School Nurse Job Pros/Cons

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Sep 29, 2016

I work in a private school, so salary and pension are non issues. I thoroughly enjoy this work, I love the kids, I like the parents. I would volunteer to do this if my circumstances allowed. Having summers and holidays off is so lovely. Having my kids here is priceless. It is a lot harder than I perceived, but tolerable. Good luck on your decision.

momto5RN · Sep 29, 2016

I'm still new at school nursing. This is my second year at a private school. My previous nursing experience includes nights on a sub acute floor. By far, school nursing beats out nights on sub acute. I am not a certified school nurse as the requirements are different for private schools in my area. You just need to have your RN at the school I work at. But I do want to return to school for the BSN and become certified one day. Would like to eventually work in a public school someday. I am not on a teacher's salary or pension. I'm paid hourly and make the same as I did on the sub acute floor. It's not a bad gig especially if you have a family.

Huge benefits to me are no weekends, holidays, summer and those beloved snow days!! I worked both jobs for four months before ditching the night job and I'll never forget last winter when the teachers were praying for snow and I was like, stop that I still need to go into my other job, which I did in a blizzard!

Downside to the job in my opinion....being the ONLY medical professional in the building can be scary at times (I still consider myself a new RN and feel unsure at times), mean parents, parents who flip out over every minor scratch, parents who don't cooperate and send in necessary forms, immunizations or medications, some staff thinking I am their private duty nurse. But with all that said, it's a lovely job and is a hard one to get. The children are awesome and most of the staff are too. Enjoy and good luck!!!

Eleven011 · Sep 29, 2016

Pros - My kids come to work with me, I see them throughout the day, and then they come home with me. Same work day schedule as kids. Summers off! Holidays and weekends off! Low stress level compared to other places I've worked, much less physically demanding. The kids are great and the ones that aren't - well they need me to love them more. Blessed with a staff that truly do care about the students.

Cons - Low pay compared to other nursing jobs in the area. Health insurance is expensive, but I get mine through my husband. No other healthcare coworkers around (why I love to chat on AN)

In my school, certification is not required and wouldn't benefit me financially. And I don't get the benefits the teachers do, I am in another employee class (hourly group).

OldDude · Sep 29, 2016

I have worked in various specialty clinics over the years and that would be my 2nd choice after school nursing; as mentioned my Mr, a week off at Thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Christmas, a week for Spring Break, a few other single holidays off and 2 1/2 months off for the summer makes it "mucho bueno!" You can't attach a price tag to the benefits of your kids attending the school where you work. In Texas public schools, school nurses are on the same salary scale and pension plan as teachers. A school nurse clinic is a mini emergency room except that there is no doctor, other nurses, or support staff on hand for immediate assistance so that role requires someone who prefers that environment...which to me, is another benefit :yes: .

Good luck, keep us informed.

shark_nurse14, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2016

The kids are great and the ones that aren't - well they need me to love them more.

THIS :)

Farawyn · Sep 29, 2016

Pros: Schedule. Kids.

Cons: Pay. More Psych than Nursey.

Let us know what you decide. Good luck!

ohiobobcat · Sep 29, 2016

I am on a teacher's salary and benefits at my school. I took a significant pay cut to work at this school from my hospital job. It's doable, but I took a camp nurse job during the summer so I can have some extra cash flow.

Pros- I really dig the schedule. I'm home by 2:30p most days. I like snow days!!! I can attend all my kids plays/concerts/sporting events etc.

Cons- Pay cut, but I'm making it work. Limited time for appointments after school. Kids and parents with attitudes (not all the time, but does happen). Tough being the only medical person in the building.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Sep 29, 2016

Pros: Weekends off, holidays off, summers off, and depending on your climate you get that glorious call saying snowday (or delayed opening! - short day and no penalty to the calendar!!) If you have kids you may get on your kid's schedule or might even score a job in your kid's school (this might be a con depending on your point of view). You are really part of something amazing when you realize that you are helping these kids grow. You don't realize it while you're frustrated with them because the frequent flier kid has been there for the 10th time that week alone. But then one day you walk down the hall and pass that student and realize that you haven't see him/her all year. Then another year passes and the kid that was a real PITA in 4th grade is a model student in 8th grade and you think -they're going to be ok.

Cons: You are usually alone. I don't mean that you are the only medical staff in the building. That point's already been made (along with the other very good point that i won't get redundant with). I mean you are seldom thought of unless there is some sort of medical something going on. Now i'm not saying i don't have people that won't come in and shoot the breeze with me on occasion, and I have the people that I eat lunch with, but beyond that there are teacher that don't even know my name and i've been here 5 years - they've been here much longer than me. When my name comes up on the phone system and I ask nicely i they can send someone to my office they will say "who is this?" Uh, Nurse Flare. I've tried to get in the habit of answering that question that way to train them that I do HAVE a name and i'm not just a walking job title. If you wade through my posts you will see that i often liken our job with that of a fire extinguisher. Everyone is glad to see that we are there but no one really goes out of their way to notice us - But boy do they panic when we're not at our post

Those being said - I like my job. I may hem and haw and get irritated with things. But in reality it's not the kids that i'm ever irritated with. It's parents dropping the ball on paperwork. it's teachers handing kids off to us because they don't feel like dealing with whatever minor issue is going on. Kids are kids. Kids do kid things. We love them for being kids. They love us back for loving them.

Sorry - i sort of dragged out the old soapbox... it's a bit early in the year for that ha ha

bsyrn, ASN, RN · Sep 29, 2016

Pro's a lot of time off, no weekends or holidays, I run my own office and I love working with kids. The pay after 10 years is decent. Great health insurance and pension.

Cons, can't really think of any :smug:

crazynursebsn · Sep 29, 2016

When my name comes up on the phone system and I ask nicely i they can send someone to my office they will say "who is this?" Uh, Nurse Flare. I've tried to get in the habit of answering that question that way to train them that I do HAVE a name and i'm not just a walking job title.

:yes: This had me lmbo! I can totally relate. I don't even fight it anymore. I've even found myself answering the "who is this?" question with, "the Nurse!"

JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN · Sep 30, 2016

I wish I could like everyone's posts 100 times. Such spot on responses.

I love what Flare said about nobody really noticing/appreciating/communicating with us until the S hits the F. It's so true.

Pros- the hours, the benefits and retirement (both the same as teachers). I love the kids, I love my office and I love being able to teach about health when the students have questions for me. I love having enough energy after a shift to run, workout, do errands and cook. I love not missing weekend events and family functions. I love sleeping next to my fiance every night.

Cons- the pay is offensive. I know all nurses, especially school nurses, are underpaid but our district is particularly bad. I got a PRN job to supplement my income which has helped. It can be a little scary as the only medical person in the building. I may be invisible most of the time but when there is an emergency, the spotlight is directly on me. My friends from previous hospital jobs think my position is totally cushy. Most people think that, actually, and they are completely wrong. It's a ton of work, a ton of responsibility and requires a lot of critical thinking.

In my district, there is no pay raise for earning your certificate. Same with masters degrees.