Please Advise! Interested in School Nursing

Specialties School

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I have been thinking about becoming a school nurse for some time now. I am a former classroom teacher and after I got my nursing license and BSN, worked in med-surg for a year. Now I am taking some time off from paid work to be a SAHM. Thinking about next career steps, I believe in the power of health education and also teaching the young how to prevent the development of health problems through healthy habits. Could those of you with experience in school nursing please share your experiences and advice on this specialty? What are the pros and cons? What if I didn't especially love my peds rotation (understatement of the century) but love working with children? Are there opportunities to educate in a school nursing role? Do I have to be certified as a school nurse? Thank you so very much for any insight you can provide.

Funny thing that you have not met many nurses like me. We are now the lazy ones. I joined that group. In a few years, you will join the lazies too.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Funny thing that you have not met many nurses like me. We are now the lazy ones. I joined that group. In a few years, you will join the lazies too.

Though you don't show your experience, I encourage you to note mine. I know this is overused, but this is what I was wired to do, I really don't feel it is work. Whether at school, hospital or LTC, I am happy. Most I work with are similarly wired. I have worked with those that did it for the $, luckily, they don't stick around long as they are running to the next job that will pay $0.25 more. They are miserable to work with and miserable to the poor patients/ clients they encounter.

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Though you don't show your experience, I encourage you to note mine. I know this is overused, but this is what I was wired to do, I really don't feel it is work. Whether at school, hospital or LTC, I am happy. Most I work with are similarly wired. I have worked with those that did it for the $, luckily, they don't stick around long as they are running to the next job that will pay $0.25 more. They are miserable to work with and miserable to the poor patients/ clients they encounter.

This is so true! I am a strong believer that how a person does one thing is how they do all things. I have worked in several different kinds of jobs as an adult- server, hairdresser, nurse- and I maintain a positive attitude because that is who I am and it is part of my work ethic to hold myself to high standards- no matter how short staffed we are or whether or not I like my manager.

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Specializes in kids.

Being a school nurse may be a chill job as another poster stated but, lazy nursing and just showing up for work does not do our profession any good!!

Wow. Well, there are certainly aspects of chill that do apply but are NOT related to being lazy and just showing up. IMHO the chill part is the overall environment (not a crazy hospital floor with absolutely no control over what type of day you will have). Kids are, for the most part, well and we help them maintain that, learn about various disease processes as they encounter them. Teaching them to advocate for themselves, help the optimize their education...I could go on and on. My point being is that it sounds like school nursing is not for you. That's cool. There are a gazillion other areas in nursing. But maybe nursing as a profession or career, is in fact, not for you. Cool. I'm sorry you did not realize that sooner, in your career or education getting here.

Bums me out when a new poster comes in an dumps on all the rest of us who actually enjoy our jobs and careers.

Peace

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Wow. Well, there are certainly aspects of chill that do apply but are NOT related to being lazy and just showing up. IMHO the chill part is the overall environment (not a crazy hospital floor with absolutely no control over what type of day you will have). Kids are, for the most part, well and we help them maintain that, learn about various disease processes as they encounter them. Teaching them to advocate for themselves, help the optimize their education...I could go on and on. My point being is that it sounds like school nursing is not for you. That's cool. There are a gazillion other areas in nursing. But maybe nursing as a profession or career, is in fact, not for you. Cool. I'm sorry you did not realize that sooner, in your career or education getting here.

Bums me out when a new poster comes in an dumps on all the rest of us who actually enjoy our jobs and careers.

Peace

Nutmegge, there seems to be no nursing job for RNUTS. S/he is miserable in general with nursing and I suspect life in general. Sad way to go through life. Your post will be helpful for others reading through who may feel school nursing isn't their place, though, so there is a bright spot.

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Specializes in kids.
Nutmegge, there seems to be no nursing job for RNUTS. S/he is miserable in general with nursing and I suspect life in general. Sad way to go through life. Your post will be helpful for others reading through who may feel school nursing isn't their place, though, so there is a bright spot.

Thx MrNurse(x2), sad to someone so out of sync with her career choice.

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Specializes in Peds, Neuro, Orthopedics.

I've felt the same way as RNUTS in past jobs. When you're stretched to the breaking point in a highly stressful, life-and-death job like floor nursing, it can make you hate the world and everyone in it. I spent hours paralyzed by depression, anxiety and fear before shifts, and had trouble enjoying my days off knowing what I would be in for at my next shift. Thankfully, I've finally found my niche in life and am happy. I hope you can find that too, RNUTS.

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