Tell me about high school nursing

I made the transition from elementary to HS 2 years ago. Best decision, I love HS. I have 10 daily meds that I give between morning and after lunch. Most of my diabetic and epi-pen students are self-carry. I do see a lot of "stomach aches" and "headaches." 99% of the students are very respectful. I feel fortunate because my admin is very supportive and respects my medical opinion. I do see a lot of injuries but luckily nothing unmanageable. I like this age group because you can somewhat talk to them on an adult level. I love educating them about their health and diet. Good luck on your decision.

I'm not in high school, but if I ever make the jump, it will be for the following 2 words:

No Recess.

I made the switch from intermediate to high school (a 9th-grade campus with ~1000 students) a little over a year ago, and they will have to drag me out of here! I love that there is no recess, we have athletic trainers who handle all of the sports-related injuries, and attendance is taken in each class. Parents don't send their child to school until the magic attendance time, then come and check them out like they do in the younger grades. Yes, we have students calling or texting their parents from class to pick them up, but that doesn't affect me. Their absence will not be excused.

I give about 10 ADHD meds daily, have one diabetic on a pump who comes to the clinic to check her blood glucose, and one student with a daily inhaler. The majority of my students with inhalers or Epi-Pens carry them themselves. I see girls for feminine products, students with headaches/stomachaches/sore throats, and a few requests for ice packs for PE or home injuries. We have maybe 3 or 4 fights per year, 4 or 5 students per year under the influence, and do have a couple of pregnant girls, but I don't manage pregnancy. Our counselors are amazing, and try to keep the students with emotional issues out of the clinic, but I do see some occasionally. I think having supportive administrators makes all the difference in the world.

Another great thing about this age group is that parents don't call and question you, I can be firm with the students, and most of the time, the students actually take my advice. I don't have them crying to go home when I tell them they need to go back to class.

I'm not in high school, but if I ever make the jump, it will be for the following 2 words:

No Recess.

Amen!

I'm not in high school, but if I ever make the jump, it will be for the following 2 words:

No Recess.

Even though we don't technically have a recess, they still go outside to play. This year alone I've had a fractured patella, a dislocated finger, scraped knees. elbows and a few heads(yes, they still come see me for a bandaid) - all from football during lunch, a hyphema from a fall (first time to see one of those).

Yes, we do have the occasional pregnancy scare (thank God for counselors), but we have only had 2 students since I've been here that have delivered (one, we graduated early..again thank God for counselors!)

Most of them do listen to my advice. I have had the occasional "well I googled it,...." But that's usually fairly easy to dispel with logic. LOL

I love HS, tho!

One thing that I hate about high schools are the fights. They are more vicious. Girls just want to scratch other girls faces to scar them for life. I see three time more girl fights than guy fights.

High school is the only kind of school nursing I'd ever do. I did it for a year and a trimester on a per diem basis. Sexual health, eating disorders and other mental health issues are more rampant in high schools than other grade levels, I'd say, but I agree the counseling staff can make all the difference there.

I did one week in HS and . But someone mentioned no recess and it does make you reconsider.

My favorite part of high school nursing is actually the health teaching I do. I'm currently teaching sex education to my 10th graders and I love it. This is the age where this teaching is actually most rewarding.

However, it does mean I also have more students willing to open up re: sexual health issues and pregnancy issues. These are protected conversations in my state (no sure what your state guidelines are). But I've had students need pregnancy tests, Plan B, and/or STI testing. I have a great local teen health clinic I can refer to thankfully.

Also - concussions. So many concussions with school sports. I don't have to track down physicals for sports - our AD does it (and gives me copies for my files; win-win).

And high school student never get enough sleep. Ever.