New Grad

Since I work so independently and things can be so fast-paced, I cannot imagine having this job without having some sort of pedi experience. I don't think it has to be hospital but I do feel like you ought to have some sort of clinical background.

I completely agree with the above posters. I wish I had more experience before diving in. It also depends on the support you'll have though. I'm a new grad with only a couple of months experience from the psych unit before becoming a school nurse, but the school nurses here work with the county, so I have a lot of nurses to call if I ever need help. My state doesn't require a school nurse certification though, so I'm not sure if the certificate would effect whether or not you should jump in head first. GL!

Your office can become a little ER, so no matter how many nurses you have to call, sometimes you have to make a fast decision. Some of those decisions you have to make over the phone with the school because you're at another school. Experience would definitely save me some confusion, frustration and stress, definitely not all though. This is hard work! :)

I agree about the mini-ER. I seriously had 3 students at one time that.......... Student #1 broke her finger, Student #2 having allergic reaction to Lord knows what and tongue was numb and slightly swollen (she was talking like Cindy from the Brady bunch movie), Student #3 fell in the gym and knocked out his two front teeth. Now....it was so crazy it became comical. I never get my undies in a wad, I never run anywhere, I never have a look of panic (although I may be freaking out inside). If you panic....trust me the student and the staff panics. So, I would suggest if you could get some clinical experience then that would be wonderful. :-) I am on my own besides calling an ambulance. I try not to call an ambulance unless it truly is an emergency.

Good luck!

Thank you all so much for the advice! I was looking into school nursing or public health because of a disability in my arm but it sounds like I really need to make some kind of hospital/clinical nursing work for me to get some experience under my belt first.

It can be done as a new grad but you will be so much better prepared if you have some real life clinical experience first. Good Luck!

As a 22 yr old, 2011 BSN RN graduate, I was not hired at any of the (6) hospitals I applied for. An elementary school was the only place that called me back, and I had to take it bc there bills that needed paying! I've been here ever since - no hospital experience. I wish I did have hospital experience though. For my first year here I was still putting out applications to hospitals, clinics, ect. No luck. They no longer saw me as a "new grad" but as an RN with 1 year exp. in school nursing so I was unappealing to hospitals. They all want either a 1) brand spanking new grad or 2)exp. nurse with CLINICAL experience. No one wants me now! I also had high dreams of getting my first 2 years exp at a hospital (mother-baby being my passion) and then applying for FNP school. Now that I think about it, my 2 year mark was up in Dec.2013. By now, I would have already sent in my NP school application and been on my way to becoming an FNP, soon to get my certification in Women's Health. As I watch my nursing friends post facebook statuses about how excited they are that they got in to their NP school of choice, I can only feel sadness in my heart because I see all of my friends reaching their goals and living their dreams. I had those same dreams once... I still do. But as a school nurse with no clinical experience or background, many will tell you it is not wise to jump into NP school lacking so much training and knowledge. I would be chasing failure.

So it can be done, starting off in a school....but If I were you I would get the hospital experience first. Don't get yourself stuck in a rut like I did. You'll have regrets for the rest of your life

I became a school nurse right after graduation, and struggled the first 6 months and almost quit. It is doable if you have a great support system. I kept close contact with peers from school and they are fabulous about answering questions I am unsure of. I also went to school for a Certificate in School Nursing and have contacts through that program that help with our unique type of nursing. I find that this specialty involves a lot of hands on learning, although clinical experience would be beneficial, you will do fine if you are self-motivated and do well under pressure.

I had 2 years of NICU experience before I became a school nurse. I wish I would've had a more well-rounded background, especially since we're expected to know absolutely everything medical by staff and parents. I also feel like the 4 years I've been a school nurse doesn't help my resume, now that I want to do something else. I guess so many people don't view it as real nursing, even though we all know that it is. I do use my knowledge from nursing school, but most of the time I think I just rely on common sense/educated guessing.