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L&D is like the ER of pregnant women due to all the emergencies that happen such as women walking in complete and delivering 5 min later, hemorrhaging, water broke and in labor at 25 weeks, pre-eclampsia, placental abruptions, fetal distress, etc and there's no way to truly understand it until you're in it. I feel like 7 shifts isn't quite long enough to decide if it's right for you or not. That's only a couple weeks. Give it a real try or you'll regret it and always wonder if you'd just stuck it out longer if it would've been a good fit. I don't feel like things truly clicked for me until near the end of my orientation. Even once out of orientation I asked for help a lot. It's normal to feel how you're feeling right now. Just keep showing up, being proactive, understand you aren't supposed to be proficient yet but actively learning as much as you can, and be patient with yourself. I think being a new grad makes it a little harder because EVERYTHING is new. Even if this ends up not being a good fit you're still learning so much. I did it for around a year on a LDRP unit and found I preferred even keel and liked post- partum more and didn't enjoy the adrenaline rushes and the unknown all the time. I started hoping every woman that came in wasn't in labor because I just dreaded it so much and stayed anxious the entire labor until mom and baby were done and OK. However I learned so much and did enjoy many parts of it so I'm glad I did it. Good luck!

I returned twice (once after 20 yrs and once after 11). It's normal to feel overwhelmed and in over your head. You've had two days of a 12 week orientation. That's what orientation is for-to learn that role. They don't expect you to know it all and be proficient at it which is why they're giving you this long orientation. The first few days are more of observing the flow anyway. They'll walk you through the foleys and IV's etc and in 3 months you'll look back and think wow you've learned so much. You go from not even knowing where the cafeteria is or the door codes to being able to answer the phone and know the answers. I found it helpful to keep track of things I learned each day so I could look back and see how far I'd come. It's just hard from going to being proficient at a job and comfortable to feeling like a fish out of water. The charting will come in time. You've got this. You just have to be patient!

Definitely would not bladder scan. School is not a hospital and it's pointless because the hospital will do it again and it might not be super comfortable for the kid and they'd wonder why the school nurse did it when she can't do anything to treat it. I think at our hospital there's a written protocol we can bladder scan if certain criteria are met that's been signed off by a physician so not having any protocol in a school I wouldn't even consider it. I'd call the parents to pick up asap. The fact the kid got up and got ready for school, came to school without mentioning it to the parents and then not acting all that bothered clues you in they probably are not being completely truthful but you never know and it's not our place to diagnose or prove it. I've had that happen a couple times. One time the child did need catherized at the hospital and antibiotics for a bad infection. Another time the kid ended up remembering they had in fact peed the night before after they got to the hospital and was able to on their own all of a sudden. Better safe than sorry.

As long as you're following protocol and not harming a kid then any threat to call the state dept is moot. Document everything always to cover yourself and know that most of the times threats are only that to intimidate you to get you to do what the parent wants. As far as sending kids home when you don't think they need to go home-ask the principal what his/her policy is on this. If the principal says only the nurse decides then tell him/her to put that in writing to all the staff and anytime a teacher tries to go against you tell the teacher to take it up with the principal. If the principal sides with the teacher or is wishy washy about it, call the parent and say your child was sent to me by the teacher and I don't see any medical problems at this time but the teacher really feels they need to go home. If the parent picks them up fine. If the parent refuses fine. You did your part. I guarantee the second or third time the parent has to pick up a child that isn't sick they're going to get irritated at which point you can suggest a Dr appt to rule out any health issues (because after all their child is doing something for the teacher to feel they need to go home) or just have the parent write a note their child is not to go home unless fevered or whatever. At this point it becomes a behavioral issue and not your problem. As for being nervous you're the only medical person on campus, remember these are healthy kids or they wouldn't be in school. It's very rare for something to happen but if it does your job is to stabilize until 911 gets there. Just brush up on EpiPens and signs of when to give. Make sure all staff aware of those kids with issues. Same with asthma attacks, seizures, choking, CPR, broken bones, etc. Just run through your head each month what you'd do if that happened right now. Ask to have a small back up committee of some people that run to you in an emergency so you can have extra help if you don't already but don't overthink the what ifs. Those are my suggestions but only you know if you feel you can continue to deal with this day in and out. You have to have a thick skin and be able to stand up for yourself in a job where there are no other nurses who understand you and your decisions. It can be hard.

The school nurse certification is something you'll complete once hired. They give you a temporary permit and then you have so long to complete the permanent one. Plus yes, you'll need so many hours in actual school nursing to complete it so don't worry about that. No one would expect you to have it to be hired. Sounds like you have the right mindset and experience and qualifications to get started already. I'd call about becoming a sub asap. They usually hire first from the sub pool anyway! Best wishes!!

Most school districts require you to have a BSN to become a permanent school nurse so if you don't have that you may want to look into that further. I agree subbing is the best way to get your foot in the door as well as gaining experience for that job and to see if you like it. Usually you'll have another nurse in the district you can call anytime you aren't sure of something along with guidelines for things you'll encounter. Your strongest skill needs to be assessments. Is this child's stomach pain related to eating too fast, constipation, a gas bubble, getting a stomach bug, appendicitis, or are they just faking to get out of class? That and knowing what to do for an emergency which is easy to learn. Plus learning to walk a fine line between teachers and parents. You need to have a tough skin. Every day there's probably at least one or more people mad at you or don't agree with you whether it's a teacher, parent, student, etc. Not trying to discourage you, just make you aware! The schedule is wonderful!

I once returned after being away 19 yrs from bedside. I had still been a nurse, just not in a hospital. Sure a lot had changed but the basics are always the same. I did fine and much better than one of the new grads they ended up firing for never getting the hang of it after many chances. I then left after a year again for another ten years and came back and still no problems. I find it's actually easier to be a nurse in many ways now than it used to be. In the old days we mixed our own IV meds and calculated our own drip rates, there were no ratios so we'd get 10-20 patients, there was no IV team, rapid response team, internet to search how to do anything, or even the range of normal lab values. You had to just remember them. You also had to tread lightly if you questioned a physician and risk getting your head ripped off. Everything is so easily accessed, pharmacy mixes meds, you have support teams, info at your fingertips, safety stops in place, etc. The basics of taking care of patients and providing for their needs doesn't change. Everything else there's always tons of education in place and easily learned. The worst thing now is the tons of charting that's ten times more time consuming. I think it's great we can bounce around jobs as needed to prevent burnout and in direct need to different schedules available at different times in our lives. I know many people that have come back after years away and they all seem to do just fine!

Oh my I can't imagine! I'm not sure how it is everywhere but in our district we have Dr orders that we are required to follow with a rule we do not take orders from parents. Secondly, I never would have had time to call my diabetic parents every single time I saw their child. If the parent can't trust a medical professional to take care of their child in school then they either need to homeschool or hire a private nurse they can boss around. You are there for the entire school, not that one child. This needs to stop. Sure you may have questions and that's OK to call the parent to clarify but to call the parent to ask what to do is too much. I'd come up a plan where you will promise to call or message if you're worried and let her know each day through note or message what the day's sugars and treatments were. She will probably calm down on the micromanaging once she sees you're competent. Do you have Dr orders with step by step what to do for highs and lows? Make sure you have those and explain to the mom you cannot just change the basal rate all day long unless the Dr writes that. Some pumps have a setting you can change for like gym and recess and you can pause it when they're dropping but to constantly change it is not common practice. Kid's blood sugars do go up and down frequently. Some kids are very well controlled and others not so much. You'll eventually learn how much of a snack is needed to get the kid back up and how long it will take. You'll start noticing what their sugars do depending on what they have for breakfast or lunch, when they have gym, recess etc and can adjust accordingly based on your own critical thinking. Each child is different. Just assuming that the mom knows what's best for her child is not the best practice. I've met many a diabetic parent who like their kids in the 200-300's all the time or freaks out if it gets above or below a certain number and over or under corrects. The Dr orders we had would have us treat if below 70 but one student, if he had two arrows at 100 I knew if I didn't treat and wait until he got to 70 he'd drop to 40 and take forever to get back up with many snacks then go high so I would give him a small snack at 100. The orders also specified when to check the blood sugars and when to treat and how much insulin. It's normal for it to up after lunch and then come down a little and stabilize. We usually checked 2 hours after lunch. It's whatever the Dr wrote. In the afternoon unless it was over 300 we didn't usually give extra insulin. That's what the basal rate is for-to try and keep it steady. If it's always being changed the Dr can't make corrections on what it should be. So get the detailed orders and then explain to mom how it's going to go from here on out. One of the quickest things as a school nurse you need to learn is how to stand up to parents. They'll walk all over you and make your life miserable if you don't. Good luck!

That's a lot of new specialties. I feel like six weeks wouldn't even be long enough. I did once with a job and it was because of the lack of support. I was constantly being hung out to dry and when I'd ask for help was told things like I'm too busy, maybe someone else can, you should've already been taught this, I don't know either...and I realized the more stressed I was the more I just couldn't get my bearings. I ended up leaving that job. I miss things about it but I've learned as long as I have good support and guidance I can learn anything new and do fine as evidenced by succeeding in new positions. It sounds like it's not you, it's them.

You'll learn great time management skills you can take with you anywhere. Take care of the patients, pass the meds, do the things and get to the charting when you can. You may have to stay over and finish charting. We all do occasionally. You'll get faster at it the more you do it. Use post it notes for any thing that comes up you need to do or chart on so you don't forget. You'll find a routine that works best for you. Try to stay on top of patient's pain to keep them from getting too grumpy. Also be friendly and strike up conversation during med passes with your patients. They're more forgiving of being late on something if they have a good rapport with you. Make note or list of when things are due like meds. Some people love brain sheets. I just use the report sheet as I don't have time to fill out another paper, Don't be too proud to ask for help if you're drowning and if you get a break in patient care around lunchtime take it! You've got this!

All of these suggestions are good ones that I have implemented or tried out. I've worked in many different schools and have found there's always one or two teachers who just DO NOT CARE why their student wants to go to the nurse and that if they ask they get to go even if it's to see if there's something in their shoe. I saw almost the entire class of students every day from one teacher and I went to her and said what's going on and none of the visits we're important and she told me that was my job to see kids who asked to go. I had many at that school who were ready to retire and didn't want to deal with the students. I went to the principal who had zero backbone with the teachers and let them run the school. So then I sent home a letter for every student I saw more than 5x's a week and basically said your child repeatedly asks to come to the nurse's office and although it's seemed like nothing serious and they were well enough to return to class (or I would've called you), I wanted to make you aware that they are missing a lot of class time doing this and if it continues they may need to follow up with a Dr to see why they are getting sick so often. Please talk to your child about this and feel free to call me with any questions. I got maybe two phone calls but my visits did cut down some. I then start sending home a form note with EVERY SINGLE student who visited that said something like "please be aware your child visited the nurse's office today for... and I filled in blanks or circled things like bandaid, ice, rest etc and it said they felt well enough to return to class, etc and it helped some as well. Some teachers are awesome and I know if I get their student they are truly sick or hurt. The best schools I worked at had administration who ran the school like a tight ship and got on to teachers if their kids were constantly being sent to the nurse's office, bathroom, office etc. I loved those schools and got the most respect there. Thanks to Covid and confidentiality laws you can make it known to your staff you will be seeing only ONE student at a time inside your office. Let them know when you have a student in your office , any other students outside your office will NOT be supervised so for their safety the teacher must call you before sending students in to see if you're free. If not they will have to wait until either an allotted time you give them or until you call them back. You will have to put your foot down and be firm. If kids show up without a call send them back to class and tell them their teacher is required to call first. If you're seeing a student and hear a bunch of kids outside the office call the principal and say there's rogue students in the hall. This here cut my visits down to less than 10 a day (not including meds, diabetics etc). But I also had a wonderful principal who backed me. If you can't get the principal to back you find a different school if you can because there will always be a power struggle between you and the teachers. This reason right here-the excessive silly little visits from kids who don't want to be in class that wasted my time was one of the reasons I burnt out on school nursing!

Congrats! Sounds like you're excited and I hope you enjoy it! I spent 20 years in school nursing. I never once had to administer an epi pen so it's not a common thing. Lots of asthma attacks, occasional seizures, fainting, and broken bones. Lots of diabetic management. Kids sugars can be super high one minute and drop fast and become low the next. They're all over the place. You'll deal with lots of little injuries that aren't serious and more stomach aches that you can count. You'll play the game is it due to eating too fast or too much, playing too hard after lunch, needing to poop, getting sick, appendix issue (rare) or just wanting to miss math or just go home to play video games. All day every day. You'll have to administer meds usually for ADHD. Assessment skills will be important. Lots of earaches and sore throats. Learn about lice. The hardest part for me wasn't the nursing aspect. It was the politics. Some teachers will insist you send students home that don't need to go home and will try to go above your head and sometimes the principal will let them call the shots. Some teachers, no matter how much you train them, just don't get it. They'll care more about a kid threatening to puke than a kid with a blood sugar dropping fast. Then there's the parents. Some will get mad you didn't call them because their child came to see you for a hangnail and others you'll be calling again and asking where they are when they told you over an hour ago they were on their way for their child having a 103 degree temp. Or the ones who refuse to take their child to the doctor, dentist, eye Dr etc after repeated requests. You have to have thick skin and stand up for the kids. Remember the kids are healthy. Your job is to help them get through the school day. Having someone close by is invaluable. I didn't get an orientation so that was a little rough. There's lots of things to enjoy like the kids obviously! Lots of hugs and smiles. You get to see their excitement on the first day of school, all the holiday fun, Christmas programs, etc. They say the cutest things. It's not super stressful-just busy. It's easy once you learn the role. You're home fairly early each day, have every single weekend and holiday off, Summer off, etc. Best wishes!

Take it from someone who is notorious for going back to previous jobs because I've missed something about them....don't. There are no perfect jobs. They all have good and bad. You left for a reason and if they did you dirty once there's nothing to say they wouldn't again in a heartbeat. Everytime I went back I was like oh NOW I remember all the reasons I left and had forgotten about some. You say overall you have a good job now, are more marketable, and it was a good decision you left. You MAY be able to get better hours but then again you may not and can you even trust them after the last time? They showed you how they felt about you. Don't go back. If you aren't completely happy where you are look for something somewhere else and not with a place who didn't value you. Just my advice!

The original post looks like it was from 2017 but I felt like I could've written that myself except the amount of experience in each wasn't the same. I wanted to try the OR for a new experience, better schedule, less stress etc and although I have indeed gotten all that I just don't like the OR at all. It's not for me. I don't find it enjoyable in any way despite the better hours. I dread going to work and each minute I'm there feels like an hour. I'd rather have a job I love with worse hours than a job I hate with great ones. Some people are the opposite. I'm returning to what I love.

Thank you for your replies! It's definitely hard going back to not knowing anything and feeling so lost after feeling competent for so long. It's almost like a whole new career in many ways. It's so overwhelming the sheer amount to learn. I will say overall we have a very supportive staff from scrub techs, doctors, anesthesia, other nurses etc for the most part. I've been told by others nurses doctors and techs I'm doing a good job. However, I don't enjoy it as much as other nursing jobs I've have had in the past. I don't like not being able to just get stuff done and be independent but I do like how everyone works together too. I miss being able to bond well with my patients but then again it's nice they are asleep most of the time and I'm not running up and down the halls fetching water, helping people up to the bathroom, waiting on them to swallow a pill or dealing with demanding family members. It's like comparing apples to oranges. I do find it's more draining that I'm used to from the constant noise (music, machines, people talking, etc) and the constant focus required trying to make sure I'm not missing anything the doctor is asking for amidst all the noise. (I have adhd and I'm more introverted so that type of thing wears me out fast.) I like the fact most weekends and holidays I'm off and I don't have to work nights unless I'm on call. So there are a lot of positives and I want it to work. I am going to just give it more time and see if I can get more comfortable and used to how different it is. I just wasn't sure if anyone else started out feeling like this wasn't for them but changed their minds after enough time. I talked to a couple people at work and they said they weren't sure at first but it grew on them the longer they were in orientation. Thank you for your time!