An Alert Nurse Saves a Family from the Ravages of Bed Bugs
This blog post provides information about the breakout session titled Assisting School Nurses in Developing a Bed Bug Action Plan scheduled to be presented on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at NASN2016.
Some time ago, I visited a local childcare center and came back with a heartwarming story.
The center practiced solid sanitation and maintenance as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that proactively prevents pests by eliminating the food, water, and shelter they need to survive. They would occasionally have instances of head lice or bed bugs but, by keeping personal items in individual cubbies, storing bedding in separate plastic boxes with lids, cleaning nap areas daily, and regularly sanitizing cots, there was little chance for bed bugs to find a home in this childcare facility.
So what was the problem? The director told us about a three-year-old who was coming to school every day with what looked like insect bites. This was brought this to the attention of the center’s nurse who felt they may be bed bug bites, based on their linear pattern. When she questioned the parents, they were reluctant to speak about where they lived and their living conditions for fear of reprisals from their landlord or the authorities.
The nurse monitored the child’s condition and noticed that the bites got progressively worse. She felt compelled to meet with the parents again. When she did, they told her of the shocking conditions in which they lived. The nurse and director soon observed, first hand, the dirt floors of the basement apartment that the family called home. The floor was covered in mouse and rat feces. Cockroaches were on the floors and all over the kitchenette. Cockroach feces was on the walls, dishes, and food containers. Bed bugs were flourishing in the beds, clothing, upholstery, and crevices throughout the living space.
The nurse, director, coworkers and some caring people at city hall helped the family relocate to a better living space. As all of the family’s belongings were contaminated with pests, pest feces and mold, they were discarded and replaced with donations from families in the childcare community.
As sad as this story is, know that bed bugs do not distinguish between classes. Both poor and wealthy families can be the victims of bed bug infestations. People may not even realize that they have an infestation until bites become obvious and they are questioned. Often, this may be by an alert school nurse.
The nurse at this center was prepared with literature on how to recognize bed bugs in advance of this case. The center subsequently provided bilingual materials to all parents. Visit EPA’s bed bug website to find a wealth of quality materials for direct use as well as for sharing.
Print a bed bug card from the EPA website (see preview below).
