Possible job opportunity out of the blue

Specialties School

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

I just found out that a very small private school in my town (four blocks from my house to be exact) is looking for a part time school nurse next school year M-F 10-2. Those hours are dreamy. I would drive my 7th and 5th grade kids to school and then come home, have a leisurely morning and walk to work, be home before they need to be picked up from school.

My current school is a 30 minute drive from where I live on a good day. I drop my kids at school 30 minutes early so I can get here on time. Currently I work 8-1:30 which I love, but next year they want me to work until 3:30 I already said I can't but agreed to do 2:30. For the 2019-2020 school year we are moving to the upper school campus so it would be me, one other nurse and 1,000 students. This private school only has grades K-8 and only 10-15 kids per grade.

I currently make a lot for a school nurse, plus with my added extra hour next Fall, I qualify for FT benefits, so I will have all of our health care covered which is HUGE. But I have been worrying about how to manage my added hour with my own kids' dismissal times, being in new schools (both are in new schools next year), etc. And I already KNOW that if my current school asks me to go FT, I will say no. FT at my school is 7:05 - 4:45. No thanks!!!

So I am applying for this position and am going to see what happens. It is hard when I absolutely LOVE my current job, but I know next year is the last year that they will allow me to continue with PT hours. If this new opportunity is available now, makes sense to do it!

Thoughts? Advice?

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Specializes in School nursing.

Is is private school? Or religious-based private? I ask because I know religious based private school part time will likely be a huge paycut in MA.

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Is is private school? Or religious-based private? I ask because I know religious based private school part time will likely be a huge paycut in MA.

Yes, religious based private. I am very curious what their hourly is.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

There is some emotional value regarding having your kids attend the same school/district where you work; that would be the only thing I could think that might make you hesitate...otherwise, if you can afford it, I say go for it.

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There is some emotional value regarding having your kids attend the same school/district where you work; that would be the only thing I could think that might make you hesitate...otherwise, if you can afford it, I say go for it.

Currently I work in a different district from my kids and if I take this job I would still technically be in a different "district" since it is private and they are public, but we would be right by the house so WAY easier than what I am doing now.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Currently I work in a different district from my kids and if I take this job I would still technically be in a different "district" since it is private and they are public, but we would be right by the house so WAY easier than what I am doing now.

No brainer then!! Make a run at it!!

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UPDATE:

Super bummed! I dropped off my resume and cover letter on my way home from work yesterday and they mentioned that the position had just been offered to a candidate that morning and she accepted. I have no idea how long the position had been posted since I found it accidentally. Anyway, I left pretty disappointed. I got a call from the Head of School an hour later telling me how impressed she was with my resume and asked if we could meet anyway in case their situation changed. So I guess that is still a positive. I have to keep reminding myself that I love my current job and was not looking to leave, just that this opportunity was too good to not apply for. I guess it wasn't meant to be. Oh well.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Their loss and they know it...one never knows how these things play out. Two of the last 3 nurses we hired in our district backed out before they came on board.

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Their loss and they know it...one never knows how these things play out. Two of the last 3 nurses we hired in our district backed out before they came on board.

Really??? Wow, that is ballsy. Unless one had a very legit reason, I can't imagine doing that. But yes, my husband mentioned to me last night that one never knows what will happen, that perhaps the candidate wants more than 4 hours per day and accepted but will keep looking so I should keep an open mind. I just want to make sure that I don't end up screwing over my own current school by doing a last minute switch late August. I report back August 6th so I would make a decision before then if the opportunity presents itself again, or just decide I will commit to stay here for the 2018-2019 school year.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Really??? Wow, that is ballsy. Unless one had a very legit reason, I can't imagine doing that. But yes, my husband mentioned to me last night that one never knows what will happen, that perhaps the candidate wants more than 4 hours per day and accepted but will keep looking so I should keep an open mind. I just want to make sure that I don't end up screwing over my own current school by doing a last minute switch late August. I report back August 6th so I would make a decision before then if the opportunity presents itself again, or just decide I will commit to stay here for the 2018-2019 school year.

Have the school let them know your position will be available.:bag:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Really??? Wow, that is ballsy. Unless one had a very legit reason, I can't imagine doing that. But yes, my husband mentioned to me last night that one never knows what will happen, that perhaps the candidate wants more than 4 hours per day and accepted but will keep looking so I should keep an open mind. I just want to make sure that I don't end up screwing over my own current school by doing a last minute switch late August. I report back August 6th so I would make a decision before then if the opportunity presents itself again, or just decide I will commit to stay here for the 2018-2019 school year.

I think it's because of the idea by some that school nursing is only putting bandaids on skinned knees and when they get into the process and start to understand a smidgen of what's involved they run.

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Specializes in NCSN.
I think it's because of the idea by some that school nursing is only putting bandaids on skinned knees and when they get into the process and start to understand a smidgen of what's involved they run.

We have seen the same in my district. People come in expecting an "easy desk job" and once they learn that it's not they run.

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