New School Nurse has Loved and Hated the Job

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Hello Fellow Nurses,

I just joined AN, thought I'd try posting...

I am a new grad RN (ADN). I started as a K-6 school nurse at the start of the 2012-2013 school year. I was very discouraged by the lack of orientation and guidance I received upon hiring, so much so that I put in my notice to resign after only about a month. When my last day rolled around the district still had not found a replacement for my position, and I was starting to find my flow as a school nurse, and so I had a change of heart. 4 months in and I really love my job! The kids keep me smiling, the schedule can't be beat, and I now enjoy the autonomy that almost lead me to quit.

I will be back again soon to post questions and vents... I have been saving them up for awhile now!

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Same here, nursing school to school nursing. Trial by fire really. :roflmao: Ask anything you can think of, there are many here that will be glad to help you!

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I have been atmy job for a few months....and I feel exactly the same way. It is getting better..slowly.

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I ahve to be honest, I came to school nursing after 12 years of Brain Injury Nursing and still had difficulty!! There is NO orientation in a school and so many things are different. It took me years to get used to the routine and the differences from hospital nursing to schools. I have been in a school for 13 years and LOVE it! Every time I have a bad day, I try to remember back to the days when I worked weekends and holidays and missed my kids bedtime due to the 12 hour shifts.

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I agree, it is growing on me. Also, I get the same check every month (even though we get 2 1/2 weeks off in December)!

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Specializes in Tele/PCU/MedSurg/Travel.

Hey Cidney,

If you feel comfortable, could you tell me about what starting salary for a school nurse is? What part of the country are you in? You can private message me if you like. Thanks!

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Good for you for hanging in there! We never get a comfort level at a new job for at least 3 months-that's why most employers have a 3 month "introductory period" just for the purposes of getting comfortable and into a routine, learning the job well, asking questions, and yes, making mistakes. Never give up on a job after only one month, unless something is definitely dangerous and puts your license in jeopardy. Slow and steady wins the race, always!

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how do you find a school nurse position? I have looked and looked online but cannot find anything. I'm in the Miami ,FL area.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

your best bet is to go to a local school and inquire about jobs and/or substitute jobs to get your foot in the door.

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A little backgroud so I can join in -- I am an LPN who is back in school FT to obtain my ADN by May 2013. I have been fortunate to have been taken under my children's school nurse's wing and have subsequently, been able to fortify a relationship with a few other school nurses in the district and have now been subbing for 1 + years. My goal is to obtain a school in the upcoming years -- just yesterday, I rocked a phone interview for a two week Summer camp nurse position for 2013. I hope that I'm able to work in the schools and then in the Summer bring my kids to camp. Has anyone else tried this? It's amazing as they are willing to allow them to attend for free when the typical tuition is $2,400/kid for two week session!

Everything you mentioned in your post is my fear! lol -- grant it, I've been fortunate to have a Mentor (of sorts) and I'm hoping that I won't feel like a fish out of water when and if I get a school. I wonder though, I know there's pro's and con's of being in your children's school district -- does anyone have advice if you should find another district?

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I also went from nursing school to school nursing...it's been almost exactly 4 months since I started and all I can say is that I've learned A LOT, especially about myself. I had no orientation, I had to find my own mentors, and I have no one telling me what to do or how to do it. I've had to assert myself, say NO to doing data entry and other tasks that have nothing to do with my job, and I've learned to develop a to-do list prioritizing immediate needs (diabetics, IEP assessments, etc.). Now I am used to continuously questioning myself and having to troubleshoot without any other "medical" person around and as time passes I realize that I am able to answer my own questions most of the time. There is so much more to learn, and I just registered for my state's annual convention so that I can meet other School Nurses, go to tons of workshops, and hopefully learn a bunch of stuff!!

I'm glad you decided to stay on the job, we need school nurses! Like someone else mentioned, you really should give a new job/career as much time as possible before you make drastic decisions such as resigning. I tend to give myself at least a year before I even start to think about changing where I live or where I work.

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I am in California, where jobs for new grads (especially ADNs) are hard to come by. My school district is in a very impoverished, rural community. The pay works out to about $22/hr, which is about half the starting wage for an RN position in a hospital. For me, I am willing to make significantly less than possible with my degree in exchange for the freedom my schedule allows me. I work M-F, 5-6 hrs/day, and get all school holidays off (all paid, except for summer).

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