Frustration these First Few Weeks of School

[SchoolNurseBSN]

It just seems like every year, nurses in my district get less respect. I know we are in an education setting and have to adapt - I always try to be part of the team. However, it seems like we face more and more opposition. For example:

*Administarators refusing to buy clinic supplies.

*Administrators refusing to give nurse code to use copy machine.

* Anger / demanding that a brand new nurse make up time missed from school because she had to go to computer training.

*Using the clinic as a common area. Staff members helping themselves to supplies, practically knocking students or clinic staff out of the way to use clinic restroom.

I guess I just needed to vent this morning! I see our importance so well and it is sometimes disheartening that others don't!

[schooldistrictnurse]

At frustrating times like these, just remember the times when you were able to help a staff member understand a child's medical needs or when you helped your school navigate a difficult situation (like H1N1!) or when you were able to talk to a student about something that no one else in the building could understand. Yes, we are invisible at times. But we are also giants at times!

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Oh, I see you took the job at my old school. Now you see why I left.

Seriously, the culture of the school comes from the top down. Your prinicipal has the power to make all this stuff stop, if he/she wants to. Does she understand that there is a problem, or does she think that *you* are the problem? If it's the latter, you might want to rethink this job. BTDT I beat my head against that brick wall for 2 years until I threw in the towel and walked away. Now I"m in a very nice little elementary school where the admins and staff really show me appreciation on a daily basis. I no longer have to beg for supplies, nor share my space. My clinic is like a little piece of heaven now, even though the actual space is about the size of my bathroom. I hope you can get things worked out, but sometimes you have to know when to move on .