Finally2008

Absolutely! I feel like I was just trying to get a handle on working in the school setting my 1st year and then, in my 2nd year, I thought I should know everything by then and was easily frustrated and overwhelmed (more so than my 1st year, I think). Yes, just realize every day is unpredictable! I kind of like, now, that I never know what is coming through my door. As far as a lunch, yes, eat a lunch away from the clinic! Even if it is only 10 minutes, I tell my front office to remember the 3 B's---Bleeding, Barfing, or Bleeding. Otherwise, tell the students I will be back in 10-15 minutes. Also, I have told my teachers that I eat lunch at 11:30. I may not always get out right at that time, but they have become more aware that I actually do leave to go eat. Good luck! I am in my 5th year now and it is AWESOME!

Teacher walks a kindergartner to the clinic. "Could you give him another pair of pants or a belt? His pants won't stay up." I look at his (obvious) track pants with a string tie, lean over, tie his pants tighter and say "you see the nurse really is a miracle worker...."

I am going to be very honest---my interest began with the schedule! I mean, who doesn't want to have a school schedule with weekends, holidays, and summers off?? I also love kids and always loved my days volunteering at school when my children were in elementary school. For me, I actually got the first job for which I applied (Only by a true miracle of God!) I had done some clinic subbing and truthfully, that is the best way to see if you even like the job and it can sometimes give you an "in" if you make connections with the principals and the area consulting nurses (in our district). The most rewarding part of my job is feeling that I make a difference in a child's life--sometimes all they need is a hug and some encouragement (and so many in my school don't get that at home). I have had more kids tell me that I am their "school mommy". I also love being an advocate for the students and families in their healthcare. As an example, I had a student come in this morning so excited because I had helped her mother get Medicaid for her and provided referrals for healthcare providers , which enabled mom to get her much needed appointments to see an eye specialist, an allergy & asthma specialist (she has severe asthma and has not been followed by any doctor for 2 years), and a dentist. The joy on her face was incredible! There are several difficult parts of the job...One is difficult parents. There is nothing worse than sitting with a child with breathing difficulty, wheezing, and coughing and wondering whether you are going to have to call 911 because mom has refused to send in an inhaler and tells me "She has asthma, she's gonna cough and wheeze." Knowing that a simple breathing treatment (or a steroid when it gets as bad as it does for this little one) could potentially save her life and mom doesn't want to come pick up her child is so challenging for me. I understand having to be at work---I truly do--but not at the expense of your child's health....The other difficult part is being totally on your own without someone else as backup (watch the threads on thsi board and you'll see the topic "Did I do the Right thing?" all the time. There is no charge nurse or physician to turn to when you need to make quick decisions in a crisis. All in all, I have been thrilled to have spent the past 4 years doing this. The first year is the most challenging as you learn to balance your role as a nurse in a school setting. At this point, I have no plans to make a change for many years! This morning, one of my sweet students (who comes in for a hug and to write an inspiration quote on my white board each morning) and I were looking for a good quote for Career Day. The quote I chose was "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life." That sums it up for me as a school nurse!

I usually call on earaches just as a heads up (but not for headaches or stomachaches). Often, my parents will come on up and get them. But, my clinic is small and I have more time to call on things like this than someone who is seeing 60 kids a day...

I don't work in the hospital, but I'm a school nurse. In cases like this, there are some parents who are not going to be happy, no matter what you do. I was told something very important when I first started working in the school setting after my first episode of a parent screaming at me---my principal told me, "Don't take it personally. This is just where some people live." Essentially, some people appear to love living in a state of aggression, anger, and lies. Chin up! Go back to work and remember why you went into this profession! Good luck!

"Someone spit in her hair. Can you wash her hair somehow?" Let me break out my shampoo chair and take care of this. Maybe I can cut her hair, too, while we are at it.

Cute! Just printed it out to use!

Don't be discouraged! I would probably say, 4 months into my job here at school, I had called 911 twice. Now, 4 years later, I have only called 911 about twice in the whole year. As you become more comfortable in this role, you will feel a bit more confident in your decision to call or not call. I do agree, though, it is better to overreact than under react. Every time I have called 911, I question myself and go over the whole scenario for hours afterwards in my head--when a student is admitted to the hospital, I then feel better about my decision. My staff is great and we have gotten the 911 calls down to a fine art. My clerk immediately grabs the icepacks and bandaids and takes over while I try to keep the student in distress calm. Good luck!! And, yes, now that the weather is nice, they are coming into the clinic in droves!! More times than not, it is due to not following the playground rules...

Only 1 raise since I have been here (4 years). And, that was the first pay increase in the school system for maybe 6 years?

Had the same exact thing happen this morning...poor little girl looked miserable. Mom asked for a temperature check "because she was so hot yesterday and was throwing up.". The child proceeded to vomit as I was giving my 24-hr fever-free/vomit-free spiel

Yes! I wish teachers would just tell them it is a normal part of life and leave the teeth alone if it hurts to wiggle!!

Your current job sounds interesting! For whom do you work? The county or for Medicaid? Would love to look into that at some point!

I was on the floor only 7 months when I left for a county health department position that I loved for 4 years. Looking back, maybe if I had kept pushing through the anxiety, it would have gotten better for me, but I am so happy with my life as a nurse now (I am a school nurse--love it!). As a person with perfectionist tendencies and also anxiety, the hospital setting just wasn't for me. I would encourage you to stay just as long as you are able, but go ahead and explore other options. That is the most wonderful thing about nursing---we have so many options. Not every nurse needs to be a hospital floor nurse!

Yep, I have done the same and am now posting the pollen level, along with whether that is low, medium, or high. It is going to be a rough pollen season, I'm afraid.

I even sent an email to all the teachers with this same information and they continue to send kids who have runny noses. I don't quite know what is expected from them sometimes....I wish I had a magic pill that I could give them, but I don't....I also reminded them that the pollen count is already high down here in the south and they will be seeing lots of students in their classes with red eyes, runny nose, sore throats, and coughing. Also, is anyone else slightly annoyed when they hear adults in the hallway say to kids, "What's wrong? Are you sick?" To me, that just creates a victim-mentality...Maybe the child is just plain tired or sad or annoyed if they are not smiling or lively....

15% of our student body was absent. But....we are also being hit hard with flu and strep

Just wanted to let you know that I worked in the hospital for 7 months after graduating and didn't like it either. I was so discouraged because I felt like I had wasted so many years of working towards becoming an RN. However, the most wonderful thing about becoming a nurse is that our field is wide open to so many different areas and opportunities! After working at the hospital, I worked at the health department and loved it for 4 years! Our health department was very willing to hire and train new graduates with a BSN (and is typically a very welcoming family-friendly place to work with great benefits). The health department also had a very wide variety of areas and services that they provide, so take a look at your state government employment website or on your local health department website. Here is ours if you would like to take a look at some of the options available: CAREER CENTER - Cobb & Douglas Public Health Community-based nursing is not for everyone, as hospital-based nursing is not for everyone. I am now a school nurse and absolutely love it! I would not suggest doing school nursing right out of nursing school, though, as I feel that having experience and good assessment skills is vital (it is not just handing out bandaids and ADHD meds--I have had several life/death situations!). Don't give up! And don't worry about comments about "not having the personality" to be a nurse. We are all gifted in different ways and having anxiety your first year of nursing is very common. sometimes I wish I had stuck it out for at least that 1st year, as that year in the hospital does give some credence and confidence when it comes to hiring....However, I not have found the area that I LOVE without taking this path. But, all is not lost--hope you find something that you love

Yep, I did the same thing! Now, there is less "I threw up in the bathroom" and I tell teachers that I want to see the vomit :) I got mine at the Dollar Store and I line them with a garbage bag for easy clean-up.

Yes, I agree!! I can't tell you how many times my secretary will call me to her desk, "Nurse!" or teachers will say, "go see the nurse". Student also get so frustrated if I have to ask their name (That's a good thing if I don't know your name...). Then, when I ask them what my name is, they say, "Uhhhhh..."

I think this one might be the winner of my clinic: "We were sitting on the floor answering questions. The boy next to me answered too loudly and now my ear hurts." I just sat and looked at her with my mouth open. She asked for an ice pack and I told her, nope, I'm sorry---no ice pack for something so silly. She was shocked Of course, I called her mother to tell her what she told me and recommended that she be seen by a physician if the pain continues

I see 25-45 in a school of 450. I have 6 daily meds and several before PE/recess inhalers. I document everything--even the silly things--because they are still coming to see me, I am assessing whatever is going on, and I am taking my time with them. And, yep, even when I am sewing the hole in someone's pants or taping someone's glasses

This story is my worst nightmare! I have seen an increase in playground injuries lately, due to our nice weather we have been having, and almost every one of them is due to students not following the playground rules. I have forwarded the story to my staff, also, and am making plans to go over the playground rules during morning announcements.

I am in the sunny south! (Georgia). I love my position here. In our county every school has a school nurse. My school has 450 students, but some schools have up to 1500. The pay is not great (we are paid about the same as a new nurse) but time is money as far as I am concerned and the benefits are great. I think you would have a great chance of getting a position. (I was hired on with no school nursing experience.) Typically, the positions open up at the end of the year. If a position does not come available, you can apply for a clinic sub position and you are pretty much guaranteed a position if you are good! And, I was in Maine in September (wearing a coat) and was missing my shorts and tank tops! Maine was beautiful, though!! probably wouldn't be much of a fan during winter...

Fantastic!! yes, please share any tips or resources with us!

Yes, this bugs me, too! I don't know why it is so hard to call me by my name. This is how the secretary refers to me. I am going to start saying, Thanks, Secretary!