School Nurse to Pediatric NP

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Are there any PNPs out there who were formerly school nurses? What was that transition like for you? Would you recommend acute care experience in peds before starting a PNP program?

If you've worked as a PNP and a school nurse, which did you prefer? What would you say about work-life balance in each?

Does anyone work as PNP in a school-based health center? How would you compare that setting to other pediatric primary care settings?

A little about me...

I'm a former OB nurse that currently works as a school nurse/public health nurse in the DC area (northern Virginia). I already have a master's in public health, so they pay me pretty well. In my case becoming a PNP would only be a small raise in salary, but I would appreciate a new challenge! I took a position as a school nurse, because I advised it would be a good mix of nursing and public health. I find that is the case (especially with immunizations, tracking outbreaks, and health education aspects of it), but I'm starting to feel like I don't love this enough to stay in it forever. I love caring for children and think become a pediatric NP would be the best next step. I am also starting to see school-based health centers crop up (more so in Maryland than Virginia), but I think with my background in school health, working as a NP in this setting would be nice transition.

Any thoughts?

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

I know a former school nurse who is a FNP. Quite frankly, she's full of herself, does some quite sketchy things in her practice, and advertises herself as Dr. Blah Blah, Family Practice. However, she has A LOT of patients and rakes in quite a lot of money.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.

I am a former L&D RN and sub school nurse now working on my PNP. It is a big change from what I'm used to but....I love it.

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I really like caring for the kids too. but I'm not sure about the all the politics of being in a school.

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