Becoming a school nurse

SnowyJ, RN · Oct 19, 2015

Does NJ require certification? Not required in NY.

nycNurse2b · Oct 19, 2015

Yes, certification required.

Im just surprised that certification is so costly at the state schools in Nj.

im hoping someone in jersey can show me a better path!

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 19, 2015

NJ requires a RN/BSN plus post bac/masters credits in school nursing plus school nurse certification from the DoE. You can be a substitute school nurse without the post-bac/masters level credits but to be hired as staff you must have DoE certification.

Graduate level credits vary from $400-$1500 per credit hour. No it's not cheap. There are not emergency certificates right now as there isn't a high demand as there are mostly substitute school nurse positions posted. Pay for sub school nurses in NJ range from $65-$150/ day depending on the district.

Private schools don't always have to abide by DoE requirements so RN/BSN may be sufficient for private or parochial schools.(plus DoE fingerprint clearance. BoN background clearance is not transferrable to schools)

SnowyJ, RN · Oct 19, 2015

Yikes! I guess I will shut my yapper next time I want to complain about NY and the low pay.

CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN · Oct 19, 2015

Not everyone knows what LVN means, so I very carefully refer to myself as a school site nurse. I don't have the proper alphabits after my name, and bless those that do, because it's a huge difference in responsibility. This district has health assistants who wear scrubs...and are called "nurse." Don't get me started.

Farawyn · Oct 19, 2015

Yikes! I guess I will shut my yapper next time I want to complain about NY and the low pay.

Yes. The pay is low but who knew the certification as so costly?

usernamernbsn · Oct 20, 2015

In VA, I worked as a clinic assistant prior to nursing school. You can work as a 'school nurse' with an RN here in Loudoun County VA. I'm almost positive they don't require the credentialing as I was offered a job pretty much upon graduation (but did not take). I suppose it ranges from district to district.

Farawyn · Oct 20, 2015

In VA, I worked as a clinic assistant prior to nursing school. You can work as a 'school nurse' with an RN here in Loudoun County VA. I'm almost positive they don't require the credentialing as I was offered a job pretty much upon graduation (but did not take). I suppose it ranges from district to district.

No offense, but that's pretty sad. Is the title "nurse"?

Farawyn · Oct 20, 2015

No law is broken if you don't call yourself a Nurse. At least in NY.

The sad part is this. I was talking to another member here last week about her son. She assumed the SN was indeed a nurse. I questioned that. Upon further investigation, she discovered the SN was a HS grad who was CPR certified. Working UNDER an RN. But still being called the "SN". The parents who don't know to question this may assume that their child is getting a BETTER level of care.

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 20, 2015

Thread cleaned up and restored to view.

usernamernbsn1 · Oct 20, 2015

Now, I'm not sure how/what or why there was confusion. I'm the first one to jump down ppl's throats who misuse the term nurse.

What I said, if this wasn't clear, was that the school system hired me as a 'health clinic assistant' at the elem level, which rarely hires or pays for RNs, and the job was not a nurse job, nor did it pay as such. I then was offered an RN level job upon graduation from my BSN program & passing boards. That job was 'school nurse,' req'd an RN, and was put in middle schools, high schools and the elementary schools which reqd. I was never claiming to be anything I was not and you can apologize now.