Considering a Switch...

[BabyNurse410]

Hi everyone! I’m a NICU nurse considering trying a change to School Nurse. I became a NICU nurse right out of nursing school, so it’s the only area of experience I have. As a military spouse with frequent moves, it’s been a challenge finding NICUs at some locations. I now have a school-age son and the idea of having off the same days as he does is definitely appealing, but I’m really not sure what to expect in the day-to-day job. I’m applying to be a substitute school RN to give it a try and see if it’s something I can picture doing each day. So I guess my questions after all of that are - What main skills would I need to brush up on/learn since my only experience is NICU?? What were your biggest challenges if you transitioned from a specialized population/age group into School nursing? Thanks!!

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

I think you're doing the perfect thing by subbing first to see if its for you. It will give you the opportunity to see what population you enjoy working with (elementary vs middle vs high) but also what the day to day is like.

Basic first aid / sports injury treatment is probably the most frequent things you'll face as a school nurse, so brushing up on that is a must. That and pediatric assessment skills. You can't always trust a kid's assessment of their symptoms, so yours must be able to support your findings.

Condition-wise, I would say the biggies are asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures, anxiety/depression, and ADHD. Knowing s/s of other common childhood illnesses is also a must.

This forum is very active during the school year, so come to us with any questions!!

Welcome!

[BabyNurse410]

47 minutes ago, k1p1ssk said:

I think you're doing the perfect thing by subbing first to see if its for you. It will give you the opportunity to see what population you enjoy working with (elementary vs middle vs high) but also what the day to day is like.

Basic first aid / sports injury treatment is probably the most frequent things you'll face as a school nurse, so brushing up on that is a must. That and pediatric assessment skills. You can't always trust a kid's assessment of their symptoms, so yours must be able to support your findings.

Condition-wise, I would say the biggies are asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures, anxiety/depression, and ADHD. Knowing s/s of other common childhood illnesses is also a must.

This forum is very active during the school year, so come to us with any questions!!

Welcome!

Thank you! That’s really helpful and I’ll be doing some reading!! Teens scare me LOL so I’d probably be more comfortable with the younger population, at least at first! Buuut.... the main HS in the district has 3 nurses so I wouldn’t be on my own while subbing which is a HUGE plus!

[GroweLove, BSN, RN]

Following because school nursing is something I've considered for quite a while. After 19 years in ambulatory/outpatient/hospital settings, I get a little apprehensive when I think about being the "lone provider" without a comradierie of health personnel at my fingertips to pull from should an emergency arise. However, I would love the opportunity to care for and work with children via school nursing.