School Nurse Interview in Houston

[rollydrooly208]

Hey everyone! Here's the long story short, I am a new graduate (May 2010) Started work as an RN in the beginning of July. I work in the med center in Houston as a clinical nurse. I absolutely hate working weekends and holidays. I know I signed up for that but it really gets me down for the whole week leading up to it that I can't pep myself up or get out of the rut.

Anyways I applied for some school nursing jobs, because I have always been interested ( i used to want to be a teacher). A school that's 15 minutes away (and where I don't have to pay 65 dollars per month to park!) called and I have an interview with the principal and the head of the school health dept on the same day. It's 32 hours a week, no weekends or holidays and I think the summer off as well. These are all great perks, I'm just curious about what exactly a school nurse does and how the pay is in Houston. On the post it said like 44,500-70,000 so that seems fine but i'm sure I'll find out when I go to interview.

Also I talked to some girls a work and they really think I should stay and get more clinical experience which I know is good, but I know I don't want to stay there forever so why not take a good opportunity if it falls in my lap? Any advice out there? Thank you! :redbeathe

[smily nurse, BSN, RN]

FOlks think school nursg is easy.....I am glad for all my years of experience to call on. You are it!!!! You need great assessment skills!! Stay in the hosp for a bit.

[guest83140]

I think you may be able to swing it if you can PRN at the hospital maybe once or twice a month. This helps you to gain more experience, keep a door open in case you don't like school nursing or the pay and be able to put at least one year of hospital exp. on your resume in case you want to move elsewhere. CPR training will help, exp. with tube feeding can help. Asthma, seizures, diabetes you will know or learn. First aide training can cover fractures, sprains, and regular first aide. Experience just makes you more comfortable and springs up out of you as first nature. We had to get it one way or the other. Also if you have a close supervisor or clinic aide may help ease your fears.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I had about the same amount of hospital experience under my belt as you do when I jumped ship for the school. It really depends on YOU. Do you have really good assessment skills? Especially heart and lung sounds and neuro? If you have good assessment skills that you are confident in, and you have a VERY strong support system in the district, you may be ok. I had a senior nurse who I could call at any moment with questions or problems, and I wore her ear out the first few months. Still do from time to time, lol. There are also nurses at neighboring school who can pop in if I really need them to, but have never had to go there.

Take a good hard look at your assessment skills, and question the heck out of them as far as your support system, then decide based on that.