rnprn

Breezie and others with salary questions. Most of time salary depends on the system you work in. Some are aligned with teachers and some are not. It is a challenge to get the powers that be to listen and realize what a huge asset they have with school nurses. You have to learn the language of the school system and educators then speak to them in their language. In my opinion, the school nurse position(s) should be titled Health Services - not school nurse - A position of Corporation Nurse should be a director, on same organizational level as other "section" (Food service director, maintance director, transportation director, curriculum director, etc) directors. Each having their own budget, etc. And salary should be comparable. Then each school should have a nurse (RN or LPN) under the direction of the Corporation Nurse. Salary should be on same scale as teachers. dependent on educational preparation, certifications, and years of experience. Some systems are organized in this fashion. Does anyone else have experience or ideas to suggest.

MelissaJaneRN, Do hang in there. I was the only school nurse (12 years, 4 schools, 3 different towns, Grds K -12). Pay was not good. Challenges were many, rewards from students and eventually parents were the best ever!!!!!!!!!!!!! Advice is to get to know teachers, help them problem solve with health issues - which helps build rapport. Keep up the effort with nurse passes - agree it is a good method for teachers to know where they sent student, communication tool from you to teachers, and very good communication tool to parents. Takes time to make changes. have to be patient. Remember to learn the language of the school (educators) and utilize it with your communication to staff (with medical communication words interjected). I found we communicate differently and best to speak their "language" a lot to begin to build the rapport and trust. When parents call about "scrapes, etc" tell them about the nurse passes, how they are to be used and why you use them to communicate issues that are not "life threatening". Good luck!!!