Advice for Nurse Wanting to Stay at Same School

[Lpn to RN]

I will be taking my NCLEX soon and will become a RN (currently I'm a LPN). I am writing a letter to my boss, requesting that after I become a RN that I can stay at the school I am currently working at. I have some of it written out, but I am not really good with words and struggle to write letters well. 

I'm just looking for ideas/suggestions on what to write. 

This is what I have thus far:

"I am writing to request that my position at __(school)_ remains the same after I pass my NCLEX and become a Registered Nurse.

I understand that as a registered nurse my scope of practice is greater than it is as a licensed practical nurse, and that ....... .  However, I strongly believe that __(school)__and the students that attend would benefit from having me stay through the end of this school year."

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

Congratulations! It is no small feat to work while obtaining your RN degree & license. 

Do you know for sure your assignment would change once you have your RN license? Is the acuity in other buildings higher? Without knowing the structure of your health services it is a little hard to help, as I am sure you would want the letter to reflect solidly why you should be allowed to stay in your current school. 

But, taking what you've said at face value, I would talk about any positive change you've been able to enact in your current building, and about the relationships you've forged, with students, families, and staff. Continuity of care is very special and something a lot of schools/districts would die for! Think about ways in which you believe having an RN in that building will help even further and speak to that. 

I'd be happy to look over and edit anything you write as well... DM me and we can set something up via Google docs or something ?

[Lpn to RN]

k1p1ssk said:

Do you know for sure your assignment would change once you have your RN license? Is the acuity in other buildings higher? Without knowing the structure of your health services it is a little hard to help, as I am sure you would want the letter to reflect solidly why you should be allowed to stay in your current school. 

I am not 100% sure I'll move, but my school has low acuity compared to many of the other schools in my district. I also talked to the RN that oversees my school, and she said it is highly unlikely that they would keep me in this school. My school had a RN working here at one point(1.5 months), but then they pulled her to go work at a different school. That's how I got this position. 

[seedanurse]

Congrats! That is so exciting! 

I would give specifics on how your school and students would benefit from you staying, above and beyond what a LPN nurse would provide, if they moved your placement. (You know the students and already have relationships with families, there wouldn't be the awkward transition time that comes with new staff, you feel prepared to implement XYZ new programs or health clinic offerings, etc.) 

If the district works on a model of having RNs at higher acuity schools, and LPNs at lower acuity, it might not make sense for them to keep you there...BUT you could also mention that acuity can change drastically from one year to the next (or even day to day!) so it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to have an RN on staff.

Good luck! And congrats again! ☺️

[Checkers08, BSN, MSN, RN]

k1p1ssk said:

Continuity of care is very special and something a lot of schools/districts would die for! Think about ways in which you believe having an RN in that building will help even further and speak to that. 

100% this! There are so many benefits to continuity of care!

[mdsRN2005, ASN, BSN, RN]

I agree with what others have said about stressing the importance of continuity of care.  Unfortunately while it should make a difference, it may not depending on who is making the decision (I'd hope a nurse manager would value that, but other mgmt might not).  I'd focus on what you've done at that specific location.  Even better if you can think of some kind of new initiative to implement there (a preventative health program, better record keeping, etc).  Anything that makes you more valuable will make your opinion more valuable.  And if it is specific to that particular school, so much the better!  Good luck.  Let us know how it goes.  
 

P.S. - I've never worked in a school nurse setting but have several friends who have.  I personally think all school nurses should be RNs. 

[Lpn to RN]

Thank you to everyone who commented. I was able to sit down with my manager and boss and go over the reasons I cannot stay at my school. And I'm okay with it. Of course, my kids at my school are really sad but we're working through it. I'm excited for my new position! 

Every now and then, I realize all over that I am in fact a RN, and it blows my mind.?