What do you know about School Based NP Positions?

Hopalong Casady · Mar 12, 2010

Where do you live? Yes, you are correct, it may be just New Mexico and our economy here, but I doubt it. I am glad you are making a decent living. If I had found a similar experience, I would feel differently.

Thanks for the feed back.

Laurie

NurseKJ · Mar 16, 2010

HI. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner for 13 years. I have recently just took a 25K cut in pay to work as a school nurse. I love it! I make more hourly than in the previous positions I have had, but work essentially half time, which is why the pay is so low, AND it is amortized over the summer, so you get a paycheck when you are not working!
I don't know how many of you NP's have a current school based position, but I would love to hear from you. I live in Albuquerque NM where the largest school system in the state has hired several of us. We are just beginning to explore our role.
Unfortunately, malpractice insurance is $1300/year and is not paid, neither is any of the licenses or CME's. I am expected to keep the insurance, and treat staff for urgent care type stuff. This is no problem, and I like being available to the teachers and staff so they don't have to wait to see someone for an illness. I am NOT treating the children, however, as this is just too litigious an area, and the parent would have to be present anyway, AND I could just see it, I would be inundated with kids whose parents would abuse this system. So far, no one has asked me to see children as a provider, diagnose or prescribe for them.
So, if you are interested in getting published, and being entrepreneureal in this new NP role, I think you can!
It is fun and challenging, just not the stress of adult family care (obese, diabetic, hypertensive smokers w psychatric problems seems to be the majority of patients I see in FP). There is room for me to grow professionally. Money has been a factor in previous jobs, and wanting more money has kept me in jobs where I was not well paid or treated, consequently I have become depressed over the years - try working for 13 years doing something you actually do not like, working w folks who are not very nice. I finally came to my senses!
Laurie Casady, Albuquerque NM

Hi Laurie,

So you are a school NP, but do not treat the kids? That's interesting. We have wellness centers in some of our schools in Maryland, and the kids are seen by the NP. At the beginning of each school year, the parents are sent forms/consents to fill out if they wish for their child to be enrolled in the wellness center. The NP can see the child, and calls the parent (s) after the visit-- the NP does not have to call the parent before the visit for consent, since the parents already gave consent at the beginning of the school year. The insurance is billed, if the child has insurance.

I spent some time with the NP during my clinicals-- it really seemed like a great program. Just thought I'd share...

Sheri FNP-C · Mar 16, 2010

NurseKJ,

Thanks for your input. It seems like the underserved schools here operate their health centers exactly like the Wellness Center you speak of. Care is free to parents, and insurance is billed if the child has coverage. It sounds like such a great way to bring care to the community.