Massachusetts parents outraged after school doesn’t call 911 when daughter breaks arm

[rockin'robin]

Fourth-grader Ally D'Eon suffered a nasty fall from her school's jungle gym on Tuesday, breaking her arm in two places. But her parents say the real offense occurred when school officials called the D'Eons to notify them of their daughter's injury, rather than calling 911 or an ambulance.

"The doctors in the emergency room and the nurses in the emergency room said, 'First aid 101, a break with a clear deformity needs an ambulance and it needs to be stabilized,'" Jenn D'Eon told WCVB.

The Lynn Daily Item reported that Veterans Memorial Elementary School Principal Jean Perry defended the decision, citing school district policy.

"The school nurse or another trained person will be responsible for administering first aid. When the nature of an illness or an injury appears in any way serious, every effort will be made to contact the parent and/or family physician immediately," the district policy reads, according to the paper.


Saugus Superintendent of Schools Richard P. Langlois also supported the school's decision in a statement, saying the "medical staff is fully qualified to make appropriate assessment and recommendation for treatment in such instances, and did so accordingly."

Nonetheless, Jenn D'Eon said the "case-by-case basis" school policy is ineffective and should be changed so that other students aren't left waiting in pain.

"I wanted to scream, 'Hurry up, get me out of here!'" Ally told WHDH.

Massachusetts parents outraged after school doesn

 

[Lau2046]

Common sense says you call 911, and then administer first aid until help arrives. Schools are incredibly stupid when it comes to the health care of children. I don't blame the parents one bit for being furious.

Laura

 

[caz12]

surely no hospital is going to do much until parent is there her mum taking her there saved valuable time i would have thought..a nasty break but not life or death

 

[Lau2046]

surely no hospital is going to do much until parent is there her mum taking her there saved valuable time i would have thought..a nasty break but not life or death

The hospital would treat the child until the parents arrived, it's not like they need to operate. A "nasty break" could have been made worse by not getting immediate treatment, to say nothing about the pain involved. A school nurse can't do anything but look at her so the job is essentially an empty suit.

Laura

 

[Reba]

I guess it depends on how bad the break is, and if there are other complications. My daughter's had a broken arm, and Hubby's had two broken arms (separate events), and we always transported by car, not ambulance.

It might also depend on how far a drive it was for the parents, and how much time it would take.

Maybe the job of the school nurse is to evaluate the situation, and then take appropriate action (call 911, then parents, or just call parents).

I always thought calling 911 was for life-threatening injuries and illnesses, or at-risk patients. We used an ambulance after our car was totaled and TCS had chest pains, and my SIL was taken by ambulance when his leg was crushed by a ton of steel slab (he probably should have been helicoptered out). That's what I think of for 911.

I'm curious; if the girl had gotten a broken arm at home, would the parents have called 911 or driven her to the hospital?

Did the delay in calling 911 cause additional or worse damage to the girl's arm?

 

[caz12]

I guess it depends on how bad the break is, and if there are other complications. My daughter's had a broken arm, and Hubby's had two broken arms (separate events), and we always transported by car, not ambulance.

It might also depend on how far a drive it was for the parents, and how much time it would take.

Maybe the job of the school nurse is to evaluate the situation, and then take appropriate action (call 911, then parents, or just call parents).

I always thought calling 911 was for life-threatening injuries and illnesses, or at-risk patients. We used an ambulance after our car was totaled and TCS had chest pains, and my SIL was taken by ambulance when his leg was crushed by a ton of steel slab (he probably should have been helicoptered out). That's what I think of for 911.

I'm curious; if the girl had gotten a broken arm at home, would the parents have called 911 or driven her to the hospital?

Did the delay in calling 911 cause additional or worse damage to the girl's arm?

i thought the same but my case999... in uk in my experince the parent be called to take child to hospital the school off loaded their responsibility unless life or death then of course ambulence be called..but we got paramedics who could be on motor bike ordinary bike car who come access the situation. but that can be hit or miss..i myself would not call ambulance for that i take child myself..you may have different ideas and ways in america

 

[VamPyroX]

There are two ways of looking at this. Some parents rather 911 be called first. Some parents rather they're contacted first. It varies.

What the school should have done was have the parents sign a form determining what the school does in case of emergency. If there are specific health issues that the parents rather be contacted about first, that can be done... else call 911. That way, there are no confusion with what to do.

I have heard stories from friends who got mad that the school called 911 first before contacting them. There were several different reasons for each situation... insurance purposes, wanting to be present at the hospital before the child arrives (or go with the child to the hospital), reminder of possible medical allergies, etc.

I understand the parents in the article being mad about 911 not being called, but I also understand the school wanting to ensure that the parents knew what was going on.