I must be the exception, not the rule....

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

So I've been looking over some of the posts on here lately and I'm sad to see how many school nurses are so miserable in their jobs. I work at a small, rural elementary school, PreK-5th, about 440 students, 24 classrooms/teachers (not counting resource, special ed, etc) I've been here for almost 4 months and I absolutely love it. I've quickly became friends with many of the teachers, especially one of the 1st grade teachers, she and I are very close friends. The office staff here is fabulous, very friendly and helpful. I've not had a problem at all with teachers being rude or hateful. They are all very open and nice and willing to work with me. My principal is pretty easy to get along with, I usually don't hear from him unless he needs me or I have a question. They are all very open to new ideas and things. I just started a "Biggest Loser" competition here between the staff. I have had several teachers sign up to participate, it seems like it's going to be a really good thing. I run my clinic the way I want to, I was given 100% control over how things are set up and how I want things ran. Am I really the exception?? Or are there other school nurses out there who, for lack of a better term, "have it made" like me?

[meeka720]

You are the exception. Be thankful!

[missfixit]

I am pretty much in the same boat. I have about 900 students- 4k-3rd, so my school is bigger. Usually, when I become frustrated, it is because I can't get a minute to catch my breath because of all the students wanting to see me. It is rarely staff related. I have a very supportive staff, the teachers and I get along fairly well. There have been few times that I have bumped heads with a couple of them, but as long as I follow my policies and guidelines- I am left alone to "do my thing". My principal usually sides with me. I have been here almost 3 years- the other nurse had been here about 28, so there have been times that I have had to remind the staff that I am not "so and so" and I have my way of doing things. I never take work related problems personally and I feel the staff does not as well. So, I think I have a great job as well!

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

My school is on the small side, its one of the smaller schools in our county system. I do have quite a bit of downtime, but there are some days where I'm about to go beserk because it seems like every kid in the school is sick!

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

You *do* have it made, sista! I would invite you to go to my last school of 900 middle schoolers, rank with all the trappings of poverty, gangs, guns, pregnancy, drugs,a police precinct in the office. But you probably wouldn't like it...

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

You *do* have it made, sista! I would invite you to go to my last school of 900 middle schoolers, rank with all the trappings of poverty, gangs, guns, pregnancy, drugs,a police precinct in the office. But you probably wouldn't like it...

I could guarantee you that I more than likely wouldn't like it!! I'm partial to elementary school kids, they are great! I don't think I could handle middle schoolers period...even without all the extra stuff thrown in! I'm a pretty "backwoods, simple life" country girl...not redneck or hick or anything, but drugs, gangs, and guns are something I see in the movies, not in real life. I guess I'm pretty naive when it comes to things like that, but I live in a small town (yes, we do have drugs and stuff, I just see it on the news!) and I was born and raised in the community where I live and work now. I'm sure there are those same problems all over the place, I just don't see them as much here.