Student nurse doing a PPP on school nursing

AmberBradford · Jun 26, 2014

Hoping that I am not answering to late for your PPP.

1)In my state you have to be an LPN or RN. They really do not want BSNs. Other than that you need a certification in hearing/vision screening. Vision you can learn as you go but hearing is a must.

2) I work in AZ. The salary range for an LPN is $21,000-24,000 per year. An RN will see $24,000-28,000 per year. Sub nurses we get $85-95 dollars per day they work no matter what lettering is behind their name.

3) I do not know the number of openings for school nurses in AZ. There are normally around 2-5 opening per school district a year. This will hold true to any level of nursing.

4) School nursing for me is where the rubber meets the road. The pay sucks and the rewards are just not there. I never get a Yahoo this is nurses week/day. But I know that I am the first line of not the only health care that most if the kids will have/see. I love that I can make a difference in a child's life. I also can teach the staff about different health issues that they will see if they have a medically needy child in the class. I also am able to teach the classroom about they same health issues. I see more and do more then my follow nurses that work in an LTC or med/surg floor. I see things that the ED nurses see. Cannot beat that!

5) One of the disadvantage's of being a school nurse is the pay. Its super low. There are dangers in working as a school nurse. I have had more than one parent make threats to kill me. I have had them in my office and they do not like that their child is being sent home sick and they start to yell and punch. If you are sending home a letter saying that due to an incomplete short record the child will not be allowed to stay in school can make a parent very mad.

But the most disadvantage that I see is that I am looked down upon by other nurses. I hear all the time "Oh you are just a school nurse what would you know." or "School nurses are lazy and really are not true nurses." I do more that just med passes and band aids. I treat a whole person. I give TLC. I put a band aid on a knee with a cut. I hold that girls hair when she is throwing her toes up. I sit and talk to the 8th grade boy that feels they cannot talk to mom or dad. I splint that arm or leg when its broken. I call 911 when a child is ODing. I hold that moms hand while EMT is working on her child. I cry when I have to made that CPS call and tell then that this child was cut with a knife and has burns all over them. I am "just" a school nurse and I will take all of the disadvantages of the job and LOVE it to death. Because I am "just a school nurse"!

coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2014

1) In my State of California you must have your RN and BSN before your start date as a Credential School Nurse. With my first position I will get a Preliminary School Nurse Credential. I have 5 years from the issue of my credential to obtain my Clear Nurse Credential. In order to do that I have to enroll in and complete a School Nurse Credential Program within the State. The programs are few and are located at CSU's and one private university. The program can take anywhere from a calendar year to 2 years. Some programs allow you to get your MSN at the same time, or Master's in Public Health, or just the credential. After completing the program and working two years as a School Nurse you can get your Clear Credential. If you don't complete it after the 5 years, there are very, very few exemptions to get an extension. I know a Nurse who did get an exemption only because we live in a rural area and the closest School Nurse Credential Program closed down before she started. It has since re-opened. Also, obtaining your Public Health Nurse Certificate may be required for the school nurse credential program and/or the credential. I have mine anyway.

I have been a School Nurse a little over a year and I will apply to a program this summer to begin in the Spring 2015. The program I want also has a MSN option and the option to obtain a Specialized Teaching Authorization in Health which means I could teach a Health class on the side from K-12 or higher education without obtaining a teaching credential. Most of the School Nurse Credential Programs are hybrid classes with half online and you have to go to class twice a week in the evening. Others are all online and have to go to campus 2-3 times a semester for exams on a Saturday.

In addition, a School Nurse must take an audiology course to go hearing screening. You may do it as part of your credential program or have to do it separately. Some Districts don't always have their school nurse do hearing screening or have certain nurses in charge of that. I completed the course that last Fall at a CSU online.

2) Salary range varies greatly in the State. It depends on your area and how many Nurse's there are in your District. Because I work in an rural area budgets are smaller and BSN nurses are hard to come by (They either move to a larger area or work at the prison for big $$$). I make a lot more than the School Nurses 2 hours away in San Diego. The reason being is because SD can afford to higher more nurses in their District whereas here there is one Nurse per District. I start out at 60k and I believe SD nurses make around 40-45k. Pay scale depends on two things: 1) Some Districts the Nurses are paid on the teacher scale. You increase pay as you move up the steps and make more when you obtain more college credits/degrees. Or 2) Other Districts put Nurses on their own pay scale and you may or may not make more for your degrees/college credits. I have my own pay scale (I'm considered Administration) and I don't make more for extra degrees and college credits. I do have steps I can move up, but I have less steps than the teachers which means they can make more over long-term.

San Diego Nurses are also union. I am not. The Teacher's have a union, but I'm not a part of that either. I'm with Management in an unrepresented group. However, there's a me-too clause so what ever raises, perks, etc. teachers get I will more than likely get too. I am also a part of the California Teacher's Retirement System and we have the same benefits as the teacher's.

3) There aren't that many positions in my area. It's easier to find positions in more rural areas, but then again you're more than likely the only Nurse in your District. There's also School Nurses in my area that work for the County Office of Education. They deal with the most complication students and cover schools that don't have a Nurse. SD did hire a lot of new nurses at the beginning of the school year because there was a lot of retirements. It all depends on where you want to work and what's available. I'm more than sure I won't have a problem finding a position. If you go to edjoing.org you can find plenty of school nurse positions in California.

4) Advantages are definitely the pay, hours, and days worked. I work 210 days because I work summer school. Average days worked for School Nurses is about 180. I don't have kids, but it's awesome hours if I did. I work 7 hours a week and I love getting all holidays off to spend time with family. My benefits are really good as well and because I'm the only Nurse in my District, and only health care person period, I don't have to really worry about lay offs. There's also a lot of good support with other Nurses in my District we meet every few months, but always email or call each other about questions, advice, etc. A support group is really important. I also attend the SD School Nurse Monthly Meetings with permission from my boss. More information I share with the Nurses here.

5) Disadvantages would be being the only health person in my District. Some Districts may only have one nurse, but a Health Assistant (CNA, LVN, unlicensed personnel, etc.) at each school. I have just me which can be hard on days I'm really busy. I've had my work phone and personal cell phone ringing at the same time to see students. I get called to see students when I'm at one site dealing with a sick kid and I can't leave. Also, two offices is really hard to maintain. Also, your boss is not a nurse of health care provider so it can be difficult to push for certain polices or support when they are only thinking from an Educational aspect and not health. Another thing is like AmberOwens said above schools nurses don't get their due respect. My staff thinks I spend a lot of my time doing nothing. I had a staff member tell me, "What do we need a school nurse for? Just hire a CNA!".

Brief Summary of duties:

-Monday-Tuesday: Time at High School #1

-Wednesday-Thursday: Time at High School #2

-Friday: Time at small continuation school then rotate between 1 & 2

-Vision and hearing screening for special education students or students referred by Staff

-hearing screens of all 10th grade students

-First Aid and emergency care

-Train staff in CPR/First Aid, Medication Administration, common health issues

-Write Care Plans

-Attend meetings and coordinate care for students

-Inventory management and ordering

-Brief counseling and referrals

Also, in California only BSN Nurses can have the title of School Nurse and can only do vision screenings. Non-Nurses can do screenings, but they have to be District employees and if the student fails they have to be re-screened by a Credentialed School Nurse to determine if they did fail anyway. School Nurses also can only do care plans as well.

rbytsdy · Jul 7, 2014

1) what is required to be a school nurse? ex:, LVN/ LPN, RN, BSN, MSN ? besides your certification or degree what other specialized courses must be taken.

BS degree. School nurse certification (CSN). This is typically 20-30 credits post baccalaureate.

2) what is the salary range for this type of nursing? please state what state you are working and what degree you currently hold.

Depending on degree, district and experience, $45,000 - $90,000.

I'm in NJ. I have a AAS in nursing, BS in science (working on my BSN) and working on my CSN (the state granted me an emergency certification).

3) how many positions are available in your area for school nurses? again, state your state and credentials.

Most schools in NJ have at least 1 school nurse. Pretty much every down has a it's own school system so there are a lot of schools!

4) what do feel are the advantages of being a school nurse? ex:, hours, rewards, pay, time off, fullfillment.

Hours are good! I get the same benefits as the teachers - 10 sick days, 3 personal days and 2 family days. I love working with kids. For the hours I work, the pay is not bad. I could make more working shifts at a hospital but I'd also have to start out on night shift (no thanks!)

5) what do you feel are the disadvantages of being a school nurse? ex:, time off, any dangers, pay, cost, fullfillment.

What are your daily or weekly activities?

I'm by myself! It's a lot of responsibility. If a student or staff member has an issue, people have high expectations of the school nurse and what she can do. I also deal with the same kids and the same parents all year which isn't always an advantage. Some parents are just rude and awful. It's not like the hospital where a difficult patient will leave in a couple days.

In the beginning of the year, I need to make sure all my K students have vaccination and PE records available and filed. I also have to make sure all health update information has been returned and updated. Each morning I take all the calls from the attendance lines. I get a brief from certain parents (e.g. my diabetic), on how things were last night and that morning). During the year I have to do hearing, vision, BP, height, and weight on all kids. Each day I give out daily and prn meds. I deal with all the random issues, cuts, bruises, falls, stomachaches, bug bites, etc. I also sit in on Child Study Team meetings and IEP meetings as much as I can. If a child's health status changes, I may have to write a heath plan as needed.

sallykitty · Aug 3, 2014

In the state of Illinois, many schools are hiring "health techs" and paying them at the paraprofessional wage instead of on the teacher's wage schedule (that is what the certified school nurse is paid at) This, however is not the way it is suppose to be. The state wants all school nurses to be certified as a school nurse with either a BSN or RN. To get this certification is expensive. UIC is charging about $700/clock hour and a BSN needs to take 3 courses (10 credit hours). Before enrolling in the program, one must also take a basic skills test thru the state. The last class can be taken 1 hour at a time because each hour is equal to 100 hours internship that must be achieved. If working as a school nurse 260 of those hours can be on the job hours.

I am working thru an agency at a school district and am making $30/hr as a long term substitute nurse with only an associate degree. Working as a substitute nurse for the district may only pay $20-22/hr. Therefore, I prefer to be a substitute nurse at many schools thru an agency. A BSN in my district is making $22/hr x 7 hrs/day x 180 school days w/health insurance paid for.

I enjoy doing this because I love working with children and making a difference. Since I have not worked a whole school yr at one place, I cannot answer to all the other duties that are part of the job. I do know that many school districts hire an outside person to do the vision and screening. As a sub, I don't take calls from the attendance lines. I manage only students who come in the office with problems and only chart in the computer at some schools. I love the hours also-coming in early and leaving early. I also love being in an office by myself and basically running a little mini clinic. Usually the parents I have to deal with are more than willing to pick their child up if sick.( I have worked in 18 different schools )