! I am in Minnesota, so a ways from NJ... I am sorry for all you are dealing with too~ it seems very unfair at times!
At least they offered to PAY you. lol. All summer I've come home straight from work and trained the nurse and 2 school aides. Some weekendas too. The school was supposed to do it but it seemed clear thy were gonna take their sweet ass time and my nerves couldnt handle it so I agreed to train everyone because if it wasnt done by sept start all anyone could say to my son wd be "sorry". and what good is that?!??!.