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I have been an RN since 1993 in the ICU. I am thinking about changing career paths and going into school nursing. Overall, do you like your job? What is your average day like? What are the things that bother you the most about your job? Any advice you can share that will give me an accurate picture of school nursing? I am used to a stressful environment, but have never been in a role that is so autonomous. I would appreciate any advice!
School Nursing is my dream job. I've done LOTS of jobs as an RN, including ED, L&D, Tele, Public Health, Mental Health, Step-Down, Utilization Review, and more. Been everything from an interim permit nurse to a Deputy Director. I've taught RN classes at a state university, worked in a state prison, and conducted psych practica at acute care facilities. I've had love/hate relationships with almost all my positions till I became a school nurse.
General Info
Hours 8a-3:15p (with a paid 50 minute lunch)
184 days/year
School sites are within 1-2 miles of my home (1 middle and 2 elementary)
Oversee care for 1,960 children
Lots of autonomy
Great benefits (sick time, medical, retirement, etc.)
Pay decrease (but still make $93K)
Health Attendants at each school take care of superficial injuries, incontinence, mailings, routine health office care, etc.
Spend lots of time on
Vision/hearing/scoliosis screenings
IEP/504 health reviews, reporting, and meeting
Communicating with parents - sometimes the hardest part of the job
Tracking communicable disease exposures/outbreaks
Immunization issues
Writing Health Plans/Emergency Care Plans
Managing non-compliant, brittle diabetics
Completing state reports
I love the variety, how quickly my days speed by, the kids, my co-workers, the cyclic nature of the work, and the typically stress-free nature of the position.
The only con is that despite having an MSN, I have to spend $9K on university classes to become a Credentialed School Nurse (not all places/districts have this requirement, so you may not have to worry about this).
On 3/28/2016 at 1:38 PM, evelynkarirn said:School Nursing is my dream job. I've done LOTS of jobs as an RN, including ED, L&D, Tele, Public Health, Mental Health, Step-Down, Utilization Review, and more. Been everything from an interim permit nurse to a Deputy Director. I've taught RN classes at a state university, worked in a state prison, and conducted psych practica at acute care facilities. I've had love/hate relationships with almost all my positions till I became a school nurse.
General Info
Hours 8a-3:15p (with a paid 50 minute lunch)
184 days/year
School sites are within 1-2 miles of my home (1 middle and 2 elementary)
Oversee care for 1,960 children
Lots of autonomy
Great benefits (sick time, medical, retirement, etc.)
Pay decrease (but still make $93K)
Health Attendants at each school take care of superficial injuries, incontinence, mailings, routine health office care, etc.
Spend lots of time on
Vision/hearing/scoliosis screenings
IEP/504 health reviews, reporting, and meeting
Communicating with parents - sometimes the hardest part of the job
Tracking communicable disease exposures/outbreaks
Immunization issues
Writing Health Plans/Emergency Care Plans
Managing non-compliant, brittle diabetics
Completing state reports
I love the variety, how quickly my days speed by, the kids, my co-workers, the cyclic nature of the work, and the typically stress-free nature of the position.
The only con is that despite having an MSN, I have to spend $9K on university classes to become a Credentialed School Nurse (not all places/districts have this requirement, so you may not have to worry about this).
93k for 184 days? What city is this in and what type of school? From what I’ve been reading this is astronomically higher than average school nursing pay. What is everyone else doing wrong?!
13 hours ago, evelynkarirn said:I’m in CA (Central Valley). Since writing this, salaries have increased another $13K but that’s with a master’s and post-grad units at the 15 year mark. Much of northern CA offers salaries over $100K.
Still loving what I do!
That's awesome! Is this a public school system in CA?
shellfrmmo, ASN, BSN, MSN, CNA, LPN, LVN, RN
62 Posts
you did the right thing. You would have lost your sanity doing that job!