A little help from the school nurses??

[PICNICRN, BSN, RN]

Ok, I applied for a district school nurse position in my home town. The job description states salary, schedule, and benefits "to be determined by the school board".

My question to you is.... what kind of pay should I be expecting? I am assuming it would be less than the hospital.... but is it significantly less?

Do you receive the same benefits as the teachers?

Do you work only during the school year? Or do you have things to keep you busy over the breaks?

Please forgive me if these are silly questions, I have only worked Peds critical care. I mean, I don't even know if I am the least bit qualified. I just thought this might be a good change and a new challenge.

Any advise would be appreciated.

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

I can only respond for Pennsylvania public schools. Every state differs in what they require as far as degrees and what they pay. In PA you need a BSN + a School Nurse Certification from the Department of Education. You need to get an additional 24 college credits after your certification to be permanently certified. We also have to get 180 act 48 hours every 5 years (like ceu's) We get paid on the teacher's salary and work under the teacher's contract. We work the same days/hours as the teachers getting summers off. You do start out at significantly less than at the hospital but do get regular increases. The health insurance and other benefits are great.

Check around in your state and see what their requirements are. I know here, you can be hired as a "nurse aid" with your RN but you are paid much less and may or may not have health benefits. Also you usually work hourly with this type of job so no pay over breaks or summer.

Like I said, though, every state is different.

[michigooseBSN]

PicnicRN, I'm in Masaachusetts. Our state requirements are very similar to those in Pa as mentioned by Luvschoolnursing. But the pay scale depends entirely upon which school district hires you. In mine, I'm paid on the teachers' scale and am a member of their union. Considering my hours and vacations I think it is quite generous. However in the town next to mine, the school nurse is hired by the public health dept and is paid less than a third of my salary.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Here in Georgia we are not paid even a first-year teacher's salary--I'm making fully $10/hr less than I made working in the hospital. Nurses in my area do not receive step increases (we are paid by a grant) but we do get cost-of-living increases at times. I receive full state teacher benefits, however, which are significant (especially the retirement.) The state of Georgia requires 180 days for students; teachers and nurses are required to report 191 days, so that comes out to 1 week prior to the start of school plus 3-4 days after the last day of school, plus days here and there that are student holidays but teachers & nurses report for inservices.

Here's my take on it: I don't do this to get rich (ha!) I like school nursing because it suits my family's schedule--I like having weekends and summers off with them. I do this because I love middle schoolers(!) I work with very distressed minority populations--lots of poverty, poor access to healthcare, poor nutrition, gangs, drugs, and low academic performance. I keep doing this because I know these kids need a nurse like me who will love them in spite of their unlovely baggage.

[JudithL_in_NH]

In my district in NH, I'm paid 13% less than a teacher with comparable education and experience, though I receive all teacher's benefits. It was an approx 20% pay cut from what I made in the hospital, which appears about average for school nurses in my area. NH does not require certification or a bachelors, but ADN-RNs are paid less.

I work a 180-day contract (school year) and have the opportunity to also work half days 3 days/week in the summer (extra pay for that) in our extended school year program.

I like it d/t the generally less stressful environment than the hospital, and the time off with my family, and for SNOW DAYS!

[superschoolnurse]

Great questions! Here in Nampa we required an RN and prefer BSN. Our school nurses have to be certified by the state just like teachers so are on the teachers salary, so starting pay isn't great but your CEU's and some classes will move you over on the pay scale pretty quickly. Your pay here is divided evenly throughtout the year so I just enjoy my time off with my kids but some of the nurses supplement in the summer and one weekend a month. School nursing rocks and is a lot more work than people give it credit for. I hired two new nurses and one of them told me she went home in tears every day for the first 6 weeks and just wanted to quit it was so overwhelming.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i'm in NJ - Nurses in my district are on the same salary guide as a teacher. In NJ, though you must be a certified school nurse in order to work in a school - so that's basically what was mentioned above -about another 20 or so (i don't remember how many) credits beyond the BSN. I did take a pretty hefty pay cut in my opinion to become a school nurse -but you have to consider that you work 180-190 days a year and have the 2 months in the summer to take on a side job.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

good luck in persuing a school nursing postion.

yes the pay sucks, but time with needy kids is priceless. you will love it ! :heartbeat

[Aneroo, LPN]

Depends on why signs your check!

I work for public health- I make just as much as I did in the hospital setting. My husband works ICU and makes just as much as I do.

I do work summers though.

I'm required to get my BSN, but only because they require a school nurse cert. and IT requires a BSN.

[babaz]

Hi There!

I am looking for some information/advise from you all who have school nurse experience. I live in NH and currently work in the OR. Recently, I have been actively thinking about wanting to be a school nurse. I have past experience with working with school age children in a daycare. I also have had many pediatric patients in the OR.

With this being said, where do I begin as to looking further into finding a school nurse job here in NH? I obviously would be taking a pay cut, but is a school nurse salary decent? Are there internships available, or is it suggested that you start as a substitute school nurse in order to get more experience?

Thank you for your help!

Christine

[pattylpn54, LPN]

a school nurse does not do this job for the money. where i'm at, we make far less than in any facility--hosp or otherwise. you do it for the love of the job/children or you do it because you enjoy being broke!! we work when the kids are in school and on in-service days. i don't know what the teachers benefits are so i don't know if mine are the same as theirs. they are considered "instructional personnel" and we are considered "support personnel" by our school board, who does the school nurse hirings. our schools are always looking for nurses because a nurse will take the job thinking it is great hrs to be w/their own kids & family & is worth the pay cut. then half way thru the school yr they decide it's too much of a pay cut & they move on to better paying jobs.

[dune1017]

Wow after reading all those posts i have it pretty well have been a school nurse as an lpn for 13 years w/middle school special needs children am not in teachers union in the same union as custodians , secretaries, ground keepers, etc... What a slap {csea} the things i have to put up with {am talking of teachers} oh they have a cold they should go home call his mother, omg ringworm!!!!, hes coughing i can't get sick...... Oh stop it if they picked a teaching position they should know what they were getting into!!! Stop bothering the school nurse yes pay cut for me but have too much time invested and do love the children a great deal thinking of telling teachers drop the student off at my office and leave i don't tell them how to teach!!!