Chaos, just chaos.

I feel like I've had no time this year, and I just ran the numbers: it might be because I have nearly 3000 students this year across four schools. Usually by the fourth week of school, things are settling down; this year, I see no signs of that happening. 

Today's lunchtime chaos at my middle school was a good sample of how this year is going so far:

I arrived to find a girl in tears in my office. The staff said she hurt her shoulder and bumped her head at PE and mouthed, "Drama" to me behind her back. She wanted to go home; clearly, they didn't think she needed to, but she said the magic "head injury" words to me so I felt like I should let her call even though I couldn't see injury on her head. Her contacts were red-flagged in the computer, which means pay attention to whom we call as there are custodial issues for that student. I got her set up to call while I tended to my first diabetic. 

I think I counted three students that came in and out for ice packs in the next ten minutes before Spitfire arrived to check her blood sugar. Soon after, a teacher stopped by to introduce herself and tell me I need to have hearing and vision assessments done on several of her students by next week. 

Next, Spitfire came back after lunch to count her carbs and administer insulin at the same time three adults came racing in dragging a student. He has a fish allergy and his aide somehow (do not ask me how) missed the fact that he grabbed a tuna sandwich at the cafeteria. We had an Epi-Pen in the office, which I got out while observing him for signs of anaphylactic shock, which, thankfully, never presented. Drama girl stuck the phone in my face saying, "My mom wants to talk to you" while I got out the care plan for Fish Allergy Boy. Drama Mama was none too happy with me as I said that I couldn't see any head injury ("You are the nurse, I don't understand" - to which I responded, "There is nothing visible"). Luckily she was so annoyed she hung up on me, freeing up the phone for me to call Fish Allergy Boy's mom who, rightfully so, asked how he was able to eat tuna for lunch when he is supposed to have an aide watching him. I told her I wasn't sure how it happened, but she needed to come pick him up as soon as possible. Finally, I attended to Spitfire and released her, and sent Drama girl to go get her backpack, so it was just Fish Allergy Boy and his aide in my office. 

I sat on the edge of my seat with the Epi-Pen in front of me, watching Fish Allergy Boy, for the next 35 minutes until his mom arrived. Just as I sent him home, my last diabetic came in. Finally, when I was done with that student, I was able to leave the middle school to return to my first school site. Phew. 

Be careful what you wish for: last year I was wishing I was busier, right now, I'd happily take that assignment over this one. Hopefully things will continue to settle as the school year wears on, and I hope that the middle school aides learned a good lesson today with Fish Allergy Boy (who has many more allergies besides fish).