Nursing Professor or School Nurse? -What is your opinion

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I am B.S.N. nurse in my early 20's and currently working my first job as a nurse in a prestigious hospital's PICU. Throughout nursing school, I had many areas of interest, including neonatal/pediatric ICU, geriatrics, OR nursing, and nursing education or becoming a school nurse. I didn't think that I would want to be a nursing professor or school nurse right away, but at 7 months into my PICU job, I am already exploring other areas of nursing that would better fit my personality and desired lifestyle.

Basically, I love the level of acuity where I work now, but I do not think as fast as some of the other nurses and I am having some difficulty transitioning from textbook to real practice. Although I got good grades and graduated with honors, nursing school was hell for me, much because of certain professors. Ever since then, I have had a desire to become a professor so I can use my experience to make it better for others who are going through nursing school.

When I think about being a school nurse, I think about how fun it would be to work in a school and to have an educator role as well as a somewhat clinical-nurse role. Also, the hours seem ideal for somebody who doesn't really have the stamina for rotating 12 hour shifts (that's what I'm currently working).

Here are my questions:

1. What does a day in the life of both a nursing professor and a school nurse look like?

2. Pros/Cons of each?

3. Salary/compensation

4. Experience I need

5. What kind of education I need to pursue further?

6. Is there room to climb?

7. Are either of these good choices for somebody who wants to be very actively involved in my own family in the future? I'm currently single, but more than anything in the world, I want to be a wife and mother (yes, I'm one of those girls...haha)

If you have any thoughts or comments at all or anything to add, I would deeply appreciate them! Thank you!

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Specializes in NICU.

For Accreditation purposes, schools need MSNs and PhD (Nursing)/DNP trained nurses for professor slots. You would need to go back to school and get your Graduate degree in order to teach at an accredited school. As for school nurse, I suggest going to the School nurse forum and asking questions. It is not as idyllic as you think it is.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Other than a doctorate (Phd, DNP, etc) nursing education with an MSN is not going to pay anything. With the doctorate comes the assumption that you are going to continue research along with teaching duties.

School nursing is not what you think it is. The one for my kids' schools have 2-4 schools that they are in charge of. LOTS of paperwork. Lice. Kids that are not taken care of. Not at all what you think it is.

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Other than a doctorate (Phd, DNP, etc) nursing education with an MSN is not going to pay anything. With the doctorate comes the assumption that you are going to continue research along with teaching duties.

School nursing is not what you think it is. The one for my kids' schools have 2-4 schools that they are in charge of. LOTS of paperwork. Lice. Kids that are not taken care of. Not at all what you think it is.

I am curious what you consider "not going to pay anything"? I work full time as a nurse educator and I make a pretty good salary. Again, just curious as I believe salaries can vary depending on area of the country and type of setting.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

The nurse educators that I have met on my floor say they have taken a pay cut from floor nursing to teach. I was a teacher before I was a nurse and I made half the money I make now. I had a Masters in teaching and made half of what I did as an ADN nurse (have since gotten my BSN). I just think that unless you are teaching at the doctoral level, it's not worth it. I am starting an MSN in Informatics in Jan. I looked at education because I have experience, but it wasn't worth it. Just my opinion.

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Yes, I know that educators in general do take a pay cut. However, in my area, informatics nurses do as well. Perhaps I got lucky because I'm making just as much as I did doing bedside nursing in my current full time educator position.

Best of luck with grad school!

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

thanks! I just know that I am not going to last another 10 years on the floor, so I was looking for options. I also wanted non-clinical. Maybe it's just because I had such a bad experience as a teacher. Informatics is huge here, so we shall see what happens.

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Here is something to consider: do you really have a strong desire to teach/become a school nurse, or are you looking for an escape route from your first job?

As a new grad, any first job is going to be more stressful than you imagined. It will feel like too much. I would advise you to stay where you are for at least a year. Use the time to build your confidence, skill and make that transition from academic nursing theory to real life nursing.

Once you have mastered that, then take a look around and see what nursing can offer you.

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Say no more about wanting something non-clinical! I know the feeling! Lol

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health, Home Care.

You can easily learn more about the role (and salary!) of a school nurse by asking one in your area if you could shadow him/her for a day. I was always eager to share my "world". Pay is a real sticking point--very low in most States, sometimes on the teacher scale. Can't beat the hours/time off!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I always worry about nursing "professors" who have little practical nursing experience or knowlege which occurs, isolated, in the very beginning of a career.

I had one of those way back when I was in college.

She did fill a faculty position but her ability to engage her students was significantly lacking because she had quite a bit of didactic knowlege but almost no actual experience providing nursing care at any level. Nursing students passed her course but were not inspired.

When you contrast that with the instruction that was received from the "professor" who was an NP and actually KNEW how to provide care to infants and children in the NICU, PICU, and ED the difference is important. She inspired quite a number of students to excellence in those specialties where they ultimately sought and obtained positions after graduation.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am certified orthopedic and am a diabetes "mini" expert on my unit. I could, wiht my MSN and my MAT, take the CNE post masters certificate and teach specific classes, which I AM interested in. I just don't think I oudl do it FT.

Sorry to OP about this turning into a different discussion. School nursing is hard. I will tell you that.

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