Describe Per Diem School Nursing from your experience

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I have a job offer as a Per Diem School Nurse in NYC.

Curious as to what the job is like for those experienced in this role.

Thank you:)

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Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

I've done this for four years off and on at a small preK-12 school in northern NY. It's interesting and I may apply for the full time job if it comes up. The hardest part is determining why someone with no objective symptoms has a head ache or belly ache or whatever. Sometimes sending them home isn't the right choice.

No two days are ever the same and the kids are interesting.

I'm lucky, the school is supportive and polite. The only beef I have is that I'm paid at the rate of any uncertified substitute teacher and it works out to about 1/3 what I would get from a hospital. I have all the responsibility and more that I would have at the hospital...

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Feast or famine! The beginning of the year and around holidays I never get called as much and with there no school in session a big part of Dec it makes a small paycheck. Other times they call every day which gets annoying if you don't want to work full-time. I also get paid $3 less an hour than the hospital. It's also hard not knowing the kids and schools well but once you're there enough it becomes comfortable. I enjoy it for the most part.

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I love the other pp replies!

It's crazy; exciting; well underpaid; rewarding on so many levels; underappreciated (at times as most teachers make double and some look down @ you); feast or famine; helpful if you have children in order to relate (but not necessary); you must be a lie detector and be able to read between the lines; and a nurterer/maternal role model for those who don't have one. And of course all your nursing responsibities ;)

This is just a tip of the iceburg! I LOVE subbing and this is my second year. Once I obtain my RN this May I intend on trying to obtain my own school. I truly love it that much!

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Thank you!

Any tips for a newbie 's survival, first starting out?

I plan to carry a binder with my Nursing Registration copy, Protocols, Contact Information of those in my contract agency and my Nursing Liaison with the Dept. of Edu

Also, my own stethoscope, gloves, alcohol pads, hand sanitizer, BP cuff

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