School Nurse Position

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Specializes in LPN.

I contacted this school in Illinois thats part of the Archdiocese for a position for a school nurse at a high school. They said they would either take an LPN or RN...my question is if an LPN is the only nurse in the building is that okay? I know we've been taught in school we work under the supervision of an RN.

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Specializes in Home health, Addictions, Detox, Psych and clinics..

Supervision can be a very loose term. Supervision can mean offsite, and or onsite. Available by phone etc. If they do end up utilizing an LPN, you probably would be the only nurse on site the majority of the time, but they would like have a supervising RN above you, who would be responsible for multiple school etc.

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Specializes in LPN.

Thank you! So technically this position is a safe position to apply for right? LOL

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Specializes in Home health, Addictions, Detox, Psych and clinics..

I’d like to think so yes, as long as there are set protocols in place to help guide you, yes.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Lots of advice in allnurses School Nursing forum:  https://allnurses.com/school-c37/

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
On 8/16/2020 at 9:03 PM, jakrob123 said:

Thank you! So technically this position is a safe position to apply for right? LOL

Whelp-

Consider your licensure and the things that they want you to do. You can do assessments per protocols, right? But in Texas LVNs cannot write care plans, although they may carry out a care plan per MD orders.

I would trust the nursing judgment of many of my skilled, long-time LVN friends. If you are new to the field you're still working on your nursing judgment.

When I supervised an LVN I made sure she had a cheat sheet about when to call me. We spoke weekly, and met every other week.  I will say in her position, she only had to call me once (and it was about a concussion assessment which we had no policy for her to follow).  I would be asking a lot of questions about duties and supervision. Most school employees do not understand an RN's scope of practice, let alone and LVN's. 

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Specializes in School Nursing.

In our school division, only an RN can be a school nurse. An LPN can be an assistant.. This is because of the supervisions, care planning, and assessements. 

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Specializes in kids.

Be very aware of your scope and nurse practice act. Best of luck!

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