Switch from hospital nursing to school nursing

[viprn21, BSN, RN]

So, hi! Little bit about myself. I'm a nurse with 6 years experience, 5 of them in critical care. I love what I do, but I think I'm starting to burn out. The 12 hour shifts and getting up at 5 am are wearing on me. The idea of getting out of work in the afternoon, summers and weekends off, and no more lifting and turning.

I know the pay isn't as good, but I used to travel nurse and I could take contracts in the summer to make up for the pay deficit, which would help me keep up with my bedside skills and let me dabble in the job I love without running myself into the grave.

Anybody willing to share what the life of a school nurse is like?

[Avill, BSN, RN]

Hi! Glad you are considering joining the zoo! I am a HS and my district has a nurse in each school, so it is different for each nurse.

When school starts I have to make sure that everybody is complient on immunizations before starting. This is an ongoing thing since we have a large school where kids get enrolled all the time. Then I have to get out emergency forms and file them, organize them ect.

My school also has a special ed/life skills class. Right now I have a little girl that gets seizures often, but staff if trained on how to deal with her, I go an assess when needed.

I also do vision and hearing screening for the Special Ed kiddos. Elementary and middle school teachers do them for all their students if I am not mistaken.

Then you have the kids that come in and out of the health office. A lot of possible sprained ankle, some concussions, a lot of cold/virus/stomach flu.

It really depends on the season. We also do flu shots in the fall time and Tdaps and Menactra in Spring. Not too bad for the schedule! Totally worth it! I mean come on, the biggest headache is when kids come before 8:30 and don't let me finish my coffee lol.

[viprn21, BSN, RN]

Doesn't sound too bad! I assume you come in around 8 then? What time do you usually get off work? Is there a lot of out of office work to do?

[peacockblue]

Welcome to the group! I complain a lot but I love my job. The beginning of the year is taken up by immunizations and 504 plans. In my state, Pennsylvania, we have to do heights, weights and vision on every student, every year and hearing on K-3, 7&11. So that takes a lot of time. I did almost 20 years of hospital nursing, mostly med surg. I'm primarily in the high school. I see lots of emotional stuff. It's a different world than the hospital because nursing is kind of a necessary evil in the world of education. Look around the school nursing board here and you will get an idea of our daily routine as well as our pet peeves. Good luck!

[SICUMURSE1]

actually pretty awesome but like any nursing job it will have quirks but depends how you interpret it, some people love it, others not so much

[Amethya]

There's good and bad.

Good:

You are by yourself, no one bothers you unless it's an emergency

Kids think you are the most amazing person in the world (The littlies will)

Your clinic, your rules

It's the simplest things, basically medications and paperwork. Unless you have emergencies, then it's a big job

Kids will trust you and love you.

Bad:

Kids will use you for excuse to leave class

Teachers will drive you nuts about the smallest things (e.g, lice)

Parents will drive you nuts about stuff (WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL THEM BECAUSE SUSIE HAD A SMALL CUT AND NEEDED A BANDAID!)

Paperwork up the wazoo.

Other than this, the job is fun I love it and been doing it for the last 3 years.

[MWOOD,LPN]

I joke that my office is a "mini ER" I can go from a paper cut, to a student with a broken bone and then meds waiting all in the matter of minutes.

[viprn21, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the responses everybody! I'll keep it in mind. Personally, I'm not too worried about any emergencies since I have a strong background in critical care and trauma; I could definitely handle a situation until EMS arrived. I volunteered as a camp nurse and I enjoyed it. Maybe I'll apply next school year!

[Amethya]

Thanks for the responses everybody! I'll keep it in mind. Personally, I'm not too worried about any emergencies since I have a strong background in critical care and trauma; I could definitely handle a situation until EMS arrived. I volunteered as a camp nurse and I enjoyed it. Maybe I'll apply next school year!

Go for it! It's a fun job.

I will say, regardless of your previous experience, it is a sharp learning curve mostly due to all the regulations. You are on your own and have to be very much a self-starter. There are District regulations and State Regulations to follow and these could actually differ. I remember feeling like my entire first year and a lot of my second year were just trying to make sure I was following proper procedure, doing the correct documentation and paperwork, etc. I didn't know what I didn't know, if that makes sense. Sadly I did not discover this amazing Forum until my second year or I likely would have had an easier time My point is, it is a fabulous job, lots to learn and totally worth it!