Holy pay cut shock!

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  1. Do you get paid way below average as a school nurse?

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I'm sure this has been up here before...but I've never browsed the school nurses as I recently became one. I'm an LPN of 2 Year's, prior medic, and medical assistant. My job I just left at a rehabilitation hospital paid 28/hr...when they offered me the school nurse job she said 15/hr!!!! Minimum wage here is 10! I was kind of, well, offended! I got them up to 17.85/hr plus all breaks paid off, regular benefits, and a pension plan. Just curious...did everyone else experience this incredibly low pay in school nursing? I couldn't believe they could ever fill the position at 5 dollars over minimum wage!?

I'm a brand spanking new RN/ ICU nurse making only a few dollars more an hour. I think it's highly dependent on the organization (school's budgets aren't substantial).

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I'm grateful to receive what I do because I wouldn't be able to survive on $15/hr the benefits would never be that great! But it seems like overall school nurses don't get paid what I believe we should be getting paid.

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This is where school nurses don't get it. You actually received a raise! Given 180 day school year at 8 hours per day, you actually make $37.50/hour (do the math) Your school year is approximately 10% less in total FT hours as opposed to those working the whole year.

I get what you're saying but in my eyes it is still a pay cut. I was comparing hourly figures not actual days worked because I haven't made it to a year yet. I know that schools don't go all year round but my bills do. So it equals to a little less then what I was making at my previous job but close. They take 6 weeks off in the summer and are off on all major holidays and have school breaks throughout the year, I believe 3. I live in a high cost state so every penny counts and I don't have a spouse to support me fully. We are in it together and I make the higher of the two salaries. I still will ask for a raise at the end of my contract, because I deserve it (they haven't had a consistent school nurse make it through the whole year and implement as much as I have ever) and an increase is always welcome to help support a growing family. As I have a little one on the way due in May. I don't know about you guys but I didn't bust my butt in nursing school for as long as I did to get short changed. Benefits or not. I'm staying in school nursing until I finish my Masters program so I'm grateful for the opportunities its helping me achieve but I'm not sold on this being the last stop on my nursing journey. Thanks for the breakdown though, I do see your point!

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

Not an RN, but CMA. I get paid 14.21/hr as a Medical Aide in a Public Charter School, which is more than I get paid in Doctor's offices (13/hr was the last pay I was getting). I'm not planning to stay here long, since I was told that even as an RN here, it's the same pay, but in normal public schools, they pay more (Than what I am paid).

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
I get what you're saying but in my eyes it is still a pay cut. I was comparing hourly figures not actual days worked because I haven't made it to a year yet. I know that schools don't go all year round but my bills do. So it equals to a little less then what I was making at my previous job but close. They take 6 weeks off in the summer and are off on all major holidays and have school breaks throughout the year, I believe 3. I live in a high cost state so every penny counts and I don't have a spouse to support me fully. We are in it together and I make the higher of the two salaries. I still will ask for a raise at the end of my contract, because I deserve it (they haven't had a consistent school nurse make it through the whole year and implement as much as I have ever) and an increase is always welcome to help support a growing family. As I have a little one on the way due in May. I don't know about you guys but I didn't bust my butt in nursing school for as long as I did to get short changed. Benefits or not. I'm staying in school nursing until I finish my Masters program so I'm grateful for the opportunities its helping me achieve but I'm not sold on this being the last stop on my nursing journey. Thanks for the breakdown though, I do see your point!

I work in a private school, teachers make 29K/ year, we are not rich by any means. Nurses are not integral to education, we are ancillary. This is why some districts underpay nurses. Teachers are the real cogs in the wheel in education budgeting and, rightfully, deserve the salaries that are livable. I am looking at this as a taxpayer, not a nurse. Districts that put pay equal to teachers are great, but we could argue that teachers can't be sued and they don't lose their licenses unless they sleep with students. A large lens is necessary when looking at school nurse salaries and sometimes changing your perspective can bring reality into focus.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
... I am looking at this as a taxpayer,

Since we are paid by the taxpayers, I like to think that every dollar I pay in taxes ends up back in my pocket!!:yes:

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I work in a private school, teachers make 29K/ year, we are not rich by any means. Nurses are not integral to education, we are ancillary. This is why some districts underpay nurses. Teachers are the real cogs in the wheel in education budgeting and, rightfully, deserve the salaries that are livable. I am looking at this as a taxpayer, not a nurse. Districts that put pay equal to teachers are great, but we could argue that teachers can't be sued and they don't lose their licenses unless they sleep with students. A large lens is necessary when looking at school nurse salaries and sometimes changing your perspective can bring reality into focus.

Completely get what you're saying, but as you said nurses aren't necessary but ancillary in the education field, the operations staff would be struggling to keep up with their own tasks and the overflow of students that come to the nurse's office without a school nurse here. Hence why I believe in certain schools we are very important. I know when I first started here (charter school) that they were so thankful to have a full-time nurse. But I understand the point you're trying to make, I just want to bring to attention that as RN's should and deserve to get the pay we deserve as well, school nurse or not. :)

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I think this is normal for school nurses. Its incredibly low paying part of nursing.

Yep.

It's so worth it, though, if you can make it work. It took me a few years of saving from working two jobs.

I just had 2 weeks off with no worry about work. I do not miss the crazy schedule of hospital nursing!

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.
aside from the few glucose checks and maybe some insulin. other than that you're giving icepacks and lollipops out.

Way to offend an entire board. You have no clue.

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Specializes in School.

I am an LVN and make about 1/2 of what a teacher would. My mom asked me 10 yrs ago why didn't get a different job knowing I could make more money. Mine was all about my kids. They were in first grade and K. Oh, yeah, it was making way more than I was making. I had been off work for about 5 years while my kids were babies. So any money was better than $0.00.

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