How do you feel about the pay?

Specialties School

Published

When I started this job I knew it didn't pay well. But I tried to look on the bright side (being at school with my daughter, the hours, the holidays and summers off) but it is really getting to me. I happen to come across the pay scales for the county and I am grouped in there and make around the same as Cafeteria workers and bus drivers. I am not saying that these people are not important or that I am better than them But it just doesn't see right and I am having a hard time getting over it. I know I don't have to tell you all the amount of responsibility placed on the nurse... but it is a great responsibility placed on my license. I am not on the pay scales of the teachers (as I know some of you are) and they make over double what I make. I understand that this is the world of education and us nurses are at the bottom of to totem pole. But it makes me feel like my education and training is not valued or respected as a profession. I feel all alone about this, so hoping to get some feedback from you guys! Thanks! :sniff:

I do it for the hours, the schedule, & for the love my district kids. The pay is laughable. I'd get paid more working as a floor sales associate at Home Depot.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Being the only nurse in the district in a school that hasn't had a school nurse in the past is a challenging job, that will never pay the way it should. This year the entire staff had a 4% pay cut even. But the benefits far out-weigh the low pay. I love this job and love the students and teachers I work with. I am very lucky to be here and even though we really struggle financially, being able to help so many kids and families reminds me that the best pay isn't money!

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I work part-time and get no benefits. I am paid about $19/hr, way below the typical pay scale for my area. But the trade off is the better hours, low intensity work, the great sense of appreciation from the staff, and summers off. :clown: Of course, my annual pay is pretty low but it provides us with enough to cover our bills and take the occasional vacation. I would much rather take the low pay than EVER work in a hospital again. My days of working 12-hr nights in intensive care are gratefully OVER. And did I mention summers off? :p

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Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..

Paula,

I think it is disgraceful that your district pays you at the scale of Bus Drivers and Custodians. You are a degreed individual. How would the teachers feel if they were being paid on this scale? I'm in Texas and I get paid the same as teachers. I would take this up with your boss, your bosses boss, or even higher up if needed.

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Specializes in Community & Mental Health, Sp Ed nursing.

It sounds like a lot of you only work at one school. I work 3 days with 5 schools (2600 students) and the other two days I work with a 1:1. The Sr nurses in my district have 8-10 schools and 5300 students. Pay range for these nurses is 38k-65k. I'd happily get paid 22k to work only one school! I'm in Ca, by the way!

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Why are the districts going to increase the pay if they can get good people to work for the pay they offer?

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Specializes in ICU, Hospice, Nursing Education.
Why are the districts going to increase the pay if they can get good people to work for the pay they offer?

Actually I think it is a different issue in my county. They schools are completely filled with all RN's. The turn over rate is low... about 95 percent of them have been there for many years. Only 2 new nurses this school year. I kinda feel like.. they have had all RN's for several years and they take the pay they offer (which is ridiculous) without argument. It was said to us (by the coordinator) that while the pay is unfair and no where near what we should get, it is what it is and the county will probably not do anything about it any time soon.

We have some very fragile children in this county and I feel all the nurses are exceptional and would trust them with my own children.

It kind of sounds to me like you think it is acceptable to pay an RN 12 bucks an hour. IF the county couldn't staff their schools at that pay grade... don't you think it may because the pay is unacceptable and not because they are not good nurses?

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No, I don't think it is acceptable. But it is the law of supply and demand. If you can fill your positions at half the pay, why offer more? If they could fill the teacher positions at half the rate, they would offer the teachers half the salary. I personally have not been in a position where accepting a job at an unacceptable pay rate was my only option. I have moved frequently and if I moved to a community that did not pay school nurses fairly, I did not accept the job offer and would work at the hospital or in other agencies. Sometimes it meant I had a heck of a commute, but I felt the pay rate was a proxy for how much the district was going to value and respect me. And as much as I love school nursing, I loved those jobs too.

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Specializes in ICU, Hospice, Nursing Education.

I thoroughly love this job. I love the kids and the majority of the teachers are grateful that I am there. I love the fact that my 5 year old is around the corner. It's not that I want to leave the job... I just have a hard time wrapping my head around the salary. Like I said, I love the job and I don't want to leave. I just want the higher ups to look at us and value us. And to respect us enough to pay us what we deserve! I don't think I will be able to have a job that makes me happy and pays decent. Sad!!

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I have had GREAT jobs, that made me VERY happy, and they paid decently.

As long as you stay in a job that does not pay decently, you will not have a job that pays decently. Once you accept non decent pay, you will likely never get decent pay for that job.

You have to be willing to demand decent pay, and if they don't give it to you, you have to be willing to walk away. One town I worked in I interviewed every year for a school nurse position and every year they offered me a salary that was less than I paid my babysitter. Every year I turned it down and every year they found a school nurse who was willing to work for that pay. I felt it was my civic duty to interview every year and every year refuse to accept it.

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Wow i thought i was gettin the shaft u guys are screwed

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I am in MA and I was offered a position making 5k more a year than I am making at the hospital where I work 32 hrs/week (days).... With 12 weeks of vacation a year!!

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