Too old for school nursing??

schooldistrictnurse · Aug 12, 2014

Not qualified? Not qualified? Can you assess? Can you make sound clinical judgements? Can you multitask? Can you deal with many different personality types among your co-workers? Can you deal with demanding parents? Can you present a firm but caring demeanor? I imagine you are very qualified. As for the age thing, not a problem.

The biggest obstacle will be the pay--notoriously low.

michigooseBSN · Aug 12, 2014

I began school nursing in a 400 student K through 5 elementary at age 60 and didn't retire until I was 68. My background was in Ob and Med-surg but I was a mother (of four) which counted as practical experience! And in my town there was one nurse in every school, we were in the teachers union and the pay was fine. So is the pension! It was a great experience.

coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2014

Yes you are! I am good friends with a School Nurse in the area who is the same age as you and started her position a month or two after me last year! She was also a New Grad like myself. Go for it!!!

amnesiac1c · Aug 12, 2014

I don't think age is a problem. It just depends on whether it's something you enjoy & your school suits you. Honestly, I do often wonder how long I can realistically stay in my job just because of the pace. I'm at a title I campus ppcd/prek-6th & my office sees a pretty high volume of traffic most days. But other nurses in my district have quite a different experience - they maybe see a max 8-10 kids a day.

emadore · Aug 12, 2014

I completely understand how you feel. Yes, Ageism is a big problem (in Canada at least) in hospitals. I am an ICU/ER Nurse and I am 56. I will also have to work until I am about 70. I have often thought about doing the school Nurse thing. I think it is a great idea and I think you should go for it. I don't believe you are 'inexperienced'. You are simply changing your specialty. You simply have to become educated in that specialty.

rnbran · Aug 12, 2014

Thank you everyone! It is funny, when people assume ...a nurse, is a nurse, is a nurse....while there are many similarities in every nursing specialty, we have SO many specialities, and switching a focus means learning new approaches, new ideas, new material. I guess that is what leaves me feeling apprehensive, I have no idea what to expect as a school nurse (which stands to reason). I have been reading these posts, reading interview questions, the pros and cons from those working as a school nurse. I think I will buy a text i've seen recommended on this forum, to read up a bit more, maybe see if I could shadow a school nurse etc.....

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Wave Watcher · Aug 12, 2014

You will do just fine! Our oldest nurse is 80 yrs old and she works part time and does a dang good job at it! Go for it!

pbuttercups · Aug 13, 2014

You would make a fabulous school nurse with your wealth of experience!! The main prerequisite really besides nursing knowledge, is to have a love of children of all ages. I've learned that as long as you are compassionate, you can pretty much get through anything they come to you with. I've seen not just cuts and bruises, but broken bones and broken spirits. I've realized that being a school nurse is so much more than just being a nurse...you become an integral part of the children's lives, their confidante, their #1 cheerleader. That frequent visitor who comes in every day isn't just trying to skip class, they are depressed and being bullied. Or the frequent crier who always has tummy aches and headaches, they are hiding a secret, and sooner or later will tell you about the abuse they are suffering from at home. Teens who are depressed, you might be the person they turn to when they are contemplating suicide. You get to know your kids, you know when their medications are causing changes in their behavior. You notice when they may need additional resources outside of school to get them the help they need. Sometimes I think about what I do at the school besides the norm (medication administration, vision and hearing screenings and keeping immunization records up to date) I'm really making a difference in these kids lives and I LOVE it...every day is different and a surprise!

rnbran · Aug 13, 2014

How physically fit do you have to be? I cant go back to bedside nursing since I cant do too much lifting or do an an exorbitant amount of physical work. My back gives me trouble from having had lifting patients etc. The thought of just doing administrative work....ugh, well, I have always enjoyed the patient (client) contact. I've always enjoyed lending an ear, and providing emotional support side of my nursing career as well.

Thank you all again for your insight and advice!

Fiona59 · Aug 15, 2014

I completely understand how you feel. Yes, Ageism is a big problem (in Canada at least) in hospitals. I am an ICU/ER Nurse and I am 56. I will also have to work until I am about 70. I have often thought about doing the school Nurse thing. I think it is a great idea and I think you should go for it. I don't believe you are 'inexperienced'. You are simply changing your specialty. You simply have to become educated in that specialty.

There is so much that is iffy in this post that I don't know where to begin.

Many Canadian nurses retire between 55 and 60 due to very generous pension plans that give full pensions after 35 years service.

School nursing doesn't really exist in most provinces. It's part of the public health programmes. I've lived in two provinces and haven't seen a nurse in a school on a regular basis in over 25 years. Most schools have converted the "nurses room" into a first aid centre or even the school constables office.

I see many nurses in our Emerg that are over 50. Many have retired when they reached the retirement factor and come back and work as casuals.

Unfortunately, I belong to the group that entered nursing late, will never reach the full pension factor and due to recent government pension plans can't collect until I'm 67.

HazelLPN, LPN · Aug 24, 2014

You are not too old to enter a different area of nursing. IMHO, school nursing is a good fit for experiences nurses who have strong clinical skills. Many of our school nurses are former critical care or ER nurses. We even have an ex army flight nurse. The school RN is largely autonomous in her/his practice and must have excellent assessment skills. There is no charge nurse, no HO, no house supervisor, not even someone to say "can you look at this for me?"

I started school nursing after I retired from my job as a PICU nurse at the age of 75. Granted, I had been semi retired for 17 years and only worked part time and contingent at the end. I'm also a substitute assistant school nurse (I'm an LPN, the actual school nurses are BSNs with a state license from the department of Ed) and I mainly work half days vs full days...as I'm no spring chicken anymore. Oh to be 70 again.

Depending on the state and district where you practice, you may be compensated for your MSN, as the district where I work the school RNs are on the same pay scale as the teachers and have their own bargaining unit in the teachers union. In my case, I'm an hourly worker and consider myself a volunteer as the pay is peanuts for the substitutes.

I would imagine that the schools would be happy to have someone so experienced and your teaching experience will be a great asset too as you do a lot of teaching with both students and adults in the system.

My body is pretty broken down too. I spent most of my career in adult ICU and its very hard on your body. I had a knee replacement five years ago and it was a difficult one...I still need my cane occasionally to climb stairs or to walk long distances, but it folds up and goes into my purse when I'm working. They initially got a kick out of seeing this old woman hobble into the school with her cane (in whites and a cap mind you!), but they quickly got over any ageism once they got a chance to work with me. I'd still be doing PICU if my body would allow it...the mind is still there but the body doesn't work as well as it once did. The only thing that I ever had trouble physically doing in the schools was a day when I was asked to go to various rooms to get students to come down to the RNs office for screening and it was an old three story building with no elevator. Otherwise, it's never been an issue for me. Many times I worked at the handicapped school where I still use some of my skills....we have kiddos on vents, with g tubes, kids who need cathed....and even one on TPN.

Look into it, you may find new life in your career, even if your body won't allow you to do what you once loved.

Best to you,

Mrs H.