Prior Experience

EvelynRN-BSN · Jan 11, 2008

I just interviewed for a part time school nurse job and am very interested in it. The nurses are paid on the teachers' salary schedule. Part of this schedule is years of experience. Now, I have been a nurse for 5 1/2 years. I have 5 years of part time and per diem work (average 12-24 hours weekly). I figured they would probably pro-rate that time down to 2 years, but they told me that none of it will count because none of it was full time. Huh?? Do they really not understand that you can't work per diem or registry as an L&D nurse if you are not competent and experienced??? Why do all those hours count as nothing just because it is classified as per diem? It is not because I do not have school nurse experience, it is only because I have not been full time.
I still want the job and the money is still OK for the hours and flexibility. It just makes me feel very de-valued. I haven't spoken with the lead nurse yet. I am hoping she offers me the job soon and I will ask her about it then. What a frustrating experience!!:angryfire

I went to one interview in a different county than I reside in MD for a PT position in school nursing and they told me that the pay was not negotiable. They did not look a years of experience and what degrees you had, besides nursing. The pay was the pay and they said $19.25/hr. Scary. Let's just say I am in the mid to high $30's right now and my evaluation is coming up at the hospital, but I really want to do something different. But they pay scares me. The health dept also conducted the interview.

Now, next week I have an interview in the same county I reside and on their website they state that they pay 10% above teachers salaries. I am wondering if they are going to look at my years of experience as well (never worked as a School Nurse, but 4+ years in ICU) and my levels of degrees. I hope my county is in the higher twenties at least. The other county is paying less than what I got paid right out of nursing school. And from reading the school nurse forums it sounds like you all do lots of work and should be paid accordingly. Good luck and I hope they call you. I cannot believe how much lower you all get paid than a Nurse in the hospital or even a doctors office. We all pass they same state boards and we all are NURSES no matter where we work. We all put in the time, hard work, money, compassion, and dedication to becoming an RN and every nurse should be compensated as such. That 19.25/hr is what some people make without degrees. Well I think you all do wonderful jobs and I hope to become one soon. I cannot wait for the interview next week.

okschoolnurse · Jan 14, 2008

Pay in the schools is always frusrating. In oklahoma, we are paid on the teachers salary as well. The teachers are only paid for their previous experience in the public system ie, we have a teacher who came in with 10+ years in a private school. She was also started at the entry level pay. So as you complain (and rightly so) about the little that school nurses are paid, also consider how little the teachers are paid and they are raising the next generation!!!!! Our entire country is like that, the firemen, policemen, ambulance workers etc get low pay while athletes etc get unimaginable pay. Screwed up priorities?????:icon_roll

EvelynRN-BSN · Jan 17, 2008

Pay in the schools is always frusrating. In oklahoma, we are paid on the teachers salary as well. The teachers are only paid for their previous experience in the public system ie, we have a teacher who came in with 10+ years in a private school. She was also started at the entry level pay. So as you complain (and rightly so) about the little that school nurses are paid, also consider how little the teachers are paid and they are raising the next generation!!!!! Our entire country is like that, the firemen, policemen, ambulance workers etc get low pay while athletes etc get unimaginable pay. Screwed up priorities?????:icon_roll

It is sad that they pay the public school teachers and nurses low pay. This is where the pay should be increased. They are the people that are making the difference in our childrens lives. They help create the minds of our next generation and for little pay. I did go to the interview and they said they are doing interviews until next week and I should hear from them by the end of next week. They will call the accepted applicant for the position and send letters out to the ones that did not get the job. They do pay 10% above teachers salary for the school nurse position, but you have to be an RN. And then they pay according to degree (associates, bachelors, or masters). So it seems that are doing better than what most schools are doing. That $19.25/hr scared me from the other job, but they said that the state pays it and that is why it is not negotiable. It is truly sad. The county is paying the school health nurse at the other place I interviewed for and I hope I get it. We will see!

JaneyW · Jan 17, 2008

Actually, for the amount of time teachers work (185-187 days/year), their pay is not bad here in southern California. Especially if they continue their education. My gripe (and the teachers as well) is that the districts don't want to give you credit for experience brought in from another place. If they give me credit for all of my education (almost an MSN), the pay will be about $38/hr which I think is good. I make $42-$44 an hour as registry, but that can be spotty (I didn't get any shifts this week!). The school environment is also MUCH less stressful and the hours and location are perfect for my carpool. It would be nice to get some credit for experience, but I still want the job. They are checking my references and I am hopeful.

EvelynRN-BSN · Jan 26, 2008

I went on the second interview for the county I live for the School Health Nurse Position. I was interviewed by the principal and the director of pupil services. Everything seemed to go well. I was suppose to find out by today if I got the job, but no call. So I called her and she was out the whole time and just got back in the office today. She said since I did not hear anything by today, I should hear something by next week. Here is how the application process goes: (Confusing to me) The Principal looks at all the applications and chooses who he wants to interview, along with the director of pupil services, after they interview the selected candidates, they then pick from those applicants that they would like to work for the school. They then send just those applications to Human Resources (who was not present during interviews, so they have no clue who we are except for whats on the resume) they decide who gets the job then. I think that is weird, but maybe they want to get the one that can do the job for less pay because of budgets. That is the only thing I can think of.

I hope I get the call. I was offered the position at the other school, but the state is paying by the hour and it is less than what I got out of Nursing school four years ago. I have 2 Associates Degrees: Biological Sciences and Nursing, Bachelors Degree in Nursing, and working on a Master's Degree. But I only have ICU and OR experience and Director of Nursing experience. I really hope they offer me the job. They pay on the teachers pay scale, which was increased for the 2008-2009 school year.