bbickRN

I am in Ohio. We had a mask mandate at the beginning of the year. We then went to a mask to stay/test to play option. Where kids that were exposed at home could still come to school as long as they were not having symptoms and mask for 10 days. They are to "self-monitor" symptoms and isolate and get tested if symptoms develop. They are also supposed to be able to have the positive person at home isolate away from them and not be in contact. If that is not possible, then they have to quarantine. If they play sports, they would test on initial notification of exposure and then test again on day 5 after exposure, and mask when on buses, locker room, on the sidelines. I do have to say it has been working out pretty well. Our rate of positives has been down over the past two weeks. I have only had 3 positive cases, whereas at the beginning of the year we would have around 20 a week. We are also not required to do contact tracing within the classrooms anymore. (which I do not agree with). We are expected to report positive cases every Friday to the department of health and to notify them if we have noticed an upward trend in cases. I am expecting an uptick in cases to start this week since everyone was going to Super Bowl parties this Sunday.

School nursing all the way. This is my second year as a school nurse. I love it! I came from the ER where I quickly got burnt out with covid and understaffing etc. It's so much less stress, and you can't beat the hours. I work through my local healthcare corporation which staffs school nurses in certain areas. So I still do have a manager to answer to, but also have support for questions which is nice. The only problem is the Summer, but right now with shortages everywhere there shouldn't be a problem with picking up hours (and my manager tries to find you hours to work during breaks and the Summer which is also nice). I had stayed PRN in the ER for a year, but their PRN was too strict and wanted me to work too many hours to keep up. If you can find a place that will work with you with your full-time hours that is also an option to make sure that you do not lose your skills. Also think about the long run as you get closer to retirement age, school nursing is so much easier on your back and body. I got to the point where just thinking about lifting or pulling one more person up in bed wanted to make me cry.

I have been a school nurse for almost 2 years now. I have been struggling with the same thoughts recently. I came from working in a large Trauma 1 ER. All of last school year, and up until September of 2021 I stayed PRN in the ER. It worked out when we went remote a lot, but this school year we have been in school every day, and I couldn't keep up with working 60+ hours a week so I quit the ER job. Their PRN requirements were insane, they wanted 24 hours a month with so many hours being weekend hours and wouldn't work with me. The last thing I wanted to do was go and work a weekend day after already logging 40 hours that week. They money might be great in the hospital setting, but the swap of stressors is what keeps me at the school. I don't have to stand for 12 hours. Or worry that someone is going to die my entire shift. No doctor's or patients yelling at you constantly or trying to hit you (ER is crazy, especially after COVID). Yeah there are some crappy days when parents/teachers get snarky but that's what keeps me going over all. Just think about the weekend/holiday trade off. Unfortunately my job is contracted through a large health corporation so I don't get paid for summers off.