Don't need a brain to be a School Nurse?

bergren · Jun 2, 2011

I have never been bored. The job is what you make it. See the thread up above on what to do if bored on the job. The jobs I have had have been challenging.

Although school nurses are the lowest paid of all the subspecialties - I have always made a decent wage, I have refused to accept school nursing positions or any other positions that had unreasonably low pay.

School nurses are the most satisfied of all subspecialties.

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurvey2008.html

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

There are many misconceptions about school nursing. I do more caths per day than many Med/Surg nurses (4 to be exact), as well as insulin injections and glucose monitoring, nebulizer treatments, etc. Next year I have a student coming who has a g-button and gets tube feeds. I have had a student with a colostomy before. You never know what medical problems a newly enrolled student my have, so you have to be ready for anything.

A School Nurse has to have the technical skills of a Med/Surg nurse, the resourcefulness of a Public Health Nurse, the tender touch of a Peds nurse, the assessment skills of an ICU nurse, the pre-hospital skills of a trauma nurse, the teaching skills of a nurse educator, and the organizational and negotiation skills of a nurse manager. All the while dealing with being the only medical professional in a sea of educational people. There is no backup, you are IT! Anything that can happen to kids at home can and does happen at school, so we have to be ready for anything at a moment's notice.

Some people will always try to tear down what they don't understand. I refuse to allow the naysayers to affect my outlook. I know beyond any doubt that my job is vitally important, sometimes very difficult, and always very worthwhile :)

Flare, ASN, BSN · Jun 2, 2011

Bergren and Purple Scrubs hit it on the head - by and large we are happy with our work and very very very busy.

School nursing make you think about the big picture. Do you have a student that has been losing weight? maybe it's an underlying illness or an eating disorder. School nursing makes you advocate for your students - is that student wearing the same shirt three days in a row because it is all he has or because he is a 12 year old boy and needs counseling on hygiene?

School nursing makes you think on your feet. Is the student before you having a severe enough asthma attack that you should think about sending them out? What about the student that c/o dizziness? Are they truly having a medical issue or just trying to get out of science class?

School nursing is not a job for an inexperienced nurse. You are usually the lone medical authority in the building and you will get tapped constantly for your knowledge. There is no one to help you decide what is best. There are usually only well intentioned and untrained teachers to assist you if there is an emergency. Practically any emergency that can happen can happen in a school and it falls to you.

Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

Old women with school aged kids? I resemble that remark :)

All of the things your friends and family mention are false. Although we do seem, at least in my district, to all be over 40.

I completely agree with the above posters. I have had to deal with so many rare and not so rare medical conditions that I don't think anyone would be bored or loose their skills. The only thing we don''t have now are ventilators, but I have had a student with a trach in the past couple years. I have children with diabetes, seizures, severe asthma and allergies - I am responsible for the care and safety of these children when they are at school. Not to mention the ones with CP, CF, autism, hearing or visual impairments, cardiac conditions, Down Syndrome etc etc etc. If you encounter it in the "real" medical community, you will encounter it in the schools.

I personally don't run the health room at my schools, so don't pass out bandaids or pills, but I can tell you there is way more to school nursing than those things.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Jun 3, 2011

Here are some comments I've received from family, fellow employees, and my current supervisor:
-I am better than that.
-Anyone can be a school nurse.
-I would be degressing, not progressing.
-There is no money or advancement in school nursing
-You don't have to have a degree to hand out bandaids.
-Anyone that took one nursing class can give a kid a pill.A
-I would be bored.
-I would lose my skills.
-School nursing is for old women that have school-aged kids.
I am offended by all of the above comments. Are there any school nurses out there that would like to comment or give advice as to what I should do? Also tell me a little bit about what it's like being a school nurse.

I agree. Most of those remarks are pretty offensive but I just consider the source. These things were very likely NOT stated by anyone who has actually been a real school nurse. I've been a nurse for 34 years, the last 4 years in school nursing. So i've had plenty of time to be a NICU nurse,a PICU nurse, an OB nurse, an ER nurse, even a telephone triage nurse. I don't need to prove anything. Yes, I'm an old woman with young adult children. I've lost those ICU skills--I couldn't hit a vein with a bulldozer. But I really could care less. I don't want to be an ICU nurse anymore, but i still have all that ICU knowlege packed away inside my head. i don't need a degree to hand out bandaids or give a tylenol. I need the degree to help me figure out whether I can safely treat this injury at school or whether this child needs to be moved to home, pediatrician or ER. I am never bored because every day is a little different. Most days I start with a sort of skeleton schedule--I know I'm going to see certain regulars, my chronic kids. But anything can happen. All it takes is one kid to tell his teacher "My mom's boyfriend is touching me" and your day turns on a dime. I will never get rich in this job. I'm not paid as much as the teachers are, even though i have as much education as they do. But I just love what i'm doing and i know that I'm making a difference in these kids' lives. And that's what keeps me going.

JenniferSews · Jun 3, 2011

When I was in school I was out sick so much that the school district tried to get my mother to pull me from school. Despite the passing grades I had missed much more than the maximum # of days for several years running. But the kids that are part of the general school population today are far sicker. And like PP said the role of advocate for a child is incredibly important. It may not be the glitz and glamor of ICU or ER. But it's a vital role that is sadly underappreciated.

ahintonRN · Jun 3, 2011

I completely agree with all of your comments. I always respected my school nurses and secretly wondered what it would be like to have their job. Now that I have the opportunity, I've discovered how WRONG people are about the position. Why is it that some nurses (working in other fields) think they are "more of a nurse"? You graduated from the same accredited programs and passed the same boards. Hats off to each one of you for doing what you do. It takes a special person to be a school nurse. :redpinkhe

millhouse · Jun 3, 2011

Frankly, I left hospital nursing because it was a thankless job (the majority of the time). Patients do not respect you and the responsibilities you carry. And the responsibilities placed on floor nurses are ridiculous these days with budget cost/nurse patient ratio's and such. Just because the times are bad doesn't mean people don't become ill! They (patients) think, in general, that you are there to serve them and them only.

I love school nursing. Im in an elem setting and the kids are so great! How often do you get a chance to make a difference in a childs life... on a daily basis? Sure, the money is not the greatest... but it is what it is. Hopefully, maybe one day school nurses will be recognized and compensated the way the should. I do hand out occasional bandaids, but... I also manage some very medically fragile students. In the hospital, you can bounce questions off of fellow nurses. In the school YOU are it! There is a lot of responsibility there. I think the comments made by your peers regarding school nursing are just a lack of knowledge as to what school nursing is about. You can try and educate them on that... but more than likely, it will do no good! Heck, maybe deep down they would LOVE a job like school nursing where you get to take care of kiddos, have EVERY holiday/snow day OFF, and all summer off! Maybe they are a little envious?!? Who knows!

safarirn · Jun 5, 2011

Wow. I find my brain to be quite useful as a nurse in the school setting.

Artistyc1 · Jun 6, 2011

I have become rather attached to mine, as well. :-)

mycsm · Jun 7, 2011

All I can say is....this will be harsh but since you asked......

THE HECK WITH THEM!!!

You are the only one that can decide what will work for you....phooey on the rest!! SCHOOL NURSES ROCK!!!!!!!!!!