How often does your school district hire new school nurses?

[luvapug]

Just curious. I know when I first started school nursing I was told it was hard to get into because once nurses got in they usually retired from the position but with our district it seems we still have about half our nurse population that has a big turn-over rate for all different reasons. Also occasionally we will make a new school nurse position due to student need. Don't get me wrong-it still can take 2-3 years to get in but I was just wondering. I also wish the legislation would pass for each school to have their own nurse. That would make things so much easier and safer!!!

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

I don't know that our district has ever had a nurse leave for another job. They retire. Our next opening should be in about 3-5 years and not another one for nearly 20 years.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

I'm in a smallish school system and I'm one of the newer nurses. Still,we've had some significant turn over. One retired, one had to go back to the hospital, another quit to move out of town. So at the moment we have the majority who have been in positions for many years and about 5 who have been in the positions 0-2 years.

My school system is very careful who they hire. It can sometimes take a long time to find the right nurse for a position. I think that may be why our nurses stay--they get it right the first time.

[safarirn]

They used to stay around for a while, within the past 3 year there has been a lot of turn over. A new nurse in one of our district schools almost yearly.

This has a lot to due with the economy. Most of these nurses quit because they had to return to the hospital to make more money. With husbands losing jobs/ being laid off, they no longer had the luxury of staying in a low paying job that only paid 9 mos out of the year. We lost some FANTASTIC school nurses. It's a shame, really. We could keep our experienced nurses of schools paid nurses what they should be getting paid!

[Supernrse01, BSN]

I am the 3rd nurse to work within our district, ever. The first nurse worked for YEARS. The second nurse was here for about 6 years and now there is me :)