okschoolnurse

For supportive information on school nursing and making the switch I have three favorite sites 1. Geri Harvey's school nurse perspectives site: http://snp.homestead.com/contents.html 2. NASN national site www.nasn.org 3. Your state's school nurse site which you can find on this page: http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=60 Good Luck. Lana Woods, BSN, RN Adair Oklahoma

Boredom??????? I could only wish. I do get overstimulated and need some "quiet time" that is when I go get some little girl who I know has headlice. We lock the door, put in a good movie (like Mayberry rfd), put on the "you go girls" hair cape and my hot pink vinyl apron, paint her fingernails and then comb her hair until we are both relaxed. It is a great break.

It is very important as school nurses that we market ourselves. Public perception in general is that any female who give health care is a nurse. They do not know our level of education and expertise. Also, as a school nurse, it is important to be able to speak the educational language so that we are taken seriously by the education setting that we work in. Bulletin boards, newsletters and staff communications are good ways to do this. I send everyone to my favorite sites, but School Nurse Perspectives and www.nasn.org have some wonderful ideas on promoting yourself as a school nurse. Also, link up with your state/national organization for more ideas and support. Good luck:nurse:

You sounds like you have an awesome attitude and great plan. Have you joined you state/national organization yet. I did not notice what state you were from but you can go to http://www.nasn.org and find position papers etc and also find your state organization web site from there. Also, have you found Jeri Harvey's site yet?? School Nurse Perspectives Have a great year!!!!! Lana Woods, RN, BSN Adair Public Schools

I always make them hold their own thermometer

I like using my pulse ox. It is good for getting a quick heart rate and a good visual to reassure kids they are ok. Of course, if I get a bad reading the parent in notified. Usually this is with asthmatic kids.

Pyramid Solitaire is fun too.

For excellent "new school nurse" articles with tips and tricks visit http://snp.homestead.com/contents.html Enjoy

The link to the Nasn site is http://www.nasn.org from that site you can also link to your state association. Every state is so different in what they require and allow your research will have to be very state specific. good luck!!! Lana Woods, RN

http://www.msno.org/ http://www.nasn.org Above are the links to your states school nurse orgainzation and the national organization. Your state's organization has a very good page on the required licensure for your state. Another good site to check out is http://snp.homestead.com/contents.html Ms. Harvey has some excellent articles for new school nurses. Good Luck Lana:cheers:

Holy Cow!!!!! Train unlicensed personnel to give IM versed?????? Do you have reversal???? do you have oxygen????? Can you intubate to support resperations????? I would NEVER even consider that!!!! The big topic in our state has been the intranasal versed. We are not even comfortable with that, but IM???? Wow.

This seems to be the most common question from non school nurses. This will be the single most challenging job you have EVER had. As a school nurse, (not a nurse in a school), you are mostly on your own in an educational world. You will need to learn to speak the education language. There are common everyday boo boos, tummy aches, headlice, and frequent flyers, not only from students, but from staff as well. EVERYTHING you have ever used in nursing (except for some technical skills) will be used in the school setting. You know all the people you care for in the hospital? They live and work in the community 24/7 and their kids go to school 5 days a week. This year, on the day before the first day of school, 5 of our high school boys were involved in a car wreck. Only 2 lived. I am still dealing with grief issues with the school kids. I had a child who lost from 82 to 69 lbs in 3 weeks (over 15% of her body weight) her physician told her the constant throwing up was just allergies and sent her home on claritin. She came to me the next day and we had to life flight her to Tulsa. She was in diabetic ketoacidosis!!! Never been diagnosed before. I have pregnant teens, abused children, suicidal teens, the list goes on and on. The educational opportunities are endless. From germs and dental hygeine in the lower grades, to puburty and stds in the middle and upper grades. Not only teaching dangers of risky behaviors, but also implementing programs to build self esteem and promote healthy behaviors. Some schools have more medically fragile kids. Kids with tube feedings, catheterizations, o2, iv's, etc. School nursing is as much as you make it. visit our national site www.nasn.org to find out our scope of practice and position statement. visit http://snp.homestead.com/ for some excellent articles on considering school nursing and the transition from hospital nursing to school nursing. Good luck:welcome:

I live in a rural area in Oklahoma. I have about 900 students k4 - 12. I have the parents fill out a health form every year so I could look through all them and count the number on meds. I only give about 5 kids add meds at lunch because the others only take it once a day (exented release). I do however need to know who is on even that because as a stimulant with increased heartrate they are higher risk to get overheated in the hot months and need extra hydration. Our school does NOT get any extra money just for add kids. Unless the child has an iep, there are no extra moneys.:paw:

I keep all kinds of activites in my clinic to be used at my discretion. If a student is waiting to be picked up it helps to pass the time. If I am not real sure what is going on with a student I will let them do something. If they are lethargic and uninterested, then I know they are really sick. Sometimes they just need a diversion and then they are ready to go to class. I keep toys, coloring books, and whatever else I find that amuses me also. I also keep bubbles. If I have a child who is anxious and breathing too fast, blowing bubbles is the best way to practice pursed lip breathing without them even knowing what you are doing!!!!!

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