luvapug

Years ago when I was hired as a school nurse I only had one year of nursing experience and NO training other than on policies in a boardroom. My first day of school they didn't have my office ready so I had to sit in the main office beside a filing cabinet and take care of a few student files and treat a couple kids but basically didn't have much to do that day and was afraid I was going to get into trouble for not doing enough! (It did pick up.)Anyway, you'll learn as you go and it's doable as long as you have someone to call with questions that will crop up. You'll most likely have lots of kids coming in that complain of headaches, stomachaches, sprains, etc. that you'll have to determine if they can stay in school or if you need to call someone to pick them up and any special procedures like giving meds, blood glucose checks etc. You will learn who the frequent complainers are and the things to do that just make a kid feel better so they can stay like ice and bandaids. If there is a true emergency you just have to keep them stable until 911 or their parent arrives. All the other things like screenings, training other staff, care plans, medicaid billing, etc you have to fit in there but you can take your time learning it. School nursing is a lot more laid back and a different pace than you're probably used to. You have to re-route your brain that you are in an educational setting and not a medical setting. In an ideal world you would get a couple weeks training just to get more confident but it will still take a good year or two to feel like you've got it down and after that you just know who to call to figure out the rest. It is a very independent type of nursing which I love and you may too once you're used to it.

Well thanks for all the good advice and for helping me see that trach suctioning is not the worst thing out there for me by far!

Trach suctioning has always made me very queezy. I've never been good with sputum. The whole airway thing makes me extremely nervous too. However, I'm wondering if this is something I can become desensitized to if I do it often enough. Has anyone else felt the same way and gotten over it?

Has anyone had to suction a student with a trach regularly? Our school district is needing a nurse that will stay with a 4 yr old student and suction him every 15-30 minutes the whole time he is at school. I don't have hardly any experience in dealing with trachs but they will train the nurse. It's so different from any type of school nursing I've ever done and I'm worried about not only taking care of the suctioning but getting bored just sitting with one student all day long. However, it might be easy and interesting-I just don't know. In the past I've always been intimidated by trachs and hearing the secretions rattle around have made me queezy but I'm hoping that is something easy to over-come. What are some of the challenges I might expect? Do you think I should take this on or pass?

So sorry I ever posted this question! I didn't realize I would be considered decietful for not being sure how to give a notice. I have NOT had my foot out the door for some time like someone suggested. I was trying very hard to make it work esp considering when I was hired I was told several things that ended up not being true. I was trying to see if I could make it work despite all those things and in the end decided I couldn't. If the hospital hadn't sugar-coated and flat out misrepresented themselves I would never have quit. Secondly, even though I'm going back to a job without benefits, I needed to be put on my husband's benefits so yes I'm avoiding a lapse in medical coverage. Thirdly, I did go ahead and quit the same day I decided for sure that's what I was going to do (I was still wavering the night before). I just wasn't sure how long they would make me stay there after deciding and what the proper procedure was. That's all I was wondering with my original question and for some people to turn this into an ethical/moral dilema is ridiculous. Thanks to those who understood what I was trying to do and to those who didn't...whatever.

This job I just quit WAS the other side and no it wasn't any greener which is why I'm going back. I don't regret trying though because now I know what I'm not missing.

Thanks guys!

I didn't realize this would get so much controversy or that two to three days would make that much difference to some people. Thanks to those who had helpful advice. I did go ahead and show up this morning and caught the manager first thing and told her I was resigning. She was very gracious and asked me to go clock in, change into scrubs, and work until she talked to Human Resources. Later she told me I could find another job in the hospital if I wanted or go ahead and go. Human Resources really wanted me to stay two more weeks to follow hospital policy. I left it up to them to figure out. In the end they decided to let me go if I wanted. If I hadn't wanted to they would've let me go ahead and work two more weeks even though I'm in orientation. They said I could come back and re-apply anytime and I would be eligible for re-hire. I wasn't trying to be unethical or immoral. I was trying to make sure my family wasn't left out in the cold. When most people quit a job, a two week period of working is guaranteed before they start a new job and I didn't have that guarantee.I found out my insurance is paid up through the end of the month so I didn't have to worry about that and apparently the hospital wasn't as worried as some of the people here that I was robbing them since they asked me to clock in and work and left if up to me when I left. I know it didn't make perfect sense to keep me on but it did to them since I was still a big help to the staff even though I'm technically in orientation. I'm just glad it went well and it's done.

Yes, I want them to pay me through Friday because I need the money and insurance through them until my new insurance kicks in. Sorry-that's the way it is. I think it would be more rude and unprofessional to let them finish paying for my orientation (3 more months) and then say I'm leaving. I'm quitting because I found a better job and when they hired me they told me several things that I've since learned was not true and will not work for me. I just wanted to hear from people who actually went through this, not to be judged on my decision. Thank you CrunchRN for your help.

I'm getting ready to resign and will give the standard two week notice but just wondered how much of a chance I had of them making me actually work those two weeks since I'm still in orientation. I know it really woudn't make sense to me but maybe they would have a reason. I just wondered how quickly they released you once you resign. Also, I want to resign on Friday. Do I show up for work as usual, clock in, change into scrubs, then find the manager? Do I just walk in and hand it to her first thing without doing all the above? Should I work all day then find her? Should I find her Thurs afternoon at the end of the shift and tell her? I just don't know what the proper way to handle this is. Which way would make the most sense? Also what if she's not there? We don't have a second in charge-would I just go to Human Resources? Sometimes she's just out for the day with no notice. Thanks for any help.

You should've said "you're right-I make twice as much as you doing a job that anyone can do-looks like I'm the smart one!" and walked away. It always shocks people when you agree with them esp when it's ludicrous. She sure couldn't do your job because she doesn't have the training for it (which is much harder than scrub tech school). She's just being ignorant and insecure. It always shocks me when someone says or does something so mean. Hang in there!

One shadow day I did I stayed for 8 hrs (I was given the choice of 4 or 8 hrs) and one where they asked me to stay for an hour right after my interview so I stayed for about 2 hrs. I would stay as long as they let you. It does show you're interested in learning but it's also good to listen in and see how the staff feels (are they complaining?, about what?, do they seem to enjoy their jobs?, etc.) I turned down a job because I figured if the staff complained that much around someone applying for the job then they either didn't care whether they got new people, it had a whole set of problems I wasn't ready for,or they felt comfortable enough around me to vent their true feelings. I didn't want to be around co-workers so negative and and I didn't want to work for a place that had so much to complain about. Also, if they are asking you to shadow they do think you may be a good fit for them so in order to stand out from other applicants act friendly, confident, and enthusiastic and definately stay as long as they let you. It would be sad if you didn't get the job but at least that way you know you gave it all you had. Good luck! Sounds like a good move for you! Hope it works out!

We had to take a basic skills test in our state to become certified as a school nurse and if you passed nursing school you can pass this. It's what it says it is-"basic". I was worried too but it's really pretty easy. I think you look online for 'basic skills test' and your state and find a little more info on what it entails.

Thanks for the good advice! Yes I have spoken to my old boss and I do have a job there so that's another reason I'm anxious to leave but I will follow hospital protocol. I did talk to the manager about some concerns I was having regarding the orientation and nothing changed. Other people have voiced concerns over problems as well but they say they get nowhere as well so I shouldn't be suprised I guess.

Ok so I took a new job with better pay/benefits and to try something new. However, I've only made it three months into a six month orientation. All my new co-workers are excited to have me and can't wait until I'm off orientation (I'm sure to decrease their call load and work load) but I have been getting good reviews and seem to fit in well. The problem is it's not for me. It's much more stressful than I realized it would be and I realized the grass is not always greener. I prefer my old job and my former boss said I could come back anytime. I don't know how to go about resigning. It will take my husband a month of paying into his insurance to get me and our kids back on his plan. I'm supposed to give a four week notice since I've been there slightly longer than 90 days. I'm afraid to turn in a resignation just yet in case they tell me they don't want to hold me to the 4 week notice since I'm still in orientation. However, I really don't want to work an extra month either, in case they do want me to wait. What do you think the odds are of them holding me to the 4 week resignation? Also I'm not sure what reason to give. I can't just say I hate the politics here and the stress which is how I really feel. I'm sure they're going to try and talk me into staying because they need people so bad. I don't see me going back to work at that facility but you never know and I don't really want to burn any bridges. Do you think they would even consider re-hiring me if I left during orientation? I want to leave on good terms because I do appreciate the chance they gave me. Thanks for any advice!