I have been desperately seeking a job for the last several months. It is a tough economy right now and I have been applying for anything and everything, even jobs that are not nursing related.
I received a phone call for an interview as a school nurse and I am so excited about this possibility. I'm just a little worried because of lack of experience. I graduated a year ago but only have 9 months experience in an orthopedic clinic. I was mainly on the phones but occasionally did patient wound care like staple removal, etc.
I'm desperate for job and this position sounds appealing to me, but I wonder if they noticed on my resume that my experience was only 9 months. Any thoughts?
"They are hiring nurses for most of their campuses and I don't know why. Is this a bad sign? " That is a good good sign, not a bad sign.
Were you interviewed by any nurses? So interviewed by people who know the job? Did you ask about the orientation? The support and mentoring you will be getting? If you need help or a second opinion, will another experienced RN be available to take your call?
Perhaps they do not have many kids with chronic illness in the school you will be assigned to, and no kids who are medically fragile. If you have the least experience, I am sure they will assign you to the least difficult school. You must have impressed them with your ability to use good judgment.
This is an area of nursing that I am also interested in, but have been having a difficult time getting into. I've worked at summer camps for the past three summers and have had a wide range of medical emergencies from those experiences. While it is not an identical work environment it is closely related. It can certainly be a stressful environment, but with the right support it can be a great experience. Good luck to you!
If you love your job it makes ALL the difference in the world! I completely understand and relate to what your struggling with - it's a tough decision, and I'm nervous with you - ...isn't there some way that you can use this as an opportunity to get a commitment from your current boss, or talk to the prospective new boss and ensure that you have a good support system in place in case there's an emergency you're not sure how to handle? Perhaps their response either way might help you settle on a decision - I tend to lean toward the school nursing job as being the one that would provide the most job satisfaction while yet allowing you to have a life outside of your job - summers and holidays off would be a dream few jobs come with more than two weeks annual vacation and the benefits do seem to be good - on the other hand I totally relate to what you like about your current position and like I say if nothing else you could at LEAST use it as a spring board for getting a commitment out of them - whatever you ultimately decide you have my complete and total support - I am so proud of you - I'd be a basket case about now -
I am surprised that the school is considering a nurse without pediatric experience. I did school nursing for 2 years at an elementary school level. Our school district is very strict that a minimum of 1 year of pedi experience and 1 year of general medical is required. It's not just tummy aches and bloody noses. I had kids with seizures multiple times and had to monitor until EMS arrived (one kid arrested)...several head injuries, many falls off the playground with sprains and a few broken wrists and arms, high fevers, child abuse..with calls to Child Protection, head lice, several gashes with calls to EMS and sutures, lots of diabetic kids with blood glucose levels, asthmatics with kids in for nebs, one very scary kid with a bee allergy and another emergent call for EMS...! can you say EPI PEN....one concussion, and then there is buckets of vomit..all mixed in with the malingers who come down to the clinic and try to con you in to letting them stay there because they are "so sick"...actually, they are the funny ones....this is not an easy job...you have to keep track of the kids immunization records, sure, but thats like only a small fraction of what you do...it's great, but be prepared. Also, one more word...parents...to anyone who has ever worked peds, you know what I am talking about and I don't have to elaborate..
I just want you to know what to expect...which is to expect the unexpected!!!!!!!!
On second thought, I really do not think this would be appropriate for an inexperienced RN. There were some really hairy days...maybe this school district has two nurses or something, but where I was this was something you really had to had to be on your toes. I had 8 years of PICU experience when I went to school nursing.
I would rather have new grads in the PICU vs have a new grad as a school nurse. In the PICU, there are plenty of us oldsters around to make sure that new grad is okay for the first few years of her/his career. The charge nurse will not give that new grad the sickest kid in the unit without major back up from the veteran nurses. In the school setting, the school nurse is pretty much on her/his own. The best teacher is experience, better than any formal education one can have. I would say 5 years of acute care or even critical care minimum before one should be a school nurse.
I would rather have new grads in the PICU vs have a new grad as a school nurse. In the PICU, there are plenty of us oldsters around to make sure that new grad is okay for the first few years of her/his career. The charge nurse will not give that new grad the sickest kid in the unit without major back up from the veteran nurses. In the school setting, the school nurse is pretty much on her/his own. The best teacher is experience, better than any formal education one can have. I would say 5 years of acute care or even critical care minimum before one should be a school nurse.
Best to you,
Mrs H
Thank you Mrs H--
I posted what you quoted and since I worked both PICU for many years and as an elementary school nurse (after years of PICU) I feel very strongly about this!
However, I guess whoever the governing body of the school system is, does not see it this way, I believe the inexperienced nurse was hired. I sure hope she will have some sort of help..everything I posted happened. You really need to be on your toes at all times. And you are ON YOUR OWN...it can be very scary. Broken bones, status asthmaticus, anaphylaxis and seizures are all things I dealt with frequently and not to be taken lightly. I hope it works out ok for her.
bergren
1,112 Posts
"They are hiring nurses for most of their campuses and I don't know why. Is this a bad sign? " That is a good good sign, not a bad sign.
Were you interviewed by any nurses? So interviewed by people who know the job? Did you ask about the orientation? The support and mentoring you will be getting? If you need help or a second opinion, will another experienced RN be available to take your call?
Perhaps they do not have many kids with chronic illness in the school you will be assigned to, and no kids who are medically fragile. If you have the least experience, I am sure they will assign you to the least difficult school. You must have impressed them with your ability to use good judgment.