Different Licensure for School Nurse?

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Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

Hello Nurses! This is my first foray into the school nursing forum and I have a question that has more than likely been asked before.

I plan to apply for a school nurse opening next school year for a small rural school in Ohio. I have a BSN and 18 years experience, the last 11 as an ER nurse. When looking at the job posting, it reads "must be licensed school nurse". Now, my question is this: Is there separate licensure for a school nurse? I always thought a school nurse was an RN (with possibly a certification in school nursing). Is it possible to take the certification exam without any experience? (common sense tells me no on this one). It is quite possible that this description was written my someone with no knowledge of how nurses are licensed and/or certified.

I have looked at Ohio BON website and see nothing to indicate that there is any different licensure. My plan is to submit my resume with a cover letter advising the superintendent of my plan to apply next year. I just did not know how to address this "school nurse licensure" thing in the letter/interview.

Any help you school nurses could give me would be greatly appreciated!!

Cookienay

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I used Google to look this up (novel idea :clown: ) and found this:Certification

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It could just be that they are making a distinction between an actual licensed nurse and a so-called nurse who could be anybody trying to fill the position--mom with first-aid training, CNA, etc. Many people think of "school nurse" as a job title, so I'm sure that without stressing the need for candidates to be licensed nurses, they would get all kinds of unqualified (though probably well-meaning) people applying for the job.

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They are referring to state certification which requires additional course work. Many states have a state specific certification with additional coursework or exams. North Carolina requires national certification: National Board for Certification of School Nurses

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

I am a district school nurse for 4 schools in southern Ohio. I am required to have a BSN. In order to receive a temporary school nurse license, I must be working toward getting a Certificate in school nursing. The temporary license is renewed once a year and I must have at least 6 credits toward courses for the certificate. I am taking these courses online, and they are basically just a supplement to my BSN.

Good luck... Hope this helps!

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Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

Thank you all for the information! Supernrse, so it is a licensure and not a certification, correct? who licenses you as a school nurse? Is it the state BON? Or is it a professional organization? I guess I better get started on this coursework!

Thanks!

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

It is my understanding that in some states, the title of "School Nurse" is protected and may be used only by RNs who hold school nurse certification.

That does not mean that non-certified nurses may not work in schools, only that they can't refer to themselves as "School Nurses."

For example, I am an RN who works in XYZ school district, not a "School Nurse" because I don't hold certification thru my state's Department of Education.

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

In TN, we aren't required to have any extra certification. We aren't required to be RNs either. Our nursing supervisor is an RN and we have a county wide nurse that "floats" between all the schools that is an RN, but most of the rest of us are LPNs. There is one nurse at each school for the most part. I cover an elementary and high school with a total of about 800 students.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.
Thank you all for the information! Supernrse, so it is a licensure and not a certification, correct? who licenses you as a school nurse? Is it the state BON? Or is it a professional organization? I guess I better get started on this coursework!

Thanks!

I am licensed by the BON as a Registered Nurse. I receive my temporary school nurse license from the Ohio Board of Education. In order to get the permanent license I have to earn my Certificate in school nursing. I know... so confusing. Good luck!!

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