www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/29/me-mother-school-took-girls-crutches -> www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/29/me-mother-school-took-girls-crutches/
By VALERIE KALFRIN The Tampa Tribune Published: March 29, 2008 TAMPA - Patricia Elalem said she couldn't believe her daughter's kneecap dislocated after what at first seemed like a minor injury. Even more troubling to Elalem is what might have caused the injury to worsen. Elalem says a nurse at Walker Middle School in Odessa took away 13-year-old Amber's crutches last month, forcing the girl to walk in pain. Patricia Elalem said the nurse told her she had to remove the crutches because of a school policy prohibiting them without a doctor's note and that the intent is to prevent other students from being injured. "You don't take medically prescribed treatment away from a child." Elalem has filed a notice of intent to sue the Hillsborough County School District. The notice is required by law for legal action against a government entity and gives the school district 180 days to respond. Her attorney, Tom Parnell, said he did not know what damages he would seek because Amber is still recovering from surgery to repair her knee. If Amber walking without the crutches has caused long-term damage, Parnell said, he will pursue a claim that the school nurse violated the girl's civil rights. School district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said the district's office of professional standards is investigating a complaint Elalem filed about the licensed practical nurse, Denise McKee. "The school and the parent have two different stories," Cobbe said, noting she could not elaborate because of the pending litigation. There is no district policy requiring a doctor's note for crutches, but the district's supervisor of school health has issued an e-mail to principals stating students must produce a doctor's note to use crutches or a wheelchair, Cobbe said. "We ask for a doctor's prescription or a doctor's note, but there's nothing that says take away the crutches," Cobbe said. Amber is an avid athlete who participates in basketball, track and soccer, Parnell said. She had orthopedic surgery March 13 to repair her knee after walking without the crutches and now carries a doctor's note at all times about using the crutches, he said. The girl initially hurt her knee while kicking a ball Feb. The injury seemed minor until the next day, when Amber complained to McKee about the pain. Elalem said when she picked Amber up from school, she spoke to McKee about taking Amber to Tampa General Hospital, where Elalem works as a registered nurse. the teenager's knee was placed in a brace called an immobilizer, and she received crutches, with instructions not to put weight on the knee, Elalem said. Elalem said she didn't know the note was required but phoned the hospital to have a doctor fax a note to the school. The school fax machine wasn't working, so McKee never received the note, Parnell said. That morning, McKee took away Amber's crutches, Parnell said. So Amber was forced to walk up and down the stairs until about 1:30 pm, when she couldn't take the pain anymore," he said. Elalem said her daughter called her, saying, "I can't walk. On the way home, Amber said, "You know, the nurse took my crutches this morning and made me walk all day," Elalem recalled. "I got home, took her immobilizer off, and her kneecap was on the side of her leg," Elalem said. Amber tried physical therapy for a few days but needed knee surgery, her mother said. She had a reaction to the pain medication and was admitted to the hospital for three days. She now is taking medication and watching her diet because she has developed symptoms of an ulcer, her mother said.
Suggest removal ) Something must be missing from this story. Did the school nurse ask the little girl if she was using the crutches under Dr's. If she did and the little girl answered yes, then the nurse and the whole administration team at the school deserve to be fired. Not sure what my reaction would be if the public school system did this to my child. I mean when we give our trust to a public entity to care for our kids and they behave so callously, the least we should do is thump em on the head.
Suggest removal ) Okay the kid is all bandaged up, on crutches, limping - why were there any questions asked anyway? The nurse is ignorant and so is anyone who backed her up. They said the fax machine was broken - have we forgotten about telephones - the doc's office could have called the nurse- bad decisions!
Suggest removal ) The Tribune could do all of us a great public service by providing the public an update of this story if and when "the other side" of the story comes out. Just answer the question: did the nurse act with arrogance and abuse of authority or did the student and parent make the story up?
Suggest removal ) Not only could the student use the crutch as a weapon, wheelchairs can be used for "hallway rage". Of course that was a special ed group, and we all know, by definition, they are prone to violence and behavior that is dangerous to themselves or others. Just as we all know, by defintion, school employees are professional and never do bad things to students. The public should be shocked that student lives are in danger because the culinary students, along with their teachers, ignore strict zero tolerance policies against weapons in school by openly possessing, and brandishing no doubt, culinary knives. Instead of dealing with the truth about individual incidents, it sounds like it is time for another knee jerk reaction policy writing spree. Even though the policy makers admit that they can't "legislate morality", they apparently can't legislate "common sense" either. This commentary is about the system and not aimed at the real professionals, along with students and parents, who have to suffer the consequences of systemic problems.
Half the school would be on crutches if the nurse didn't put a stop to it. Evidently this student did need the crutches but there are so many who don't and try to use them. This was one children out of many that actually needed the crutches. I've seen plenty of children struggle walking on crutches or play around and let their friends use them. Those parents would be the first to sue if their child really got hurt using the crutches.
Suggest removal ) Seems to me the best way of handling this was to just tell the girl to get a note and bring it the next school day. WOW, if this is true what are we paying these professionals for anyway. It seems like the more education they get the dumber they act.
Suggest removal ) Everyone is busy pointing fingers and giving opinions on who is wrong. Doesn't it bother anyone that everyone is so ready to bring lawsuits against someone. My 80 year old Mother tripped and fell on a raised sidewalk in front of her dentists office. The dentist's insurance company immediately called and wanted to settle out of court. My Mother was stunned saying she didn't want anything, just fix the sidewalk.
Suggest removal ) The bottom line is that the girl had just had KNEE surgery and if the moron nazi nurse was going to take her crutches away, she had an obligation as a medical practitioner, an employee of the school system, and a decent person to make sure the girl stayed off her knee until the problem was resolved.
Suggest removal ) Re: DeadCenter 12:24 Perhaps there would be a different outlook if the insurance called immediately and asked how long has your mom been falling down. Or, the shoes your mom was wearing were inappropriate to wear to the office. Or maybe they came up with a bunch of forms to fill out, and amongst these forms was one that states that your mom agrees to hold the dentist office harmless. While we are all waiting with anticipation to hear the real truth, I can't help but think what we will only hear is the real spin. Why don't we just stop everyone from driving a car - look how many people run stop signs, speed, and crash in to others. I sarcastically submit that no one should be allowed to drive a car without a license because people with licenses and notes from the doctor won't break the rules.
Suggest removal ) DeadCenter: What I am saying is, in your senario, there was no "insult" to "injury". It is my belief that most people don't just "sue" withou...
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