SEVERAL Questions for School Nurses!! PLEASE Answer :)

mustlovepoodles, RN · Oct 18, 2008

Hi, i'm about to enter the nursing program this January and I am so excited and anxious about it! I am determined to do well and pass, and pass the NCLEX to get my RN. I know you basically need to work at a hospital for a year or two before "outside" places will hire you, and I'm VERY interested in school nursing. The pay doesn't sound too great, but sounds manageable and the hours appear good. Here are my questions if you don't mind answering :) ....
What city and state do you work in?
What kind of school is it (elementary, middle, high, etc)?
How much did you start out with, and what is your current salary?
What kind of benefits do you have (time off, vacation, health, etc)?
What are your working hours at the school?
What kind of degree do you need as a school nurse (LPN, RN, BSN, etc..)?
How much experience did you have before becoming a school nurse?
Was this job hard to find, are school nurse jobs typically difficult to come by?
What is a typical day like as a school nurse?
Are there a lot of meetings to attend to, and after school things that would keep you late?
How often do you encounter BIG emergencies with kids?
If you have any other helpful info, I would appreciate it :).
Thank you SO much!!!

Hi! I've only been a school nurse for 2-1/2 years, so I'm not an expert. I've been an RN for 31 years, starting with L&D, then ER, NICU, PICU, and even telephone triage. All of those experiences prepared me for school nursing. :jester:

IMO, you need to have experience working in a fast-paced environment and making decisions without assistance. You can't be easily upset and you have to be sure of what you know. As a school nurse, I find myself in the position of "resident expert" on anything health related. Most of the kids I see have minor injuries & illness--sore throat, headache, abrasions, stomachache. About 5-6 times a day I see a child with something significant--neck pain, head injury, untreated infections and home injuries, asthma attack,chest pain. I have to call 911 about once a month. My clinic volume is constently about 50/day. I have on occasion seen as many as 130 on a baaaad day. :no:

I have to say, I could not have done this job in my first 10 years of nursing. I didn't have the confidence nor the experience. Working in a middle school I have encountered students with infected 2nd degree burns, severe allergic reactions, a 14yo in labor, and several fractures, including hips and shoulders. For the adult staff I have a managed heart attack, several episodes of respiratory distress, back injuries, and injuries inflicted by students(!)

School nursing is not for the faint of heart. Anything that can happen at home can happen at school! You need a well-rounded nursing background, a stout heart, and thick skin because no matter how much education you have you're still gonna hear "that stoopid school nurse said..."more times than you can count.

People don't go into school nursing for the glory or the pay. You do it for the kids who need you. :nurse: