Medical Assistant as school nurse

Specialties School

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Good afternoon all,

I am a Certified Medical Assistant who is currently being working as the school nurse at a charter school for 6th-12th grade. I just started this position a few months ago. The previous 'School nurse' was not at all experienced in the medical field and I feel a bit overwhelmed at times because I do not have prior training in this area. I was thrown to the lions. The kids are thankfully well behaved but it can still be frustrating some times. I would appreciate any pointers or tips on anything really.

Thank you and have a wonderful evening!

Specializes in Telemetry.

A little off topic, but you remember how incensed and shocked people were to find out there were no nurses in the schools in Flint, Michigan? That is being rectified, which is great, but it makes me wonder if people realize this is a sadly common circumstance in school systems across the nation.

If the media put that message out, I wonder if other schools could get the licensed nurse personnel they need and deserve.

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The HEALTH AIDE at my childrens' school is CPR trained, certified to pass meds, and "can think well in an emergency."

So basically, in 12 weeks I can be a health aide too.

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The HEALTH AIDE at my childrens' school is CPR trained, certified to pass meds, and "can think well in an emergency."

So basically, in 12 weeks I can be a health aide too.

Oodles!!! *flying tackle hug*

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That's what they're called. Health aides. No one ever corrected me when I called and said "I missed a call from the school nurse."

It wasn't until I was looking at the school district website I saw the requirements. There is an RN that visits each school each week to check everything. Still I find myself nervous about it.

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*spins* I really like this school nursing board.

Y'all make me think that being a school nurse during the school year and a camp nurse during the summer would be right up my alley.

Sometimes.

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Specializes in kids.
*spins* I really like this school nursing board.

Y'all make me think that being a school nurse during the school year and a camp nurse during the summer would be right up my alley.

Sometimes.

Then you could play with us all the time;

we are way cool, wear pink on Wednesdays and Never EVER boring!!

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
A little off topic, but you remember how incensed and shocked people were to find out there were no nurses in the schools in Flint, Michigan? That is being rectified, which is great, but it makes me wonder if people realize this is a sadly common circumstance in school systems across the nation.

If the media put that message out, I wonder if other schools could get the licensed nurse personnel they need and deserve.

I find it amazing that if I were to open a LTC facility and staffed entirely with non-licensed personnel and advertised as such "to save my budget", I wouldn't even be able to open my doors. Government led school systems misrepresent to the public that there is a "nurse" (OP, I am not insinuating you are misrepresenting yourself) and it is status quo. Does anyone wonder why there is a major push to give the country back to the people?

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It amazes me how this differs state to state. As a parent, I would be very upset to learn that there wasn't a nurse staffed at their schools. I work as a health assistant, but I am also an LPN (our PHN/program director is phasing out staffing our health office with anyone who is not a licensed nurse). My boss goes between two schools, however she is never more than 10 minutes away. If a school is misrepresenting who is actually staffed in the HO, aren't they setting themselves up to litigation?

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It amazes me how this differs state to state. As a parent, I would be very upset to learn that there wasn't a nurse staffed at their schools. I work as a health assistant, but I am also an LPN (our PHN/program director is phasing out staffing our health office with anyone who is not a licensed nurse). My boss goes between two schools, however she is never more than 10 minutes away. If a school is misrepresenting who is actually staffed in the HO, aren't they setting themselves up to litigation?

I would think so, but OP says she is very careful about how she represents herself.

I am actually worried for her that she may be faced with things way outside her scope.

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I believe OP is careful, but is the school careful to not misrepresent who is staffed? We have a small school but have over 55 asthmatic students...not to mention those with diabetes/severe allergies/seizures. OP, do you have an RN staffed within the district?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

My state mandates DoE certified school nurses (RN/BSN plus graduate certification). Substitutes are RN with DoE cert (can be diploma,ASN, BSN or MSN. MA can do clerical. LPN can work as 1:1 or along school nurse as a second nurse within LPN scope. Medics can only work under the direction of an ED physician so anywhere else they are EMT-B and cannot work in schools.

You are careful make certain no one else misrepresents you

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This is a slippery slope if you ask me. I was a Medical Assistant for an Ob/Gyn doctor office before I went to nursing school. I see MA's as a very valuable part of a medical team. I think that is perfectly fine if you are right there with the physician at all times. There is no way I could have done my current job without my nursing school preparation in how to critically think.

OP, have you been checked off by the RN on med administration, vitals, diabetes care, etc? Do you have a very defined set of protocol for each complaint a student may present with?

Even experienced RN's get overwhelmed when they first transition to school nursing. After 10 years, I still see something or hear some sort of weird complaint that makes me scratch my head in confusion.

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