Experienced RN afraid to be a solo school nurse

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Hello all! I have 2.5 years of experience working in acute care adults AND pediatrics. I have always known acute care is not what I want to do forever and am interested in public/community health. I like the preventative/education side of nursing and I love my kiddos in pediatrics! There seem to be a lot of school nursing jobs in my area and I always thought it would be something I'd want to do but I find myself afraid to be the sole health care provider in a sea of kids! It seems silly since I have been working with patients of all ages in medsurg and ICU settings and I am a competent RN but for some reason the idea of having to completely take charge in an emergency with no help from others makes me hesitate on school nursing. So for all of you school nurses, do you feel this way? Do your nursing instincts just take charge in these situations? Am I actually not cut out for it? Any advice would be appreciated!!

I think in most all parts of nursing you can feel this way, most of the time you are on your own (or others are so slammed they can barely help you) or you have too high of a workload.If is enough to create anxiety in the most talented and gifted nurse. You can do it but do you want to is the question? You will have to start over in learning a new way but it will pay off. Get out of the hospital while you can.

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I have the opposite feeling regarding school nursing, than most of the other school nurses here. I just started my position on October 1st but am already feeling bored, not challenged, and isolated. I came from a local community services board where I worked primarily with the Pediatric Psychiatrist. And yes, money isn't everything, but I took a $14k pay cut.

I'm in a school of only 480 high school students with 2 independent diabetics, 3 students who receive daily medications, and a handful of others with seizure or allergy action plans. On average I only see an additional 7-8 kids for mostly sore throats, HA, nausea, etc... Of course, there is the occasional emergency. I haven't been here long enough for many of those.

I have already found myself searching the local hospital openings. The hours for school nursing are great, but I don't know if that will be enough to keep me happy in this position. Am I crazy to be wanting to go to the hospital, working night shift?!

It sounds like you have a good grasp on what a school nurse does and the situations she may face. Plus, with your experience and background I think you would make a great school nurse! Additionally, you always have co-workers within the same county/city at other schools that you can reach out to for advice.

Just make sure that you are ready for a change of pace and take all aspects into consideration!

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Specializes in CPN.
I have the opposite feeling regarding school nursing, than most of the other school nurses here. I just started my position on October 1st but am already feeling bored, not challenged, and isolated.

This. The isolation is REALLY hard sometimes. Because even if you make friends with other staff in your school, you are still isolated in your role and often alone in your office most of the day! As far as bored and not being challenged goes, I can see that. There are definitely days when I am feeling bored, but in a school with 900, usually it just means I'm procrastinating paperwork. 480 high school kids is definitely not a much at all. I think the recommended ratio for a school nurse is 1:750? You have basically two-thirds the recommended caseload, AND it's older kids. You aren't totally crazy! ;)

OP, I'd encourage subbing, if only to get an idea of what age you like working with. I thought I wanted to be an elementary school nurse, but spent all of 2.5 hours at an elementary school and quickly learned it was not my cup of tea. You won't get a full taste of school nursing, but wouldn't hurt!

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This. The isolation is REALLY hard sometimes. Because even if you make friends with other staff in your school, you are still isolated in your role and often alone in your office most of the day! As far as bored and not being challenged goes, I can see that. There are definitely days when I am feeling bored, but in a school with 900, usually it just means I'm procrastinating paperwork. 480 high school kids is definitely not a much at all. I think the recommended ratio for a school nurse is 1:750? You have basically two-thirds the recommended caseload, AND it's older kids. You aren't totally crazy! ;)

YES! Thank you for not making me feel so crazy for feeling this way. School nursing is a highly coveted position in my area and it's exactly what I thought would make me happier...being able to spend more time with my daughter at home. Now I'm not sure what to do or where to go from here...give it more time or look elsewhere. Ugh.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
YES! Thank you for not making me feel so crazy for feeling this way. School nursing is a highly coveted position in my area and it's exactly what I thought would make me happier...being able to spend more time with my daughter at home. Now I'm not sure what to do or where to go from here...give it more time or look elsewhere. Ugh.

I'm glad you brought this up. Your child, or maybe plural, is only on loan to you from God. That time is fleeting and will be over with before you know it and are ready for it. I promise you will never look back and say, "Darn I wish I would have worked longer hours or more weekends and holidays and night shifts." Think about it long and hard before you throw in the towel.

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