"just" a school nurse rant

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You are reading page 2 of "just" a school nurse rant

~Shrek~

347 Posts

I am a clinic nurse. Possibly an aspiring school nurse, as I have always wanted to do school nursing and have applied to school nurse jobs. I get the same. I was texting my friend who is an oncology nurse about how I want to advance, but I don't know what I should do. Her first response "you really need to get hospital experience....". I found it insulting, as if my experience in clinic and the other places I worked are useless and don't count. Plus I love public health. If I were to work in the hospital, it would be because I couldn't find a public health job (school nursing is public health to me, too).

sharpeimom

2,452 Posts

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

It happens to psych nurses too! At a family dinner, a very bossy retired elementary school teacher aunt said when I was asked a "kid age" question, "Oh, she won't know the answer because she was just a psych nurse."

Just?? Hummmppphhh!!!!!

I'm so sorry about your family member. My mom had

hospice at home and they were wonderful.

OrganizedChaos, LVN

1 Article; 6,883 Posts

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

You're never "just" an anything. You're never just a school nurse, psych nurse, LTC nurse, LVN or what have you.

I don't think lay people realize we all go through the same schooling & can pick any job we want. Such an emphasis is put on acute care that I'm sure lay people think nurses aren't "real" nurses if we don't work in the hospital.

kummerspeck

122 Posts

I am a clinic nurse. Possibly an aspiring school nurse, as I have always wanted to do school nursing and have applied to school nurse jobs. I get the same. I was texting my friend who is an oncology nurse about how I want to advance, but I don't know what I should do. Her first response "you really need to get hospital experience....". I found it insulting, as if my experience in clinic and the other places I worked are useless and don't count. Plus I love public health. If I were to work in the hospital, it would be because I couldn't find a public health job (school nursing is public health to me, too).

School nursing is public health nursing period. I think it's great that you are aspiring to be a school nurse. I just work p/t right now, but hopefully I will be full time in the fall as a school nurse. (Or I'll be subbing as much as possible seeing as how I'm quitting my other job soon). I don't have hospital experience, but I do have experience working with patients over a long period of time and handling chronic illness, educating families, building relationships, etc...and that is immensely helpful in school nursing. I think your clinical experience should totally count. Also, try to find out if there are school nurse conferences around you, those look great when mentioned in interviews. Makes you look serious!:yes:

Who cares what that cousin thinks? She's possibly jealous, ignorant, sad and overwhelmed by the hospice situation, going

through other personal issues, etc.

Just know within your heart that you are a good school nurse because of all the education and experience you have.

And you have what it takes to be able to handle anything that comes your way.

And cite a few examples that you or your colleagues have dealt with.

Fractures, chest pain experienced by an adult worker, psych issues, injuries, screening for all the things you might screen for,

knowing when to refer a student or adult to ER, doctor, CPS, etc.

Take pride in your knowledge and ability and educate your cousin nicely about your education and experience.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones.

DeeAngel

830 Posts

If this same person asks you anything medical ever again just respond with "but I'm just a school nurse". Give her no information of any kind, make her get it elsewhere.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN

4,530 Posts

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Interesting. I am not a school nurse, but I have never worked in acute care in 24 years of nursing.

However, all my friends, coworkers, family, neighbors, and many others think I know everything about

every possible injury and illness known to man AND that I can diagnose it and treat it with

my xray vision and over the phone and/or email LOL.

I am sorry to hear of your family member in hospice. At times like these, there may be many emotions running wild amongst family members. Still, there is no excuse to be rude, just know that your cousins "just a school nurse comment" is an ignorant remark that shouldn't be taken to heart. As a pre-nursing student at 25 years old who finally completed all her pre-requistes and is struggling immensely to get into a nursing program/school, I know that only a select few are considered "good enough" to even be given the privilege of participating in a nursing school program. You should be proud of this accomplishment!

I'm so sorry that you're going through this. I feel the same way at times because I am an LPN. But, you are so much more than "just" anything. When someone thinks or says something belittling to me/about me, I have to remind myself, they just don't know what they're talking about. People often make generalizations about things they have no knowledge of. Also I am sorry about your family member on hospice. I hope you feel better soon. Hold your head high xoxo

Punkydo143

1 Post

I feel your pain! I've had several people comment snot all the time I get off. I just finished my first year at an all kindergarten center. Even after 2 years in a peds clinic, I was not prepared. When I tell people it's not all ice packs and bandaids, their response is, "what else do you do?". I even had a five year old tell me that even though it would hurt my feelings he was supposed to tell me that their mom was a better nurse than me because she works at a hospital and takes care of patients and all I do is take care of kids. Yep, that's all I do. I'm responsible for over 500 students and the staff, see upwards of 40 kids a day, no help, no doctors or other close RN's to lean on. I have to know about seizure disorders, food allergies, asthma, tube feeds, diabetic care, autistic/developmentally delayed students, serious injuries involving heads and limbs and wiping so many butts that I lost count. I have to know about Medicaid billing, state laws for vaccinations, religious exemptions, medical exemptions, dental exams, vision exams, ADHD medications, calling parents to tell then their kids can't come back to school until state requirements are fulfilled....the list goes on and on. But yeah, all I do is take care of kids.

gator mom

12 Posts

Specializes in PCU, post surgical and Hospice.

I get comments like this since I became a hospice RN. Even though I maintained by ACLS and worked for 9 years on a difficult post surgical floor, fellow RN's and even non medical people make comments like"oh you don't have to worry about "this or that" since your patients are dying."Or, that I have no clue about patients who are expected to be kept alive. I have total respect for school RN's. People are just ignorant about many specialties. I don't blame you for wanting to vent!

luvRN1987

6 Posts

*HUGS** sorry your family member is in the hospital.. and sorry they made that comment. I would have turned around and asked them to go ahead an explain it all...

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