In Deltona, Florida, last week student Michael Rudi had his rescue asthma inhaler confiscated by school officials.
Later in the day, he suffered an asthma attack. When he went to the school nurse to get his inhaler to stop his attack, the school nurse denied his medication to him. The medication was in it's original box with his prescription on it. She denied it because Michael's parents had not signed a certain consent form. Instead of trying to help Michael, she watched as collapsed to the floor as his airway further constricted, and he gasped for air. The nurse never even called 911.
I have created a petition on change.org for this case. If you feel led to, I hope you will look at the letter and sign.
When our children go to school, we are entrusting that they are safe, they are cared for and they will receive lifesaving treatment if they need it. They can do better.
Please pass this along - share on Facebook, tweet on Twitter, whatever you can.
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Comments (36)
I expect that some people will disagree and that is completely fine. I only requested for this to be posted for two reasons: 1. To get the story out there to start the conversation. 2. To demonstrate how important it is to check and re-check that you have all of your child's paperwork filled out and filed properly with your school just in case something like this happens.
To quote my Cardiopulmonologist, there is no such thing as a minor asthma attack. All asthmatic events should be handled quickly and decisively, before things become out of control. Prudence would have been to call 911 if in doubt. Let the people with the equipment to handle it make that assessment. She did nothing.
@MyPublicSite@xanga - The story is still new, and sometimes some details are sloppy. But the major point of the story is not contested. Michael was having an asthma attack. He was denied his asthma meds. There is another website that has a quote from the school administration that 911 was not called because they didn't think it was necessary. But if a student comes and says he is having an asthma attack, whether they think he is lying or not, even to protect themselves legally 911 should have been called or medication should have been given. Asthma is a potentially fatal condition.
@sarahsmurfette@xanga - okay I understand... I deleted my comments
That is scary. I missed the part where they didn't even call 911. WTF?
In Palm Beach County, parents of children with epilepsy are required to fill out paperwork and the school requests that the school nurse be given permission to administer medication rectally should my kids have a seizure while at school.
Rectally? I'm a nurse. I've been one for close to 25 years. The last time my son missed a dose of his medication, he had a grand mal seizure at school. They called 911, but couldn't give me critical information that I needed to report to the ER physician and his neurologist. The next day, I had to stop by the school to pick up my son's backpack. They wanted to discuss his case in the office in front of a room full of people. I gave them the death stare and snarled, "YOU ARE VIOLATING MY CHILD'S PRIVACY! THAT IS NO ONE'S BUSINESS!!" They were clueless!!
I had to explain to the school nurse that the medication they wanted me to provide was for seizures that lasted LONGER than 5 minutes and were followed by more seizures. I wasn't comfortable with them administering rectal medication when they were clearly "scared to death" by such a terrible sight. Her concern was that the would have to call 911 again. My concern was that my child would be given medication that wasn't medically indicated (since his seizures don't meet the criteria for that particular medication), that my child could suffer injury (especially since someone who is "scared to death" could easily injure the bowel by shoving medication in my kid's ass), and the cost of that medication was over $100 (with insurance).
They further IMPRESSED me by losing the paperwork I filled out and handed in at the beginning of the school year. They also lost the paperwork from the pediatrician's office. They DID have his immunization record. They said that they had a new school nurse. The last one just lost her license to practice as a nurse in the state. Lovely.
I'm not surprised at the story you tell. They don't hire the best and brightest nurses. They just want to fill a slot. Plenty of not so great nurses running the clinics in our local schools.
The principal called my cell phone in the ER. He wanted to know what the doctor had to say. I told him that medical information was private. He copped an attitude
@beesuze@xanga - I'm appalled that your child's school would endeavor to say they know which seizure medication to administer to your child, when that medication is not the primary medication prescribed to him by his neuro. I seriously dropped my jaw at your story. Speechless.
@sarahsmurfette@xanga - No one realized that someone should have at least attempted to time the seizure. One of the physical education teachers "timed" it, because he used to work in a school where all the students were special need.
My son's neurologist told me that they frequently get calls from the principals and teachers of their patients seeking medical information. Under NATIONAL law they are not entitled to medical information of their students.
That was appalling to me. However, the same principal gave me grief about transferring my son to a school closer to my new house. He demanded to see the parenting plan from my divorce so that their legal team could look it over (it's public record, and I told him that he was free to look it up).. My attorney was outraged! He handed me a stack of business cards, and growled, "Next time he asks, you hand that Yahoo a card and tell him to CONTACT ME! Don't let that cowboy BULLY YOU!!"
Joke is on the principal. We're moving at the end of the school year. I'll transfer him then.
this is why my kids go to a school that i can walk there in 5min or less... stories like this make me want to home school.... those poor children... and scared parents.... *sigh*
Wow. The bureaucracy we have brought upon ourselves out of laziness and paranoia is beginning to turn on us. Who would have thought.
Derp nurse is morally calloused and needs to lose her job, and
Hey, mom, fill out the damn paperwork.
Who cares about the kid? Don't expect VIP treatment when you're in a hospital. The world is full of sick people suffering.
This is a very irresponsible post.
People need to stop posting petitions about issues based on a small blurb they read on the internet.
When I was a kid my school bus slipped on the ice and had an accident with an oil truck.
That very night my Mom was called by a reporter. In the paper the next day there was a very inaccurate recounting the event based on what my mother said that I had said.
What if someone read that and started a petition to change a policy or have someone fired?
You should NOT be posting petitions based on events likes this. It goes without saying you cannot believe everything that you read, so you certainly shouldn't be risking someone's career based on some little blurb you read online.
@FoliageDecay@xanga - Thank you for your response. Like I said, I knew some would not agree with this. But I would like to tell you that prior to my petition or any other writing I did, I did my research. This is not from one article or one website. I put together the uncontested evidence from multiple sources, and quotes from the mother, the school board, the school administration, and legal.
The uncontested facts are:
1. Michael's inhaler, in it's original prescription box with his name on it, and his dr's name on it, was confiscated from him in the morning of this event.
2. Michael went to the school nurse later in the day complaining he was having an asthma attack.
3. The nurse did not give him his medication because she states she did not have the correct paperwork (this part is contested, as the mother states she has filled and filed this on multiple occasions during his high school term and Florida does not require a re-file every year. Perhaps the new school nurse who was hired in March was not aware of where the file was?).
4. Michael continued to state his distress and was in increased agitation (which is typical for asthma attacks, but that is my take on it).
5. The school nurse did not call 911 as per protocol if in doubt.
These are all agreed upon facts by all parties involved. You may have your opinion on the case. But I did my research, and have no qualms on the integrity of my petition. I have in fact never written one before because I always hesitate and wait for more facts. But here, the agreed upon facts were already available. I don't see what ground anyone has to stand on.
If you walk into the ER and state that you are having an asthma attack, whether the dr believes you are a nutjob liar or not, you are evaluated. The nurse did not have the equipment to do this evaluation. He would have had a chest x-ray, his oxygen levels checked, his heart rate and BP taken (maybe she has access to a HR/BP machine, I don't know). If someone states they are in distress, you are obligated as a medical professional to react. Her (non) reaction was insufficient to her position as a nurse. It goes against her ethical and moral code as a licensed nurse. As such, she should lose her nursing license on the grounds of patient neglect. Without her license, she should lose her job.
I appreciate the time it took for you to write your response. I hope you will respect my, and others, position - even if you do not agree with it.
I did not lightly pen the petition or this article.
I work in a small(ish) school in ND. We don't even have a school nurse. Not one... in the entire district. If a student has a medical emergency in my class, I have to deal with it. If the "facts" you are claiming are correct (i.e. the nurse basically ignored the student who was collapsed on the floor) than that to me speaks more to that individual than the school. Who would leave a child obviously in distress and not call 911? No school policy or amount of training can give someone common sense. I'm glad this nurse is no longer in service and hopefully the child will make a full recovery. But sorry, I'm not signing your petition.
@meggiek123@xanga - The nurse, as of yesterday (I have not checked today yet) is still working at Deltona High School as school nurse, as well as a local hospital as LPN. There has not been any repercussions for her. That is the purpose of the petition. She should not get away with this, it is not ok.
Michael is recovered.
That nurse should be fired NOW!!!
I read stories like this all the time and I just have a hard time believing it. If this really happened the way they say, that is absurd. The government puts way too much pressure on teachers/staff to do everything according to the exact rules, even when someone's life is at risk. One would think in that situation the nurse would say screw the paperwork, and give him his inhaler. She obviously has no common sense or ethics and should not be allowed back in the school.
Public school.
Waitaminute.....
The nurse is not listed in the Florida registry as having a valid license to practice nursing at all. Is she a sham period? Is she qualified AT ALL?!
WTF? I worked in Florida as a healthcare provider a few years ago, and I just found my own (expired) record. She is not listed. At all. Ever in the state at any level!!
Maybe she was a random person from the street working as a 'nurse.'
Halloween is not here yet.
I seriously hope she gets fired and jailed ASAP.
How did she even get hired by the school in the first place???????
:(
I'm thinking along the lines of... "Criminal negligence" when it comes to the story about this nurse... And the idea that she is not dealing with any repercussions from this is unbelievable. If I was Rudi's mother, her life would be traded for my son.
I would have that bitch's head on a plate.
The nurse should not be licensed to practiced as this is a severe form of negligence. in fact, i don't know which ANA code of ethics was NOT ignored in this case as a whole.
Is it possible the nurse did not call 911 because she didn't believe this kid was having an attack? you're supposed to believe the patient. She did not even do an assessment?it's not hard to assess someone with an asthma attack because you would hear wheezing when they breathe. not having a stethoscope or even a pulse oximeter is unacceptable. hearing aside, JUST LOOK at the child. obviously they would be cyanotic as well.second- asthma attacks are serious. if she ever followed the ABC rule (airway, breathing, circulation) she would KNOW that this is the TOP priority to take care of. it's a shame that there are people like this whom are actually licensed to practice.
what a dumb bitch for watching a child have an asthma attack and not do anything. what stupid fucking parents to not sign the form. too bad the kid suffered for the ignorance of the adults in his life.
@TatumMaguire@twitter - Pretty much this. I can see not wanting to give him an inhaler if she was leaving herself to being fired or sued, but I really can't understand her not doing anything.
I mean, yes, my husband has had asthma attacks that he was able to manage without his medication, but he has also had some that scared the hell out of me and we had to go to the hospital for. @sarahsmurfette@xanga - The testing for an asthma attack doesn't even need to be that exhaustive. I could be wrong but I don't think they've ever had to do anything more than listen to my husband's lungs to know he's having an asthma attack, and they gave him a nebulizer breathing treatment, which is stronger than an inhaler.
@VampireOfSeduction@xanga - I have had asthma diagnosed since I was 6 years old, I am now 31. I also worked in Radiology through an ER for over 10 years. Besides having a personal vested interest in respiratory therapy because of my own health. I'm just stating that as background.
My point about testing the student for asthma was more about if the nurse flat out did not believe him. And not all asthma attacks involve wheezing. There is a point at which wheezing ceases because the airway is so constricted. I know I can personally have very tight airways and not yet wheeze. The examples I gave were for a work up of someone who states they are having an attack but do not appear to be. Whether that was the case or not, I don't know. The quotes that I read from school admin about it were that they didn't feel he was having a "severe" asthma attack. My point is, how would they know if they didn't even have the equipment necessary to rule that out when the patient states his distress? Ya know? That's more along the lines of what I meant. I probably didn't convey it well in the first place.
But that is what I was talking about.