How do you get over the boredom/monotony?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I'm in a slump right now in my district nurse job. It's so dull. What do you guys do to get over the humps? Keep in mind that I don't do the day to day hands on work that much anymore. I oversee the health office nurses and case manage the more complicated kids and a lot of that work is already in place now since we're 3 months into the school year. I'm all caught up with my SPED evaluations. I've updated the Resource Manual that we have in each health office that the nurses use as a guide for what to do in different situations. I've made a Power Point presentation on fractures and what to do when you suspect one that I will be presenting in 2 weeks (a requirement for my performance evaluation each year :sarcastic:). My health office nurses are amazing and rarely need me to step in for anything so today I received zero phone calls and zero emails. I literally had nothing to do. I cleaned my desk and then worked on my NRP (neonatal resuscitation program) recertification which I have to do next month. I haven't been able to pick up any NICU shifts this month (believe it or not they are fully staffed!) to remind what a sweet gig this is! I'm getting desperate to run back to the NICU! Quick! Talk me off the ledge please!

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Specializes in School Nurse.

How about rotating through the trenches? Offer to spell a school nurse so they can do some personal development or something?

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Specializes in School Nurse.

What about planning some education classes for your nurses?

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Just remember that you could be working LTC right now and pushing a heavy med cart up and down the hall and always feel behind and inadequate.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

How about thinking a bit more community wide and seeing if there is a way you can collaborate with the outside resources in your community like the town's public health nurse to identify any needs that the community may have that you can assist with to promote proactive health measures in the schools? For example, you may have a lot of students that come from families that may benefit from nutritional counseling. (really, what kid couldn't benefit from promoting some healthy food choices - the tweens and teens here would live on Doritos if they could) perhaps there is a dietitian available at a local hospital or supermarket that would be willing to work with you and the town nurse to create community goals or a presentation.

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Specializes in School nursing.
How about rotating through the trenches? Offer to spell a school nurse so they can do some personal development or something?

^This. Personally I wish I had a district nurse that could sub in for me so I could attend more mental health PD to better support the counseling overflow I get.

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Are you sure you did everything? Immunizations? Meds? Allergies? Hearing and Vision?

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
How about rotating through the trenches? Offer to spell a school nurse so they can do some personal development or something?

Over the next 17 days (or however many you have) offer nurses an actual lunch hour. Like, go in and work and let them have the hour for....dare I say it...lunch? The gift of time is precious.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
Just remember that you could be working LTC right now and pushing a heavy med cart up and down the hall and always feel behind and inadequate.

Oh I know. I always remind myself what a sweet gig I have.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
Are you sure you did everything? Immunizations? Meds? Allergies? Hearing and Vision?

See that's the trouble with this job. I don't do those things. Our immunizations are done and reported to the state. We hire outside screeners to do our hearing and vision. Those are actually going on today at our elementary school.

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Specializes in School nursing.
See that's the trouble with this job. I don't do those things. Our immunizations are done and reported to the state. We hire outside screeners to do our hearing and vision. Those are actually going on today at our elementary school.

Lucky! You can come to my neck of the woods and help with mine next week ;).

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See that's the trouble with this job. I don't do those things. Our immunizations are done and reported to the state. We hire outside screeners to do our hearing and vision. Those are actually going on today at our elementary school.

Lucky! You can come to my neck of the woods and help with mine next week ;).

Really. Do you make house calls?

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