From ER RN to School RN...is there anyone out there?

[ERRNDeans]

Hello,

I just finished an interview for a school nurse in a nearby district. I think it went very well. I have a feeling they will be calling me back and offering me the job.

Any other ex-ER RN's out there that made this similar transition? I am assuming it will be hard at first but I will adjust.

I know the pay is less, but with school age children, the schedule in my mind makes up for the less pay. No weekends, holidays, or on call is a beautiful thing. Plus I think the ER is becoming a bit to stressful for me. For example, lately I find myself almost in tears when I am talking to a psych patient who I can't help/fix besides giving them sedatives and holding them in the ER until the county comes out to see them. The system is so broken, I hate what it does to people.

The reason why I chose to seek a school nurse position was because I feel like I would have a lot of autonomy, and I think it would be fun, challenging and rewarding. I really like kids and would like to be a positive influence for them.

I have been working in the ER for about 15 years, I have a BSN and I am almost forty and needing a change. I already have CEN, TNCC, ECRN, Anyone out there in a similar boat? Did you make this transition and like/hate it?

Thank you.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

If you work in an ER, you will find this completely different and easier. You deal with minor issues and teachers who send kids to the nurses office for sometimes silly things. Kids can be neurotic and dramatic. It can be busy, but vastly different from busy in an ER.

[SassyTachyRN]

Hello again. I was just wondering if ERRNDeans has any updates on the school nursing at this time? Also for any nurse who does this type of work, I was wondering what are the nurse patient ratios in large urban areas? If ratios are 1000 to one, how does the nurse manage? Do you travel to various schools throughout the day? What is does the expectation from the employer or schools? Thanks, :)[/quote']

I am in a large urban area. Our school district has 52 schools with 30k kids. We are mostly 1 RN to 2 buildings. I have a middle school of 800 and an elementary of 450. I split my days between the two. I have to be at the elementary everyday because I have two type 1 diabetics there. Next year I will have 1 at each school. I do feel stretched thin at times.

[nurs26]

I am not sure if you will like it, but I wish I had your experience. I feel like staff depend on me to know and diagnose everthing. We have called 911 several times usually for the staff and until paramedics arrive I have no one to back me up and it is a little nerve racking. The hours are great and I love the kids.