Any School Nurses out there who travel abroad every yr during the summer?

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I know school nurses are usually off during the summer months. I'm just curious if anyone here does that? And if not, what it is that you guys do during the summer?

Thanks guys!

You might want to check Charter Schools for jobs, too. Remember to keep "checking back" as people move and have to quit. If you want to travel abroad, you might try having a separate bank account for this purpose only. Be careful with anything that's not a necessity (fast food, Starbucks, cigarettes and alcohol and junk food.). You'll be surprised how much you can save if you never go shopping, except for food essentials. Buy nutrient dense healthy food. You'll save money and stay healthier, too! Then get a good friend to save with you, and go together, sharing expenses like hotels and rental cars. You'll have fun planning where to go and what to do together, too. My hubby and I took our 2 young kids around Europe by car and train with backpacks and stayed in hostels. We had a blast! Great memories! Totally worth the case of lice we all got! LOL!

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Totally forgot about charter schools is the pay different for a nurse that works in a charter school? Do they go off on vacation in the summer months holidays or is it a little different? Thanks for all the advice about non-necessities and going with a pal and saving at the same time I will definitely have that in the back of my mind!

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Specializes in Pedi.
KelRN215, I think I finally understand. So when you do your trips you take them on the days you are off during the week so that you don't have to use any PTO; and schedule your work week in such a way where you work a certain 3 days one week, say Mon, Tues, Wed, and the next week you work say Fri, Sat, Sun leaving you a good weeks worth of time off for travel; and you come back mid day on Thursday before you start your work week of Fri, Sat Sun. This allows you to travel without sacrificing your PTO and your work shifts you still get them in every week. But if you wanted more time off before you came back to work then you can use your PTO for that.

Am I finally getting it right?

BTW since you travel a lot multiple times in a year usually every year, have you considered travel nursing? Have you done travel nursing? If so, do you like travel nursing? Why or why not?

And were your case management/ home health jobs 5 days a week? Or 3 days a week? 12 hr shifts or 9-5 type of thing?

Fri, Sat, Sun doesn't really work because Sunday is part of the following week but yes for the most part you're getting it.

I have not ever considered travel nursing. Travel nursing is for hospital nurses and I don't work in a hospital anymore. That, and I don't really have any desire to live elsewhere in the US. When I travel for the most part I leave the country.

My current job in Case Management/Home Health is M-F 8A-4:30P.

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MotherRN, when you say you were a frequent substitute for the school do you mean a frequent substitute as a school nurse or as a teacher? How did you go about getting your last clinical with the school nurse? Was it a clinical offered at your nursing school that worked with the school nurses? Or was it something you bought up for your last clinical to which they approved or did they let you choose your last clinical? I'm assuming you got the position for school nurse as soon as you graduated nursing school? So you started as a recent grad? How did you adjust? What did you struggle with? How did u resolve those issues? What about those to which you had no answer to or needed help with? What pointers or advice can you give to those who start or are thinking about starting in the school nursing field as a recent grad?

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LOL. I wish I made enough to go on trips every summer. My life would be perfect! But sadly, the reality is we school nurses don't make enough. I make teacher pay - which is $48,000 a year.

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MotherRN, when you say you were a frequent substitute for the school do you mean a frequent substitute as a school nurse or as a teacher? How did you go about getting your last clinical with the school nurse? Was it a clinical offered at your nursing school that worked with the school nurses? Or was it something you bought up for your last clinical to which they approved or did they let you choose your last clinical? I'm assuming you got the position for school nurse as soon as you graduated nursing school? So you started as a recent grad? How did you adjust? What did you struggle with? How did u resolve those issues? What about those to which you had no answer to or needed help with? What pointers or advice can you give to those who start or are thinking about starting in the school nursing field as a recent grad?

I'm sorry for the slow reply. I have been so very busy with my new job and RN-BSN program. I have not been on All Nurses at all! Hopefully, you will get this reply.

Basically, I graduated nursing school almost two years ago with an ADN. First, I applied for hospital jobs online and got no where. Then, I applied to long term care. I worked at two different ones for a few days on one and a few months on the other in the first year I was a licensed ADN RN. That summer, before long term care, I was desperate. I googled substitute teacher with my local school district and was surprised to see I qualified to be a substitute nurse in the district. I put my packet in with the district office. I also applied to be a regular teacher substitute because I have a BA as well. Never was asked to sub as a teacher. I did start getting calls to serve as a school nurse sub however. They were pretty desperate for subs because the pay was really lousy. It was about $12.50 an hour. I put off taking assignments for a while because I was employed in long term care and making $29.00 an hour PRN at this ritzy beach-side skilled nursing facility. It didn't last however (office politics) so I started subbing. One of the first calls I received as from a former classmate. She had graduated with me and been in my last nursing clinical. I became her "Go to Girl" by being very flexible. I basically was available. I used the time to study for chemistry because her school was so slow. As a sub, I only handed out meds and documented. I subbed for her and another school equally as much. I was always organized, respectful, and actually very appreciative for the work. I was licking my wounds still from a bad first nursing job experience in LTC. Subbing as a school nurse restored my love of nursing. It was like a breath of fresh air! I subbed for about 7 months. Sometimes only once or twice a month. sometimes as much as 6 times a month. Clearly not a living wage. So, I found another LTC job in April. It was a nicer facility and I worked part time over the summer. Then, I got a text that my former classmate was promoted to a bigger, better paying school and her position was opening up. So, I applied. I still had to write a cover letter and be interviewed and wait to find out if I had the position. I have been there now since August. I have had my nursing license since spring of 2012, so I have not been a nurse long. My school is manageable. But, I would not like to be at the bigger ones yet-not until I have done the small school at least two years. I'm not sure I want to move on. We do immunization surveillance. It's a nightmare! You have to review shot records for all the enrolled kids and fix all the problems. Plus, the potential for a crisis emergency increases with more students. There are many aspects to school nursing that are shared with being a public health nurse. I want to learn these first.

I hope you get this! Not all school districts will even let you sub with as little experience as I had. The other nearby county wanted me to be a BSN and have 5 years experience! But, they paid you for it appropriately.

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Thanks Mother RN I got your reply!!

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Wonderful!! Best wishes :)

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