This is enough to drive me out of School Nursing

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I am so sick of not being able to take my days off because I cannot get a sub! I put in for a family emergency day today due to a very sick pet (hey, they are family to me!) and the job did not get picked up by a sub. I came into the office, planning on staying for an hour just to tie loose ends up and get the staff who is trained to cover my meds and procedures prepped for the day. Well, one of those staff members is absent, one will be out of the building for mandatory training, and the third pretty much flipped out about it :mad:

So, here I sit, only able to take a half day (which will really be less than the true half day that I am being charged for), worried sick about my critter, tired from being up all night and hungry because I did not even get breakfast, thinking that I would be able to go back home :(

This pressure is ridiculous...I cannot handle feeling like I cannot be sick, or have an emergency, or even just take one of the personal days allotted to me for whatever reason I need to. I am truly considering looking into other settings. I love my job and the kiddos, but this is insane!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

Oh no... so sorry. If I end up needing a personal day, the schools are pretty much on their own for the day. There is a full-time nurse at the second elementary who will cover any true emergencies but other than that, the asst. principals are the go-to people.

Hope your critter is feeling better and that your day gets better.

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Sorry this happened! Next time--just call! Did your principal say that you had to stay?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

No one said I had to stay, I just knew there would be too much drama if I left. I knew the kiddos would not get the care they need, and I guess I am too much of a softie. I usually do just call in, but in this case I had received a new med permit late in the day yesterday and I had not even printed a log for him yet, so I wanted to get that set up.

In retrospect I am glad I did come in because the two people who I can count on to cover for me are not going to be here. They probably would have had to call a nurse from another school nearby, and I would really hate to do that to them unless necessary. I was able to manage to take a half day, and my boy was stable when I left, so I will get to check on him in a few hours. To make matters worse, it has been so far a pretty slow day, which just makes it drag by slower!

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Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

Sorry this happened to you, at my school I don't get a sub so the asst principal handles any emergencies. I hope your "critter" is OK...My pup is family too!!!!

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Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..

Purple,

I feel your pain. Last year was like that for me - if I went across the street to drop off something at our district office and was gone for more than 10 minutes, my school staff would start yelling! I'm sorry you are dealing with this. {{{HUGS}}} But, please don't leave us!

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I hope your critter-friend is doing well. And I agree, pets are family too!

I can totally relate to you on the frustration of an inadequate substitute-nurse situation. It's the one reason I am considering getting out completely.

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Specializes in school nursing.

I feel your pain. There is this mentality in schools that the nurse should be available every second. I have felt frustration lately myself because I would just love to eat lunch, go to the restroom, and have a little planning time like the rest of the professional staff in the building.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Well, unfortunately it ended badly. I had to euthanize my horse that was sick. I don't know if it would have changed the outcome if I had been able to take the day off as planned...probably not.

I am seriously considering a change after this. I cannot take the guilt. I feel like I am darned if I do and darned if I don't. If I take the time that I need, the kids are not getting cared for adequately. If I don't take it, my family and/or my own health will suffer. At least in other settings there are other RNs to cover for absences, even though it is always an inconvenience. On the other hand, we get so much time off and have such a nice schedule, maybe that partially makes up for the fact that when we are "on", we are expected to be there 100% of the time. I don't know. It is early in the year, so I have lots of time to think and see how it goes. I just don't know right now.

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Specializes in school nursing.

I understand. I was pregnant at this time last year and it was very disheartening when I would hear the other front office staff members checking with each other to ensure that everyone had taken a lunch. Meanwhile, I am starving and irritable but expected to keep going no matter what.

I always seem to get past these irritable spells of mine and appreciate my job once again! Obviously, you are a great school nurse or you would not have any guilt at all. Therefore, we would hate to lose you and so would your students!

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I'm so sorry about your horse. :redbeathe

I'm still working hospice but took a school nurse job and started last week. I work 24 hours a week and can really make my own schedule. Right now I'm working Tue/Wed/Thu from 0830-1630. But my schedule is very flexible.

Either that . . . . or there is stuff I don't know about yet. :uhoh3:

There is a retired local school nurse who has put together an orientation because she has always thought that nurses are just tossed into the job with NO training. I went to her class last week with 6 other new nurses. It was amazing - I had no idea about 99% of what she talked about.

I'm hoping she has more classes.

Good luck with your decision.

steph

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Specializes in School Nursing.

There does seem to be a lot of on-the-job training for school nursing, doesn't there. That orientation sounds fantastic. That is one of the many things that will probably keep me here...I feel very comfortable with this specialty now, and the thought of going back to step one in a new specialty scares the beejeebus out of me. I do love school nursing, and I keep trying to remind myself why :) I am hoping to convince myself that the summers, weekends, and holidays off makes up for the fact that I am on-demand the rest of the year.

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