Over It (already?!)

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Hi everyone,

I'm new to school nursing this year – have been a nurse for five: in a clinic and then in the OR which I left after having my baby. I really thought this would be the perfect fit, but I just hear myself thinking OVER it!” in response to so many things throughout the day! There are a lot of positives, like the kids are fun and there's always a holiday or break around the corner so I am able to enjoy time with my own family - and there are moments when I feel like I'm really helping a kid or a family out. But mostly it's a struggle to keep my mouth shut or my eyebrows in place when I talk with teachers or parents or even the kids sometimes (missing my OR mask!) I'm starting to think I chose the wrong profession, like maybe I don't care” as much as a nurse should - and that's hard to admit. How can I already be so jaded or burnt out or whatever it is after only five years? Feeling kind of lost… has anyone been here?

Almost all of my friends from college became teachers, and then I started school nursing a few years after them. One thing that is universally true in a school -- the first year SUCKS. It takes a full year to get used to the people, the culture, the expectations, the verbage, etc. And after that it gets easier.

I also picked the brains of some of my elementary ed friends (not at my own school) for tips dealing with kids - having none of my own, I wasn't comfortable talking to them on their own level yet. This year I've relaxed a bit -- it really is okay to tell a 7 year old "say please" or to ask a 10 year old if she wants you to cut her arm off to fix the miniscule bruise. And my Kermit the Frog voice is really coming along, I practice it on all the PreKs. ;)

All of that said -- I'm realizing this isn't the career path for me. And that's okay! I tried it for two years, I'll still sub (and lurk on this forum), but the benefits just aren't worth it to me.

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Well, I'm not sure of your age but when I was younger, 20-30 years ago I was more energetic. Energy, wanting to see or do more, liked challenges, etc. But now, at age, soon to be 57 next month April, and a school nurse at 10 years, I'm am counting down. Kids will drain you. Parents and this generation will drain you and expect so much. But for me I know I don't want to go back to the hospital. In fact I remind myself when I get down of the hospital drama. Nurses looked washed out, doctors so arrogant and yelling, families wanting all of you, someone writing you up for your charting errors or other accusations. School nursing is not as invasive and complex as hospital nursing or OB nursing. So maybe you need to take a day off or find ways to relax to reflect on the pros and cons before you go back. My 2 cents.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Well, I'm not sure of your age but when I was younger, 20-30 years ago I was more energetic. Energy, wanting to see or do more, liked challenges, etc. But now, at age, soon to be 57 next month April, and a school nurse at 10 years, I'm am counting down. Kids will drain you. Parents and this generation will drain you and expect so much. But for me I know I don't want to go back to the hospital. In fact I remind myself when I get down of the hospital drama. Nurses looked washed out, doctors so arrogant and yelling, families wanting all of you, someone writing you up for your charting errors or other accusations. School nursing is not as invasive and complex as hospital nursing or OB nursing. So maybe you need to take a day off or find ways to relax to reflect on the pros and cons before you go back. My 2 cents.

Totally agree! I've said this before..but if my only choice in nursing was to go back to work at a hospital...regardless of the department, I'd sooner get a job on one of the crab fishing boats like Deadliest Catch!

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"You work with a lot of people that have never existed outside of an educational institution; they attended school, went to college, and are back in school so don't expect them to interact in a manner of awareness of how it is to live in the world outside of the "institutional walls.""

This is what I have to remind myself of daily! Teachers and admins have no concept ( a few exceptions out there) of what the "real" world is like. They have no idea of what we nurses have seen, done or our knowledge base.

YES! ABSOLUTELY!

Really frequently I have to stop myself from saying things like "Um... do you realize how good you have it? There are jobs where people have to work in the summer and don't get the day off because of the snow or have to take a pay cut in order to stay home because the roads are dangerous. There are NO other jobs that tell me I can have almost 8% of my scheduled days off with pay and that those days roll over."

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

oh, there is no way in this lifetime i'm going back to a hospital. My last stint was working in administration. The curtain got pulled waaay back there and i got a chance to see the wizard behind the Great and Powerful Oz.... nope, not gonna do it. I'll fold jeans at the Gap before I go work a floor.

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I like the floors. :blink:

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I like the floors. :blink:

That's ok! :)

I think I was lucky in that my first year, a retired school nurse decided that with 6 new school nurses in the entire county of 25 school districts, she would do an orientation for us.

So for 6 sessions, I drove 70 miles down the mountain to meet with the other new school nurses and this wonderful retired school nurse and many of her colleagues who helped us so much.

You are basically tossed into this job with no training manual. So, I'm grateful I had that experience. I meet once a month with all the school nurses and with public health nurses too.

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Fetch, what finally swayed you to decide it wasn't right for you?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I like the floors. :blink:

And I truly thank God for nurses like you! Really I do.

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I worked part time Sep-Dec 2014 at my old job in a theme park (non nursing), and realized that I didn't have to be miserable to earn a paycheck. There's nothing wrong with the job, the students, the teachers, the admins, the other nurses in the district . . . nothing more than normal work issues. But I dread the drive to work and for the whole first semester I felt a huge weight in my chest about how far there was still to go til summer. The first year I got through - the second year has been actually easier while at work, but much harder to force myself to not call out every day.

I applied for a full time position at my old job, and got it, starting in May. It's still work, and it has miserable parts (among other things -- goodbye to my free afternoons and weekends off, goodbye summer plans!), but it's work that makes me happy. My wife and I are at a spot in our lives where we aren't living month-to-month anymore, so I don't need to stick it out for a few extra cents an hour.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
...I applied for a full time position at my old job, and got it, starting in May. ...

Good luck to ya...check in on us occasionally and let us know how you're doing.

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I worked part time Sep-Dec 2014 at my old job in a theme park (non nursing), and realized that I didn't have to be miserable to earn a paycheck. There's nothing wrong with the job, the students, the teachers, the admins, the other nurses in the district . . . nothing more than normal work issues. But I dread the drive to work and for the whole first semester I felt a huge weight in my chest about how far there was still to go til summer. The first year I got through - the second year has been actually easier while at work, but much harder to force myself to not call out every day.

I applied for a full time position at my old job, and got it, starting in May. It's still work, and it has miserable parts (among other things -- goodbye to my free afternoons and weekends off, goodbye summer plans!), but it's work that makes me happy. My wife and I are at a spot in our lives where we aren't living month-to-month anymore, so I don't need to stick it out for a few extra cents an hour.

Wait, so you aren't going to work as a nurse?

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