Substitute School Nurse Interview

[Emergent, RN]

Hi guys. I have lurked on your page before but I'm not a school nurse. I have an interview for a substitute school nurse position coming up next week.

This would dovetail very nicely with my part-time Occupational Health Nurse job at a data center build. That's a super, super easy job and I get paid pretty well, and it's very part-time.

What is expected of the substitutes where you work? Is it sort of like a substitute teacher, just keeping things going, attending to the sick kids but not having to do any of the screenings, or keep track of vaccines and all the clerical work that you guys do? Fill me in please.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Pretty much, get meds administered and deal with any illness or injury. I would ask for a paid orientation to the office...super helpful so you know where to start looking for things and be familiar with the flow.

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

A substitute nurse in our division, is going to fill in for the nurse in all aspects. We have a sub manual in each school that will tell you a little about each clinic and how it's run, who is who in the school, procedures, policies specific to your school, and information about food allergies, students with special procedures. You are expected to assess all student with injuries, illness, give meds, respond to emergencies. Just a hint, when I was a sub, I went around to the schools I wanted to sub in and met with the nurse and took notes about how the nurse did things, where to find things in the clinic, and kept them in a notebook to refer too. I did the same thing when I was called in advance to sub. Doing that made it much easier to fill in. 

[Emergent, RN]

This position is at a very small country School. The elementary, middle, and high school are all on one campus. There are no other schools in the school district. 

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

Unless you're filling in long- term for someone you're usually only expected to take care of immediate needs such as meds, injuries, illnesses, charting, etc. and the general holding down the fort.

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

I’m a sub!  I mostly just try to keep the kids alive until the main nurse returns. The thing that takes up the most of my emotional energy is that we have a couple of very brittle (and very young) diabetics. Otherwise, be prepared to EpiPen (I’ve never had to), call an ambulance for respiratory distress (also never had to), etc. Oh, and the kids bump their heads all the damn time, so I have to assess them and fill out documentation on every “head injury” (which is an overstatement for two kids who clunk their heads together when both reach for a book at the same time). 
 

In my district, they paid me to do one full day in each school for training. Once that was done, I felt very prepared to take shifts. I really love doing it! 

[Emergent, RN]

I did do a camp nurse gig this Summer for 10 days. That should be applicable. Tomorrow is my interview. 

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

17 hours ago, CommunityRNBSN said:

I’m a sub!  I mostly just try to keep the kids alive until the main nurse returns.

Keepin' 'em alive from 9-5!  Good Plan! ?

 

[Emergent, RN]

I had my interview. The main nurse was there and it turns out she did her practicum in the ER where I used to work. In fact, one of my references was her preceptor and I substituted for him a couple of times. I think it went well.

[Emergent, RN]

Got the job.?

[Emergent, RN]

I've had my two orientation days, and today got my fingerprints done and will be sending that all in.

I think I like the culture of this school very much. It's a very small rural school system. It's not too far away from my home.

There is one diabetic student. I'm learning about carb counting, that is a whole new thing for me. I had shifted to ER nursing around the time that was coming into popularity with the medical system.

The students have a lot of psychosocial situations, as well as their medical complaints. It's a real dynamic atmosphere. I can see my relationships with the office staff will be crucial to my success. I called a couple of parents today and felt like that came naturally. Hats off to school nurses, I don't know how you do it but eventually I'll know more about it by substituting for this school.