Dear Teacher

Published

Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..

Thank you for taking care of our kids while they are in your classroom. Truly, I appreciate it more than you know! There is no way, on God's earth I could do what you do and, from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful you are here!

With that being said, did you get your lunch today? You did! GREAT! I had bites of a lunch I paid for, between kids, with the kids looking at me while I ate. By the way, my fast food, chicken tenders went cold before I could finish them, so I'm glad you got to the microwave (ahead of me, when I was trying to heat up a towel to put on a kid's stye) so your lunch could be hot.

Did you get your planning period today? You did! GREAT! I don't get one. Ever. It's not built into my day. So, I'm sorry you had to use your planning period to call a parent, and not meet with the other grade-level teacher to work on lesson plans, I really am. I call parents all day long, between kids, with kids looking at me, and between bites of my now, cold lunch.

You take work home and stay late? ME TOO! By the way, I'm hourly and get paid on the same scale the paras get paid despite the fact that, like you, I have a bachelor's degree and (most of) a masters.

Kids don't always run fever with a virus? REALLY??? SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I didn't know that! Thank you for sharing your medical knowledge with me. I will be sure to tuck that little gem in to my very small orificenal of facts and hope to learn more as I continue my nursing career.

By the way, you won't mind if I tell little Johnny's mother that he is having problems in math will you? I mean, he sitting here in my clinic waiting for pick up since you called his mother to tell her he is sick. I know I haven't looked at his grades, and it is only his word that he is struggling, but I think I'll have a discussion about it with her.

One more thing, since I'm hourly, I don't actually get to work the "work days". I mean, don't get me wrong, having the extra days off is great, but while you are here, putting in your grades and organizing your room, and calling parents, and taking care of what you need to take care of, I will be at home thinking about all the things I can't get done because I'm not allowed in the building. Of course, I'll take some work home, but I can't call parents from home, because, unlike you, I REFUSE to use my personal cell phone to contact parents - they don't need my number.

Well, that about sums it up. Again, please understand, I am grateful for you and what you do! I hope you understand, I'm not angry, I'm just as ready for a break as you are.

Thanks!

The School Nurse

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YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! Love it!

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Specializes in School nurse.

Finally got a chance to use the restroom in my office and a teacher on their break beat me to it. By the time they came out, more kiddos in my office. That's ok, I can wait till the busses roll...

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Specializes in School nurse.

Double post. Sorry

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Teachers get paid for 9 months out of the year but have the option to spread it out 12 months. My mom is a retired teacher and no way was her job easy. Working 30 years and she barely made 40,000 dollars a year and gets maybe a little over half that for retirement. Now you with a BSN in nursing have options of taking jobs that you could make far more. Teachers with a Education degree...they are pretty much stuck with that job. I'm sorry but like teachers have no idea about the stress of a nurse, nurses have no idea about the stress of teachers.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Teachers get paid for 9 months out of the year but have the option to spread it out 12 months. My mom is a retired teacher and no way was her job easy. Working 30 years and she barely made 40,000 dollars a year and gets maybe a little over half that for retirement. Now you with a BSN in nursing have options of taking jobs that you could make far more. Teachers with a Education degree...they are pretty much stuck with that job. I'm sorry but like teachers have no idea about the stress of a nurse, nurses have no idea about the stress of teachers.

We aren't tying to we are better/smarter/know more. But there are times we need to vent, regardless of what job we have. People in education don't get paid enough, that is everyone in the building. Someone needs to take that job. If I worked as a school nurse where I live I would make $18,000~/year. Yeah. That's it.

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Specializes in Peds, Neuro, Orthopedics.
Finally got a chance to use the restroom in my office and a teacher on their break beat me to it. By the time they came out, more kiddos in my office. That's ok, I can wait till the busses roll...

I make the kids wait. Unless it's asthma or some other emergency, their tummy ache will be there for me to deal with after I go.

According to my contract I do get a prep time equal to that of teachers. However, without a private office, it can't happen. I guess I could go into the noisy staff lounge with all the eating teachers, or my car, or the stairwell...

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Thank you Chiefswife ! You my friend have put into words exactly how I feel at my job. I am no spring chicken either. I have been School nursing for 25 years now, and Lawwwdd, I have had my fill.

My school is chock full of 22 -24 year old teachers who think they know better than me in all things medical. Dare I use the title "millenial" without being burned at the stake !! There is no respect for any of my years of school nursing here. Like you stated, no break, no lunch, no one gives a rats a$$ about the school nurse until they have a dire emergency like, bleeding, vomiting or soiled underwear. Amazing how quickly they come a running to pass off to you.

I have many issues with teachers who by-pass me altogether and will call parents to pick a student up because they are "sick". Really ? No nurse evaluation ?? Why the heck am I here then ? I'm tired, very tired of kissing teacher butt and trying my best to keep everyone of these entitled teachers happy. Respect is a two way street. I have a degree like you. I have a job to do like you. I serve all students 1,200....like you....OOPS ! No that's right, you only have to worry about 18 students. Walk a mile in my shoes too my young friend. I heard this quote a few days ago and find it very appropriate: " I'ts not that I'm giving up, it's just I am wise enough to know when quit".

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No lunch, even though I'm supposed to have one.

No planning period. Yeah right, there's no way.

No conference period. Why would I need one of those?

Better not interrupt those though!

Sure better be in my office though if little snowflake has dog poo on their shoes though. I'd sure better not be trying to eat lunch in the lounge for my 30 minutes that I'm -supposed- to get. Or be using the bathroom in the lounge because after a half dozen young children, mostly boys, use my restroom (the ones that play so much they aren't allowed to pee in a group so they get sent to my bathroom), it is unfit unless I sani-wipe it myself. Heads will roll if I'm not at my desk then!

Someone needs Vicks? It's an emergency, where's the nurse???

:confused:

Don't get me wrong, I really do love my job and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am living my dream. :nurse: The kids are amazing and I love every one of them. Buuuuuuut, when I walk in the door, I have 400+ lives both adult and children that I am responsible for. That is a big weight on my shoulders. No one else in the building deals with that, and I don't think anyone else realizes that I love all 400+ of those lives so very much, each and every one.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..
Teachers get paid for 9 months out of the year but have the option to spread it out 12 months. My mom is a retired teacher and no way was her job easy. Working 30 years and she barely made 40,000 dollars a year and gets maybe a little over half that for retirement. Now you with a BSN in nursing have options of taking jobs that you could make far more. Teachers with a Education degree...they are pretty much stuck with that job. I'm sorry but like teachers have no idea about the stress of a nurse, nurses have no idea about the stress of teachers.

She doesn't even go here! (Kidding)

I get paid for 9 months of the year (181 days to be exact) but it is spread over 12 months. I chose school nursing because it is what is best for me and my family. I love and appreciated every one of the teachers I work with.

My husband is a teacher, a high school teacher to be exact...the stories he has. I could never. BUT, he has an idea of the stresses a school nurse goes through as he hears how I didn't get a lunch, or a restroom break until 10 minutes before dismissal. So he doesn't send his dog poop shoe kids or nonsense to his school nurse. He does get a lunch break, but scarfs food down in about 10 minutes. He does get a planning, which is usually spent in a department meeting. So he usually wakes up at about 3am to do his planning as he is a first year teacher. Of course, that's after finally going to bed at about midnight because...three babies.

We both have hard, stressful jobs. The difference is, this is a school nurse board, where we school nurses can come to vent. Teachers in my elementary school get a total of an hour and twenty minutes without their students in their classrooms. I as the school nurse get...close to none. If I take a chance on going to the restroom, I will come back with three kids in my office, never fails.

Yes, we could easily "get another job", but we do what we do because we LOVE it, you have to. I know there are hospital nurses and even teachers who complain about their jobs, it's human nature. I would never tell them to get another job unless it is toxic, because while we love what we do, you need to vent to stay sane.

Sorry guys, I ramble.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

THIS!! All. Of. This!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.
She doesn't even go here! (Kidding)

I get paid for 9 months of the year (181 days to be exact) but it is spread over 12 months. I chose school nursing because it is what is best for me and my family. I love and appreciated every one of the teachers I work with.

My husband is a teacher, a high school teacher to be exact...the stories he has. I could never. BUT, he has an idea of the stresses a school nurse goes through as he hears how I didn't get a lunch, or a restroom break until 10 minutes before dismissal. So he doesn't send his dog poop shoe kids or nonsense to his school nurse. He does get a lunch break, but scarfs food down in about 10 minutes. He does get a planning, which is usually spent in a department meeting. So he usually wakes up at about 3am to do his planning as he is a first year teacher. Of course, that's after finally going to bed at about midnight because...three babies.

We both have hard, stressful jobs. The difference is, this is a school nurse board, where we school nurses can come to vent. Teachers in my elementary school get a total of an hour and twenty minutes without their students in their classrooms. I as the school nurse get...close to none. If I take a chance on going to the restroom, I will come back with three kids in my office, never fails.

Yes, we could easily "get another job", but we do what we do because we LOVE it, you have to. I know there are hospital nurses and even teachers who complain about their jobs, it's human nature. I would never tell them to get another job unless it is toxic, because while we love what we do, you need to vent to stay sane.

Sorry guys, I ramble.

Well said, Sully! I'm just gonna say ditto!

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