Orientation and other new school nurse questions!

Specialties School

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Hi Everyone,

I just accepted a position in a elementary/middle school. There will be 2 RN's and 1 LPN in the health office. I am nervous about orientation or lack thereof. I am planning to go in 1 or 2 days for just a few hours to meet with the other RN to show me the computer system etc, and the first official day is 2 days prior to the kids officially starting. I feel nervous about getting to know the computer system etc. My previous exp is in the hospital setting so pediatric health care is totally new to me. What type of orientation did you get when you started? Did you feel it was enough? How long until you felt comfortable with what you were doing? Any general pointers/advice? Anything you wish someone had told you before you started?

Thanks in advance!

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This is my first year as a school nurse. I am finishing my first week. I was hired and patted on the back, told they had great confidence in my skills.I was shown the nurse office and given my computer code, over 200 new incoming new student files to screen and input. I opened the cabinets and found medication that expired in 2007. I cleaned out the expired meds and supplies and taught myself the computer. I have meet the most wonderful, nurses who work at the other schools in my district. They have become the self appointted menters to the new nurses. I wish we had computer training and a list of how to open a school nurses office! I have 1300 hundred students plus staff to keep healthy and in class! How is everyone else doing?

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My situation was unusual in that I started in December & the retiring nurse was allowed to orient me for 2 weeks, most nurses in my district don't get that benefit. I also was assigned a mentor who helped me along the way. Luckily I do come from a background heavy in peds & imms so that part was fine for me. I cannot imagine coming in new at the beginning of the school year. I would say just hang in there - it takes a while to find your way but it will get easier.

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I had a 3 day orientation when I first started school nursing at a jr high with about 900 students. I was shown as much as she could for the 3 days. But, I don't think you can prepare enough! You won't fully learn until you get in there and do some things hands on. Wow that is crazy! 4 nurses at one school? How many students are there?

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Specializes in TeleHealth Nurse.

I didn't get any orientation. Luckily there was another nurse here so I asked her a lot of questions. Its a learn as you go deal. This is my fifth year and I would love to be any help that I can. You can email me anytime. [email protected]

another great resource will be if your state has a nurse forum. Missouri has a wonderful forum. The NASN site has one as well.

Good luck!!!!

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Thank you! I might take you up on that!

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.

No Orientation when I started, but the nurse I was replacing stayed for 2 weeks to train me. I was also able to attend a School Nurse Orientation put on my a local County Office of Education with the local School Nurse Organization. Check your local Office of Education (or similar in your State) and/or your local NASN/School Nurse Organization chapter.

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Specializes in Rehab, Geriatrics & School Nurse.

Im a high school nurse I got a couple of hours of Training, even though my school has over 2,000 kids I have about 5 diabetics and 1 seizure child, but of course u have the other children that have something else going on. Its only 1 LPN or RN per school here in Atlanta no matter how many kids you have.

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Specializes in School nursing.

In my current position? Nope, no orientation. Met with outgoing nurse on her last day for 3 hours. But, I had come into this job after subbing in a larger school district. In one school there, I subbed in for one nurse that was out for over a month in a two RN office. The other nurse taught me everything, answered all my questions. You are very lucky to have another RN in your office - if he/she has been at the school before, he/she is invaluable!

I'm heading into my second year at my school and orientating the other nurse here. It feels a little strange as she has more RN experience than I do, but is coming from a very different hospital background. It really reinforced to me that school nursing is so unique - heck it even differs by state/district/school!

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oy! I was invited to an 'orientation' and was the only RN. There were a few LVN's so the orientation was directed more at them… I'm told I will be helping with vision and hearing tests. Altogether I've spent over $800.00 for this substitute school nurse job in a district of 16 schools. The pay is $100.00/day of $50.00/half day. (here is the breakdown of $ spent: $64 for fingerprints, $70 temporary school nurse certificate, $560 audiology certification class, $20 transcripts from old college) Anyways, I'm feeling like a chump right about now…

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No orientation here. Old nurse left a few months before I was hired so I had to jump in and figure it out. Made for a trying first year to say the least.

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