*New to school nursing, advice please

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Helloooo fellow school nurses,

I am starting in Oct. at an elementary school k-5 around 300 children and am looking for advice for a school nurse newbie. I have a background in adult psych/dual diagnosis and was looking for a change. I am nervous but excited to start this new venture, but am a bit overwhelmed on where to start. Any good books/resources/things to prepare for (other than this site)? I am from MA so I will need DESE certification too and am a little confused about that as well, and what needs to be done. Please help if you can, any bit of knowledge helps.

Thanks in advance!!

Ally

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Welcome! I am in MA as well and DESE certification is a big pain.

The hardest part is finding time to go to the mandated trainings. There are three and the information can be found here: BU CME/CNE You have to attend all three. The 2-day one is coming up in October. They run about three times per year.

You also have to take the communication and literacy exam of the MTEL.

In order to register to need to set up an ELAR account : Login to MassEdu Gateway, ELAR, and EEC Single Sign-In

You will need a MPEID in order to register (ask your school for that). The testing windows are year-round and it takes about 6 weeks to get your scores. They get sent directly to your ELAR account. You also need to show that you have at least 2 years of applicable nursing experience (I sent proof of employment). Also, they need a copy of your transcript from your BSN undergrad. Everything can be uploaded into the ELAR account.

Office of Educator Licensure

Hope this helps a little

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Congratulations! Welcome to the Farm. Keeping your fridge stocked with Bud Light will help. Student health and safety takes top priority over everything else so don't get dragged out into the weeds by administrative stuff. You'll have plenty of time to settle in to all that.

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Welcome. This is a great Forum for all things School Nursing. if you don't see the info, answers or questions you need here on the first page or 2, ask!!!

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Thank you for the info, it does sound like a PIA :(

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Thank you for the info, it does sound like a PIA :(

I'm the dense one in the room...what does PIA frown face mean?

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Hahha pain in the orifice

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Specializes in School nurse.

Welcome!! The selekman textbook is good too. She literally wrote the book about school nursing. Of course NASN is also a good resource. They have a back to school checklist that you can use as a starting point. Kid safety is priority 1.

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Thank you everyone!! Cheers to all the school nurses :)

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Yaaay! Another friend in our playground! Learn everything there is to know about Head Lice, Immunizations, and how to navigate the education system- it is very unique. If your state has a database for Immunizations>>>> run, don't walk to figure our what it is and how to get signed up for it. Our system here in Missouri, is one of my very biggest lifesavers. Find out who your State School Nurse Consultant it, and get that person on your list of Contacts. Make sure you get a shirt to be able to show your school spirit. And, a pink one too, for Wednesdays.( You don't want to sit at the uncool table with OldDude.:bugeyes: )

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.
Welcome! I am in MA as well and DESE certification is a big pain.

The hardest part is finding time to go to the mandated trainings. There are three and the information can be found here: BU CME/CNE You have to attend all three. The 2-day one is coming up in October. They run about three times per year.

You also have to take the communication and literacy exam of the MTEL.

In order to register to need to set up an ELAR account : Login to MassEdu Gateway, ELAR, and EEC Single Sign-In

You will need a MPEID in order to register (ask your school for that). The testing windows are year-round and it takes about 6 weeks to get your scores. They get sent directly to your ELAR account. You also need to show that you have at least 2 years of applicable nursing experience (I sent proof of employment). Also, they need a copy of your transcript from your BSN undergrad. Everything can be uploaded into the ELAR account.

Office of Educator Licensure

Hope this helps a little

DITTO.

Also, make sure you make and keep copies of EVERYTHING you send to DESE, they tend to lose things, and get confused if your documents are not in the name you go by (for example, when I went to nursing school, I wasn't married, so my degrees are in my maiden name, I had to write a letter to them telling them that!). I actually ended up going to Malden to the DESE office....OMG, armed guards at the door and a metal detector! That is how nuts it can be, but they were very nice and happy I went and I got all my paperwork settled.

The MTEL is easy...so don't fret over it, you passed the NCLEX you will pass this, it is just reading, comprehension and writing.

Good luck! Any questions, just ask!!

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