New School Nurse- need advice...

[mygirlarely]

Hi all. I am starting a School Nurse job after being an OB/GYN nurse. I am a little nervous. This is a totally new realm of nursing for me. The previous nurse left a "bad taste in the mouth of the staff" so to speak. She apparently made mountains out of mole hills and now the staff at the schools really don't want a school nurse. How can I step into this position and help the staff realize that not all nurses are like that and that I really do have the best interest of the students at heart. Also, for those who have done this a while, what advice can you give a new School nurse??

Thanks.

[edgwow]

When that happened to me , I found that followup with staff was a good bridge beween the staff and the "new nurse". If they come in for some tylonol for a headache, check back with them to see if it is any better in a few hours. If a student is injured on the playground, check back with the student at the teachers classroom. This will help the teachers to see that you genuinely care about them and the well being of the students. If you get a phone call from a parent, about an absent child, let the staff know what is up with the student and when their expected return is. Offer a weekly blood pressure and glucose sugar check open to the teachers after the students leave for the day, one day a week. If only a few employees utilize it and you are kind and sensitive to their needs when they come in, they will warm up to you and help other staff to see you in a positive light.

Betty

[TXNurseBSN]

I would find out more about the previous nurse's situation. What really happened? Teachers usually think that the nurse is sitting on her bum twiddling her thumbs waiting for a kid to come in and don't realize the myriad of other responsibilities we have. I have had everyone at my school from the teachers to the cafeteria ladies trying to tell me how to do my job. I would be careful about jumping in and "kissing up" to these people just yet. You are not going to be like anyone on your campus and this is often very hard. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand to protect your license. This may very well be what happened to that other "bad nurse."