I work in a public school that is nearly 100% low-income kids. Public school funding here is 48th out of the 50 states. There's no money for anything, anywhere...which basically means that in wealthier neighborhoods, parents get a list and purchase $200+ dollars of classroom and office supplies at the beginning of the year, apart from what their individual child needs. In schools like mine, not so much.
Our teachers typically spend at least a couple hundred bucks of their own money, or sometimes considerably more, on basic supplies for their classroom (adding insult to injury, since their salaries are low).
The budget for the school health office is zero. Our resourceful administrative assistant pirated $200 from her office supply budget so I could get basic supplies from the district warehouse in September. I brought my own manual BP cuff, pulse ox, and thermometer to the office since it's out of the question to pay $300 to replace the battery and re-calibrate our Welch Allyn rolling unit. I regularly find myself picking up cough drops, disinfectant wipes, snacks, etc for school when I'm out doing my own shopping.
Do others face this issue? In a seemingly bottomless pit of needs, where do you draw the line? No one's going to die for lack of a cough drop, for sure. But there are some basic things that make my work life easier (like the organizer bags I purchased for storing medications) - sometimes I'd just rather have them than not, and I'm not going to get them any other way.
I am a new school nurse, started this year. Back ground in ICU 25 years in nursing. I was very acoustomed to a huge amount of supplies available to me in the hospital setting but. NOT in school and I had no idea there was a budget for the health office. I keep texting my boss for supplies I need. She brought me a few miss-matched rolls of tape, box of gloves, some ice pacs and 1 lone container of 4x4. I have bought sanitary pads, cough drops, mints, gingerale, supplies all I can find. My cabinets are so empty!!! I guess I will have to hold pressure with a maxipad for the next lac. Or I could go to the hospital and ask them to save the still sterile unused supplies off of their procedure trays like we used to donate to 3rd world countries. This is almost a deal changer I' ve never invested so much of my earnings back into work but.....
the kids appreciate it I know. Please send comments. Im new and really had no orientation. I come here and get my LEARNING on. Thanks
Welcome to the club! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ?
I'm more of any anti-buyer in what I'm willing to get for my office out of my own pocket. I have only ever purchased Saltines, and that's because 65 cents at Aldi for a whole box to avoid the week+ shipping time on a reorder is more convenient for me. If my budget has run dry I tell my administrators that I am out of a certain needed item and that I will not be able to help with xyz unless some financial flexibility can be found in the budget to get things. Usually a building budget has funds somewhere for a couple bottles of $1 Tylenol from one of our bidding companies.
I'm more of any anti-buyer in what I'm willing to get for my office out of my own pocket. I have only ever purchased Saltines, and that's because 65 cents at Aldi for a whole box to avoid the week+ shipping time on a reorder is more convenient for me. If my budget has run dry I tell my administrators that I am out of a certain needed item and that I will not be able to help with xyz unless some financial flexibility can be found in the budget to get things. Usually a building budget has funds somewhere for a couple bottles of $1 Tylenol from one of our bidding companies.
Yes to this^^^^. I just had my yearly evaluation and was shocked - for the first time ever I was asked if there was anything I wished/wanted/needed for the clinic and that the principal/AP would find a way to help me get it- I didn't have an answer.
LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN
654 Posts
Welcome to the club! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ?
I'm more of any anti-buyer in what I'm willing to get for my office out of my own pocket. I have only ever purchased Saltines, and that's because 65 cents at Aldi for a whole box to avoid the week+ shipping time on a reorder is more convenient for me. If my budget has run dry I tell my administrators that I am out of a certain needed item and that I will not be able to help with xyz unless some financial flexibility can be found in the budget to get things. Usually a building budget has funds somewhere for a couple bottles of $1 Tylenol from one of our bidding companies.