KrystinaRN

In CA, you must be RN, BSN and PHN to get your Preliminary School Nurse Services Credential to be a legitimate "School Nurse". The preliminary cred. is only good for 5 years, during that time you need to enroll in and complete a 27-unit School Nurse Services Credential Program to earn your clear credential and continue practicing beyond 5 years. Many people don't know the level of education that CA School Nurses must achieve- I didn't even know before I got into this field of nursing!

I'm Nurse Krystina

I am a school nurse in CA. I have my RN, BSN but I started off in an LVN position as a 1:1 nurse in the district (to get my foot in the door, so to speak!). After one year of that, my school district received a grant for a 0.4 increase in school nursing and I applied for the job and got it. I am working part-time with another school nurse who works full time. In CA, the best place to find school jobs is Edjoin.org (in my opinion). There are a few on craigslist every once in a while too. Hope this helps!

I dress business casual- usually black or grey slacks and a nice top. However, I want to make the switch over to scrubs. I work at an elementary school and I just think I would look so much more approachable by the kids if I wore cute, colorful scrubs with cartoons, etc on them .

Hey Camp Nurses! Just wondering how many of you camp nurses out there are school nurses during the school year, and camp nurses in the summer. I'm starting as a school nurse in a couple weeks and I may want to work at a summer camp next summer, and definitely when I have kids (to trade my work for camp tuition- it can be very expensive!) To those fo you who are school nurses: what are the main similarities and differences between the two settings? I would expect that school nursing prepares one very well for camp nursing. And, to all you camp nurses: how much do you enjoy it? how stressful is it? Is the job generally easy to get? (I know a lot of new grads who were hired right away as camp nurses with no previous exp.) Please share about what experience you have elsewhere (I know that camp nurses come from all specialties). Also if you don't mind, please share your compensation. Thanks!

Yes, I think men should feel welcome to the specialty of school nursing if they want, and yes I know one. Let me just say- I truly feel for men in nursing who have to deal with undeserved discrimination, shame, and embarrasment based soley on their sex. I have witnessed it many times and it has shaped my views on this matter. I understand why a parent might feel uncomfortable with the thought of a male catheterizing their young daughter. However, do you think they'd have a problem with him doing that if he were a doctor? probably not. my point is that nurses are professionals and should be treated as such. Anyway, it is illegal for any employer to discriminate on the basis of gender so all you men out there who want to be school nurses- I say go for it! Don't feel like you can't do peds, ob, or school nursing just because you are a man.

Congrats!! I am starting this year as a new school nurse too. I agree with noreenl about schoolhealthservicesny.com. I have been scouting out the best resources and this website has some really great sample care plans. Click on the "SN Tool Kit" tab, that's where I have found the most helpful information. Having been a peds nurse for 2+ years, it sounds like you have a great background and probably tons of relevant knowledge already. Study up on diabetes, anaphylaxis, and the types of things you will likely need to respond to as a school nurse, such as head trauma, fractures, etc. Also, since you're new to school nursing, try to learn about the legal boundaries and scope of practice of a school nurse in your state (for example, I think in some states, school nurses can administer OTC meds without doc orders, in others you must have an order- even for a cough drop). That is something I need to learn more about as well. Good luck with everything!

Hi, I'm sorry I didn't get back to you in time, I went out of town. It sounds like you have a great background and lots of relevant knowledge to the field of school nursing. How did the interview go? Again, I'm sorry for not checking this sooner

Hi there, I am taking courses through CSU Fresno's School Nurse Services Credential Program (the courses are all mostly online). There are two phases of the program, I am almost done with Phase 1. The Phase 2 portion includes a preceptorship for which I would need to take time off work, so I don't know when I can get around to finishing it.

Thanks for the good luck! I ended up very lucky, being offered a part time school nurse position at my current district. Unfortunately I am not going to DC for the conference, I would have loved to go though. Have a great time!

Thank you all for your well wishes- they worked! I was just offered a part-time school nurse job at my current district! I look forward to joining this profession.

My interview went pretty well, I think.. Thanks! :) I should hear back sometime this week. Yes, it is a great district, I would be elated to get a school nurse job there. Did you apply for the same job?

Thank you for your responses, I actually just came home and remembered I had a couple of really good resources from the CA department of education about vision and scoliosis screenings in public schools. In short, I figured out that I do not need any additional trainings or credentials to conduct vision and scoliosis screenings. Jolie- I agree that additional training is always a plus, I am going to try to seek out opportunities to learn more about the school vision screening process. RN4everr- I am not employed as a school nurse yet, but I am actively searching for a school nurse position. I just want to make sure before I potentially become employed that I understand the scope of practice :-) Thanks!

Hi All, I am wondering if some of you school nurses (in CA) can help clarify something I had never been completely certain about. I have my Preliminary School Nurse Services Credential. It is my understanding that I need to obtain my school audiometrist certificate in order to conduct the hearing screenings (which I am scheduled to take the course for in the Fall). However, I am not sure about any additional certifications that may be required to conduct VISION screenings in the school. Do I need to take a course for that? Is that just already in my scope of practice because I am a RN w/ my preliminary school nurse cred.? If so, I feel confident in doing the vision screening because of the resources and guidelines available to me. Also, I need clarification about the scoliosis screenings. Do I need any extra training or anything to do that? I am just not certain about this and can't seem to find the answers I'm looking for online. THANKS!!

Hi Elizabeth, no they have not yet hired a new nurse to fill my current position. I still may be returning; it depends on if I hear back that any of these other districts want to hire me as a school nurse :/ Thanks for the advice, searching this forum served as a great resource!

rdsxfnrn- Thank you for the good luck! MissLindsayRN- Yes, I was talking about an interview with the SRVUSD (how funny!), Are you a nurse in the district!? :)

Hello fellow nurses :), I have been following this forum for a while, but just now registered with allnurses. All your threads and comments have helped me immensly in my decision to pursue school nursing and what to expect. I am currently working at an elementary school as a 1:1 nurse/ paraeducator in the special ed. classroom, have been for the past 8 months. Before that I worked as a pre & post-op RN in an eye surgery center just after I graduated and got licensed May '10. So, I have some experience in a school setting and I am already taking courses towards my clear school nurse services credential (I have my prelimiary) and I plan on taking audiometry/audiology in the fall. I am on the right track, but it is just so hard to find a job these days without lots of experience, and especially without any hospital experience. I am going in for an interview next week for a health educator/school nurse position (at the district where I completed my own K-12 education!) and I am just looking for any advice or words of wisdom preparing for and going into this interview. I have interviewed for a school nurse position before I had experience working in a school, and realized how much I didn't know (such as IEPs, section 504... they don't teach that in nursing school!!) For this upcoming interview, there will be a panel of 3 people, 2 of which are district nurses. To those of you school nurses, what would you look for in a candidate during the interview process? I have qualities that I know would be desirable for the position, but I can also admit that there is still much I don't know- but I am trainable and eager to learn. I guess I am kinda freaking out because I REALLY want the job and don't want to blow it. Is there anything in particular I should study up on before the interview? Thank you all :heartbeat