Wish me luck!! I so want to join this awesome school district. The only thing that gets me is how low the pay is. I would be taking a HUGE hit. Remind me again that its not the money;) If I score an interview i will be back here asking for advise.
Peggyd 16 Posts Jan 28, 2009 i am not a certified school nurse, so my pay is very low. that is the worst part of my job. i work with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. i really enjoy my job. when i have 5 kids in my office waiting for me, i think back to all the call lights, iv's that need to be changed, someone needs help to the bathroom, the doc on the phone is waiting. now i just smile. the pressure on a bad day is so much less than the hospital. i worked in the hospital 27 years, 25 as an rn. the days off are great. i no longer miss weddings and other weekend activities. two years ago i was diagnosed with inflammatory breast caancer. i worked through chemo. i would never have been to work, if i was still at the hospital. i was so tired. i was off after my mastectomy and during my twice daily radiation and after radiation due to burns. i was off for four months. when i ran out of sick days, the teachers gave me some of theirs. i still miss some of the adrenaline rushes that i had at the hospital. it took me a little while to feel like a school nurse and to enjoy it. now after 8 years of working as a school nurse, i am here to stay. good luck. i hope you get the job and learn to love it.
luvschoolnursing, LPN 651 Posts Specializes in School Nursing. Has 23 years experience. Jan 28, 2009 Read around to some of our posts on the school nurse forum. I think you'll find most of us get paid less but none of us would want to give up what we do.I love my job.
PattyB RN 23 Posts Has 20 years experience. Jan 29, 2009 I agree with my school nurse colleagues. This job may not have the highest pay or the highest technological skill level but I love it. I am the sole medical person in my building responsible for about 600 people; that's an awesome responsibility! We are in a unique position but sometimes our role can be blurred. Be careful not to be the dumping ground for non-medical issues. Also, with so much free time from week-ends to endless school vacations, you can go per-diem and make a little extra income as well as stay in the loop of technology. Good luck!
Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN 2 Articles; 1,978 Posts Specializes in School Nursing. Has 8 years experience. Jan 30, 2009 I agree that money is not everything, and no one goes into school nursing for the $$$! I also agree that you will have plenty of time for a PRN or summer job. I can choose to work summer school, 8-12 for 6 weeks and get and extra $2,000 which is nice, and I still have a good bit of summer left! You can do camp nursing over the summer - I have seen some positions that pay up to $8,000 if you work all summer! I am also considering PRN jobs as a supplement. So, there are ways to make up the extra income and still have the fun of school nursing. Good luck!
