Reasons to send students to the Nurse:

Use “8 B's" and the "20 Minute Rule": Send B’s to the nurse. All other complaints wait 20 minutes to see if the complaint resolves, which it usually will. You can always call me if you have questions. 

1. BREATHING: Any difficulty with airway, breathing, changes in color, choking. Subjective complaints from asthmatics. Students just finished with exertion such as PE should have a period of cooling down and hydration before being sent to the nurse.
2. BLOOD: Any new injury/laceration significantly bleeding--not paper cuts or old picked scabs. When possible, bleeding should be “contained/ controlled" in the classroom before sending them to the nurse (give student tissues, gauze, band aid). Use standard precautions (gloves) when caring for bleeding. First Aid kits in all classrooms have supplies for treating minor injury care in the classroom. IF YOU NEED MORE SUPPLIES, COME TO ME!
3. BRAIN: Injuries or impact to the head/face/neck must be evaluated. Adult escort to the nurse. Headaches can wait (unless migraine) as they will often resolve on their own. Encourage hydration, food first before sending.
4. BONES / BREAKS: Immediate injury that could be a broken bone. Leave the child where they are if they can’t get up on their own or if there is obvious deformity. Injuries that occurred at home can wait.
5. BURNS: Burns from heat sources that blister, any burn to face, ears, neck, genitals. FLUSH THE BURN WITH COOL WATER BEFORE SENDING, IF POSSIBLE.
6. BURNING UP: Ask the student to remove extra layers of clothes. Dehydration can cause temperature to rise. Hydrate and encourage all students to hydrate throughout the day. Most people with a fever will be cold/shivering while having a flushed/warm feel to skin.
7. BARF / BOWELS: Only students who actually vomit should be sent to the nurse. Children can often perceive hunger as a stomachache. Often stomach issues are due to anxiety around academic or social issues, family issues or the need to move bowels. Feeling "nauseous or queasy” in the absence of other symptoms such as appearing sick (pale, clammy, tired) can take the "wait and see" route.
8. “BONAFIDE”: Any health concern of chronic conditions needing medication, assessment or care (asthma, diabetes, allergy, seizure, scheduled meds, acute pain management, etc.) communicated to you by the school nurse.