Advice on entering school nursing

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Specializes in pediatric neuroscience.

I am a new graduate RN from an accelerated program and I am interested in entering into school nursing. I was wondering if it's possible to start as a school nurse with no previous experience? If not, does anyone have any recommendations on what types of experience would help enter into this role in the future?

(Just as a background, I provided home care to a girl with spina bifida during nursing school, worked as a USA gymnastics coach prior to this, and following graduation worked at a local children's hospital for two months prior to deciding I didn't like the facility and management).

If anyone has any suggestions it would be much appreciated! Thanks!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Ill be honest - no. As the school nurse you are th sole medical provider and each and every decision falls to you and only you. If you are lucky enough to have another nurse in the office with you, then you are a little bit better off, but you still need time to hone your skills and instincts.

Take a little time and work on a nursing unit. Med surg will give you a good base, as will pediatrics or ER. I am not saying that your previous experiences won't have value, you just need a little bit more time to delevop your nursing skills.

Has it been done that a new grad goes right into school nursing - sure - i'm not saying it's an impossibility - but you will feel more comfortable overseeing the daily and acute health needs of several hundred students if you have a strong background to fall back on.

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I concur with the above. However, I have seen new grads do well when they are the second RN in a health office in a large school.

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Prior to starting as an elementary school nurse, I worked for nine years in a pediatrics office. That experience serves me well almost every single day at school. My hospital experience - 8 years in OB. Just my opinion, but I think a few years experience would make a huge difference.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

As a new grad RN 25 years ago, I bucked the trend and started in the NICU. It was a wonderful experience in a very well managed unit where we were set up to succeed. There was a large RN staff, new orientees were assigned a consistent 1:1 preceptor who taught us everything we needed to know. After our 3 month orientation, we continued to have the support of an identified mentor for the next year or so.

Fast forward 25 years. Last summer I took a job as a school nurse. Following a brief orientation (which covered mostly procedural issues), I was sent on my way with my supplies and cell phone to cover multiple schools, sometimes the only nurse on duty in the district. I don't mean this to be critical of my employer. But that's just the way it is in school nursing. You MUST be sound and confident in your assessment skills, interventions, evaluations and teaching. There is no one else around to bounce ideas or seek immediate guidance from. (Although you should have a support network available by phone.)

You must also be confident and assertive enough to stand your ground with teachers, administrators and parents who may be much older and more experienced than you are. Finally, your organizational skills must be top-notch.

It occurred to me at the conclusion of this year that while entering the NICU as a new grad was a relative piece of cake, I never could have managed a school nursing job at that time in my career.

Ironic, considering the public perception of these 2 jobs.

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Specializes in pediatric neuroscience.

Thank you everyone for your advice! I kind of figured most positions required you to be on your own and in turn required experience. I guess I was just hoping that maybe there are some exceptions.... :-)

schoolnurse09--- how did you manage to find a position at a pediatric office? I have been searching and all the hospitals finished their summer hiring (and I really can't wait until fall hiring with a February start date). I considered applying to pediatric offices as well, but I haven't found any positions posted and I am not so sure where to look. Do you have any suggestions?

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"It occurred to me at the conclusion of this year that while entering the NICU as a new grad was a relative piece of cake, I never could have managed a school nursing job at that time in my career.

Ironic, considering the public perception of these 2 jobs. "

My first job as a new grad was NICU with a similar positive experience to Jolie, and I concur, could never have started as a school nurse as a new grad. I was the only nurse in the organization the first 2 school nurse jobs I had.

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I would guess that the availability of Peds office jobs will likely vary depending on your location. Do you have access to something like Careerlink.com ? I am in the middle of America and there are Peds office jobs here. Some offices like RNs to have at least one year of acute care experience though. The relative glut of new nurses right now as compared to hospital jobs is probably a cyclical thing that happens with nursing. Good Luck ! :)

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.
It occurred to me at the conclusion of this year that while entering the NICU as a new grad was a relative piece of cake, I never could have managed a school nursing job at that time in my career.

I also spent about 10 years in the NICU and i have to agree. NICU was a cake walk compared to entering school nursing. And I had 23 years of peds nursing when I went to my first school!! OP, you have been given good advice and I hope you are listening. Clinicals in no way prepare you for the real world of school nursing. It's not a bandaids-and-ice-packs world. Anything that can happen in an ER can, and does, happen in a school. Except you have no oxygen, no IV fluids, and NO BACKUP. It takes any nurse some time to gain the knowledge base and assertiveness to work alone in an environment where 100% of the staff has no idea what you do, but are more than willing to tell you how to do your job.Kids often can't articulate what's wrong. It takes a pretty skilled nurse to ferret out the situation sometimes. Couple that with the kids with chronic illness and you've got a huge load (and kids are NOTHING like adults--they're a breed apart.)

Get some peds experience. ICU & ER are great places to start. Develop your triage and diagnostic skills. :nurse: Come back in 5 years and you'll be ready.

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I am a new grad with little peds experience and I was just hired as a elementary school nurse. So it is possible.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.
I am a new grad with little peds experience and I was just hired as a elementary school nurse. So it is possible.

Good luck. :nurse:

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Thank you, I know I'm going to need it. The little peds experience that I do have was in the ER and I definitely think that will help out.

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