Part Time School Nurse?

Specialties School

Published

Specializes in NPD; Administration; M/S; Critical Care.

Hello School Nurses!

I'm considering a school nurse position and was wondering if anyone has worked part-time at the school (3 days/week)? I would like this job, but the pay is so low (18K/yr), that I would like to do it part time, and still work at the hospital PRN. Any ideas on suggesting this to the school corp?

Thanks,

UnitRN01

Specializes in School Nursing.

Is the position offered for 3 days/week? If it is I think it's a great opportunity to try out school nursing while keeping your hospital skills up.

School nursing is totally different from hospital nursing. Some of us love it and some can't wait to get away from it. This might be a good chance for you to find out.

I agree with you, but I doubt if the school will. They want continuity. I have seen lots of "aide" jobs over the years that I would have loved- if I could do it part-time and keep my other job. Schools always want a regular person 5 days a week. You could work as a sub and still keep your other job. I did that for many years and just last year finally committed to a full time position. I still work another job to make ends meet though. You can suggest a job share, especially if you know someone who would share with you. That way they could get away with no benefits and save $$$.

Specializes in OR, Med-Surg, Geriatrics.

In our county a lot of schools allow the "clinic assistants" to coshare a job. I do 2 days a week (no benefits) and my partner does the other 3 with benefits. She gets a salary, I get hourly. I don't know if this occurs in other places, but it's probably worth checking out with the schools in your area.

I did a three day per week in one school setting and 2 days in hospital and loved it - best of both worlds.

A school district near us posted a pt position. If you are proposing the part time when only fulltime is available, find out if the contract stipulates that ft may not be converted to pt. If there isn't any stipulation, see if you can present it with someone else as a job share, first to the "head nurse" or who ever is the nurse in charge. The pluses of job share are: no benefits likely to be paid out; two people instead of one to cover extra shifts; possible to schedule you both on the same day if the week's coverage needs it and permits it. One snag in the hospital I worked for was if one person was off or quit, the other had to cover the shifts so the ft position was not left empty. That would be a hardship but maybe worth the extra work if a replacement could be found. Good luck.

Specializes in Labor and Delivery/ Postpartum/ School.

Depends on what state laws are. Its worth asking though!

Specializes in Psych, Couplets, PCU, Peds, & soon ICU.

I recently accepted a job to work as a school nurse and I wanted to know if anyone had any words of wisdom for me. I will be in 2 elementary schools. Any suggestions. Thanks.

My biggest problem is the schools that I have subbed at and in the school I work in now is getting the teacher to give the student a pass to come to the nurse. Elementary school kids can't sign their names legibly sometimes, and when you are swamped there is no time to try and dig through class rosters to find out who they are. Sometimes they don't know or can't pronounce their teacher's name. Even in the high school kids are streaming in, bleeding and sick and I hate trying to remember everyone's name when they tell it to me verbally. If the teacher would just give them a pass I would have it for reference when I finally have time to document. I suggest you find out the approved procedure and try to make it workable right away. It will make your work a lot easier. Believe me, sometimes there is no time to pee, let alone stop to search for a kid in your rosters.

My second suggestion is go through the health cards if there is not already a list and make a list of the kids with peanut allergy, seizures, bee sting allergy, asthma, diabetes and anything else that you need to know quickly. Keep it in your desk in a sub folder for any poor sub who needs this information. You will learn these kids quickly enough, but a list is good to have.

Also, join listservs and come here for support and information, and be sure to participate in local school nurse organizations.

Have fun! You will get so attached to the kids that they become like family! (All 600 or so of them).

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