LPN School nurse?

Jolie, BSN · Nov 21, 2005

"I'd just like to clarify: It is my understanding that IL requires MS
level coursework for school nurse certification (Type 73 certificate).
However, certification is not required for employment in many school
districts throughout IL."
Many states do not require district to hire any health staff, licensed or not. If they do hire non certified nurses in Illinois, they cannot be called school nurses according to the Illinois School Code. They often are called Health Aides, which I have a huge problem with calling a person with an RN license an aide. Chicago calls their's Health Service Nurses which is much better.
Schools in Illinois are going to have to either hire certified nurses or they are going to have to contract out for their services because the 2004 rewrite of IDEIA requires nurses to be at the IEP meetings unless a parent provides a written release for their attendance. In Illinois, since there are certified nurses, and the person attending must be "HIGHLY QUALIFIED" it is being interpreted that the district must have Illinois certified nurses. So it will be interesting to see how that changes the landscape of Illinois school health services.

Thanks for the clarification. So, in IL, "school nurse" is a protected title, reserved for those with certification. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, as I'm quite certain there aren't enough certified school nurses to go around, nor districts willing to pay their nurses on the same scale as certified teachers.

suebird3 · Nov 22, 2005

thanx, bergren....i knew at least a bsn. :chuckle

suebird

jidlr · Dec 8, 2005

I work in OH and you have to have be an RN and have credits in educatin and have completed a school nurse practicum as well. You must be licensed by the state as a school nurse in addition to your state nursing license as well.

girlfromtx · Dec 8, 2005

In south Texas they mainly just hire LVN's.

Ebon510 · Jan 3, 2006

I too am a LPN in Georgia. Go to the County's Board od Education and inquire of current Nursing positions. you can also go to their website. We are under Student Services. Now the pay varies from County to County. Good Luck!!!!!!!!

Alee123 · Jan 3, 2006

My friend is a LPN and is a school nurse. That is in a small town in Minnesota though; I suppose it varies from state to state & from school to school. Good Luck!!!

LanaBanana · Jan 3, 2006

I just checked out Oklahoma because I'm interested in it but they also require a BSN. Guess I'm going to have to hurry up once I complete my LPN program and do that LPN-BSN program because I want those school holidays!

Flare, ASN, BSN · Feb 7, 2006

In NJ you need a BSN and state certification as a school nurse

Ebon510 · Feb 14, 2006

It just goes to show the difference of State requirements. I live in Georgia and LPNs do the same as two and four year RNs. The RNs were designed to be Lead Nurses, however that fell by the wayside. RNs can take the state certification after three years experence as a school nurse. I have a BS in another field and cannot sit for the state certification. I will be able to soon.

Justhere, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2006

In Arkansas they have RNs, LPNs, and Health Aides.

But in my school district which has 5 schools, and it is just one RN and I think a health aid in each school.

Well one day my son fell off a (I'd say at least 8 ft slide, which was there when I was in 3rd grade)from the very top and landed on his stomach. He went to the nurses office, was seen by neither a health aide or a nurse, told them what happened and that his stomach hurt. Told him it would be ok (didn't check it because it was underneath his pants area) and sent him back to class. NOONE called me. This happened at lunch recess. I picked him up from daycare and on the way home he tells me he has a bruise on his stomach. I told him I'd look at it once we got home. When we got home he had a softball size bruise on his stomach which was also swollen and hard as a rock. It was 4:30 his lunch was at 11:00. I called his doctor and was told to take him to the ER because they were closing and he figured he might need x-rays if not a CT. Luckly everything was ok and they gave him an ice pack and sent him home. But what if something had ruptured or worse? I took him to the school the next day and showed the bruise to the principle, all he did was say he was sorry and that he would have the nurse notify all parents of any injuries (before that I was getting calls about splints in fingers). But I got stuck paying the $800 hospital bill because when I sent in for the $20 school insurance they have us fill out at the beginning of the year, somehow my paper work didn't get processed and he wasn't covered. They said that the school district wasn't responsible for injuries on the playground or anywhere else on school property.

Stephanie82 · Apr 15, 2006

If anyone knows where any school nurse opening is for an LPN, please give me the link to the website of the school.

I am single and willing to relocate anywhere. Being a school nurse is my dream job!

WDW1971 · May 7, 2006

I'm not sure where the original poster is from, but in North Texas also, you have to be BSN. I've never understood why.

I know this is kind of an old thread, but in case anyone from north TX reads this, it depends on the district. I have worked in 3 different districts over the years. Some districts will only hire nurses with a BSN. Some districts employ nurses with associates degrees. Some districts have LVN's. Some have health aides. I know of one district that has all of the above.

A lot of districts, though, seem to be moving to only hiring BSN nurses to fill empty positions. The reason for BSN over ADN is probably that all other school district professionals (e.g. teachers, librarians, counselors) must have bachelor's degrees at the bare minimum, and school nurses here are almost always on the same level/pay-scale as other district professionals.