New school Nurse, Struggling!!

Specialties School

Published

I am a first year school nurse at a middle school. I come from a high risk OB labor and delivery background. First off let me say I did labor and delivery almost 8 years and I complained most of the time. I loved the docs, and people I worked with however the corporate side left us often short staffed and scrambling. I was prn at the hospital and worked 1-2 12 hours shifts per week. I also worked prn at a local surgery center doing preop less often and 8 hour shifts.

A school nurse position opportunity arise and I decided to take it. This is a huge job. I feel like even though I did high risk OB and things were life and death, it was a job. This is more of a career, whatever you leave at work continues on to the next day. I'm not sure if it is because its my first year or the actual job, but I'm struggling. I desperately miss the days off during the week that I used to have being prn. I know we get many scheduled breaks, but I feel like I'm always working. I feel a bit selfish that my days off are what I miss most. But maybe I'm not cut out to juggle all of it? I am contemplating going back to my prn job, but is that smart since I left that behind? Being over 40 I feel like the extra benefits are nice such as short term disability ect. (I have health insurance through my husband). Anyway I am rambling on but I just don't know what to do.

I will say my favorite part of my OB job was doing triage. I love getting people in, figuring out what is going on, and moving them on to the appropriate place. I love that it was women's health. I love starting IV's, drawing labs, investigating what is going on. I do not miss the labor part at all. I thought school nursing may be a good fit since I see a variety of people and it would be like a mini triage. A part of me thinks I am just not a content person and maybe I wont like any job. Any advice or thoughts are welcome. I don't know which direction to take and I assume our contract negotiations will be coming soon. That is even added stress that I will have a time limit on deciding. Help!

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

Not every nurse is cut out for all nursing, there are niches. I would be miserable in an ER, others go straight to Shock Trauma. Your post answers your question. No where did you mention those you care for. Have you ever thought of case management? You "triage" services for people and help facilitate a better outcome for people. You can be in-facility or telecommute. Sorry for doing the male thing, and trying to fix the problem, but I hope I was of help. Good luck in whatever decision you come to. The coolest thing in nursing is the variety that it entails.

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Hey OP. I came from Women's Health right before this job. I left because it was poorly managed and run to the ground, and TPTB thought they could keep me there and I would never leave. Mhm, nope.

I, too, miss drawing blood, IV's vaccines, and women's health in general. I definitely have more of a mind (and a mouth!) that works in a Gyn Clinic than a HS. The cleaning up my words and innuendo has been quite the challenge for me.

That being said, there are many similarities. I triaged there, I triage here. There were emotional/psych issues there, there are here. People needed education there, they do here.

Give it a little time.

The only thing in your post that made me go "buh?" was the time off. We have so much time off as school nurses that I took on another job!

I think it's the best part of this job, after the kids, who I love. I really do.

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I'm sorry you're struggling. School nursing is a huge change from where you were at. And there's a huge learning curve, too. Depending on your school you may have nothing in place to really help you get started. You had your other job down-pat! You've been doing it for 8 years. Imagine being a school nurse for 8 years and all that you would know! That's not a reason not to go back to OB, and it's not a reason to stay in school nursing. I think taking a look at what you really want to do, and what really makes you happy is going to lead you in the right direction. And think about all summer long if you want to look forward to days off! ;)

Good luck in your decision!

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Specializes in School nursing.

I, too, miss drawing blood, IV's vaccines, and women's health in general. I definitely have more of a mind (and a mouth!) that works in a Gyn Clinic than a HS. The cleaning up my words and innuendo has been quite the challenge for me.

Join my dark side and teach sex ed to MS and HS kiddos and get your fill of GYN ;).

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I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I do like caring for the kids that really need me in my office. I have a homeless student that I see daily and I have gotten involved at getting her supplies for her and her family. I have an asthmatic that I am training to advocate for himself because otherwise he may not get care. However the enabling of parents that take their kids out of school for anything and have 20+ absences already are maddening!!

I do miss taking care of pregnant women. I miss fetal monitoring and labor checks, PIH checks and PTL checks. I feel I am task oriented, checking things off and being a "detective" of sorts. I still don't miss life and death emergencies and crash deliveries. I don't know if case management would be my gig but I will look more into the details of this. Again thank you for responding!

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Join my dark side and teach sex ed to MS and HS kiddos and get your fill of GYN ;).

Oh hell no.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

All excellent advise. Don't force yourself to come to a conclusion you're not ready to make. Deciding not to decide is a decision. One thing to throw into the mix - it's easier to obtain a hospital based prn position than it is to obtain a school nurse position so you might want to take Far's advice and wait to think about it for another year; you can work to your heart's desire this summer.

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All excellent advise. Don't force yourself to come to a conclusion you're not ready to make. Deciding not to decide is a decision. One thing to throw into the mix - it's easier to obtain a hospital based prn position than it is to obtain a school nurse position so you might want to take Far's advice and wait to think about it for another year; you can work to your heart's desire this summer.

:bag:

I didn't say that.

"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice!"

-Rush, "Freewill"

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
:bag:

I didn't say that.

"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice!"

-Rush, "Freewill"

You know you did.

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You know you did.

*flounces*

Did NOT!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
*flounces*

Did NOT!

Did too...no backs

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