New School Nurse!!!

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I accepted a position today to be a new school nurse!!! I'm so excited!! The only little catch was the huge pay cut I had to take. I thought I would be enjoying summer's off, but I will probably have to work to make up the difference. It is my dream job with a nightmare salary!!! I'm thinking I'm going to have to get rid of my cable and eat ramon noodle soup for the next year!!!

:lol2:

Good luck!

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I didn't get the job.

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

I'm so sorry!!!

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery/ Postpartum/ School.

How is the new job going? I started in April as a new school nurse coming from L&D and Mother/Baby.. So I did two months, had the summer off, and just started back in August. I am having a hard time of it. I really miss the other nurses and I feel no one in the school has any respect for what I do. One thing I wanted to do this year was institute nurse passes- students must bring in passes that I designed when they come in. I know its only 2 weeks into the year, but no one is doing them despite constant reminding. I am going to start sending kids back to class to get the passes. In the spring, I was amazed how many parents called the school complaining because I didnt call them to say their precious baby had a skinned knee. I call only if its an injury or illness they need to watch out for, not a simple abrasion to the knee that only needed one little bandaid. I find that incredibly frustrating. Are we expected to call 50-60 parents a day?? This is part of the reason I instituted the nurse passes, so they can go home at the end of the day and parents can have that communication from me.

The hours are wonderful, my daughter just started kindergarten so we drive to school in the morning together, and come home in the afternoon- have holidays and weekends off... I cant see going back to the hospital now because I couldnt see dropping her off at school (daycare) at 630am... I guess I am just feeling alone.. no one else in the school knows what we do and I dont think they really care. Any advice?

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MelissaJaneRN,

Every new job has a period that until things work more smoothly. I'm sure that time goes on, things will even out and you will feel more comfortable. For now just enjoy the time you get to spend with your little girl, and when you need to network with other nurses, do so on this thread. You will never be able to satisfy every one (i.e. family members that nitpick), but as long as you are doing your best, it will be noticed.

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MelissaJaneRN,

Do hang in there. I was the only school nurse (12 years, 4 schools, 3 different towns, Grds K -12). Pay was not good. Challenges were many, rewards from students and eventually parents were the best ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Advice is to get to know teachers, help them problem solve with health issues - which helps build rapport. Keep up the effort with nurse passes - agree it is a good method for teachers to know where they sent student, communication tool from you to teachers, and very good communication tool to parents.

Takes time to make changes. have to be patient. Remember to learn the language of the school (educators) and utilize it with your communication to staff (with medical communication words interjected). I found we communicate differently and best to speak their "language" a lot to begin to build the rapport and trust.

When parents call about "scrapes, etc" tell them about the nurse passes, how they are to be used and why you use them to communicate issues that are not "life threatening".

Good luck!!!;)

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Breezie and others with salary questions.

Most of time salary depends on the system you work in. Some are aligned with teachers and some are not.

It is a challenge to get the powers that be to listen and realize what a huge asset they have with school nurses. You have to learn the language of the school system and educators then speak to them in their language.

In my opinion, the school nurse position(s) should be titled Health Services - not school nurse - A position of Corporation Nurse should be a director, on same organizational level as other "section" (Food service director, maintance director, transportation director, curriculum director, etc) directors. Each having their own budget, etc. And salary should be comparable.

Then each school should have a nurse (RN or LPN) under the direction of the Corporation Nurse. Salary should be on same scale as teachers. dependent on educational preparation, certifications, and years of experience.

Some systems are organized in this fashion.

Does anyone else have experience or ideas to suggest.

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