Except for the schedule. I think it would be nice to have a more positive thread on here to balance out all our venting (mine included!). Everyone knows school nurses have an awesome schedule so that goes without saying. We pay for that schedule literally.
One of my favorite things is the autonomy. Sure it can get lonely at times but I love being in charge of my own office and running it how I want for the most part. No doctors or patients telling me what to do all day long. Although the kids may try, they aren't in charge. Teachers may try but I didn't leave the hospital for someone else to stand over me all day long!
I enjoy working with kids and esp when I'm able to improve some aspect of their life as well.
I also like the feeling in the atmosphere during different times of the year. The first few days of school, the holidays, spring break, summer break, snow days, etc are all exciting times of the year and very well celebrated in the schools!
There's so many things to enjoy about this job and it's easy to forget sometimes!
My husband has an "80/20" rule in his job. He always says that 80% of his problems are caused by 20% of the people. I find the same thing with school nursing. For the most part, it's a great career - the kids are great and the parents are great. It's the 20% that I need to vent about at times. :-)
But the great parts are really great. :) I live in the town where I work. I showed up at my daughter's soccer practice yesterday. A kid just got a bloody nose and all the kids on the team thought I came for that! lol!!! They all started screaming that I was here. Since i have to screen all the kids, I interact with all of them at some point in the school year.
You really impact a lot of lives in school nursing. It's nice to make a difference. It's nice to know that a student with diabetes or asthma can safely be in school because of your presence. It's nice when you can work with parents to improve their child's health or help make it possible for a child to remain in school. We have a student who is going to undergo major surgery in a couple weeks. She will be wheelchair bound and the administrators left it up to me as to whether or not she could safely be in school. I opined that she should be in school and that we could accommodate her. I like having that kind of say in a student's life. :)
Today my son brought me a sandwich from the local deli. The woman who owns it is a mom of one of my FF's. Written on the wrapping was a note thanking me for "all I do" and that lunch was on her today.
Today my son brought me a sandwich from the local deli. The woman who owns it is a mom of one of my FF's. Written on the wrapping was a note thanking me for "all I do" and that lunch was on her today.
I have about 4-5 notes over the years that students have written to me. You know that when a middle schooler takes the time to put a thanks on notebook paper that you have touched their lives in some way. I keep those notes and look at them after a bad week. One in particular was from a SPED student who left it on a cot for me " You r a nise nurce." The misspelled words somehow make it even more special.
The kids, absolutely. Even kids who I don't see hardly ever, who I would have thought didn't like me because I didn't let them go home when they had just a bellyache -- when they found out I'm leaving, they came by to say they'll miss me and to give me a hug. After 2 years I'm really realizing how much I've learned about them.
Seeing a 7th grade boy grow a bit out of his "babyness" and joke with me about how often he comes in here. The 7th grade boys are really still little boys, much more so than the girls. I can't wait to see this class, MY first class, grow up.
I had a frequent flier whom I saw almost daily earlier in the school year for vague s/s. She always wanted to call home, and parents would always pick up until it became clear that she was abusing it. Saw her again today, and not only did she choose to return to class and try to "tough it out" but she really opened up about her home life during her visit (normally a very reserved, quiet girl.)
The rapport you build with the students and all the changes/growth you're able to witness in just a year, those are the most rewarding things about being a school nurse for me!
rbytsdy
350 Posts
My husband has an "80/20" rule in his job. He always says that 80% of his problems are caused by 20% of the people. I find the same thing with school nursing. For the most part, it's a great career - the kids are great and the parents are great. It's the 20% that I need to vent about at times. :-)
But the great parts are really great. :) I live in the town where I work. I showed up at my daughter's soccer practice yesterday. A kid just got a bloody nose and all the kids on the team thought I came for that! lol!!! They all started screaming that I was here. Since i have to screen all the kids, I interact with all of them at some point in the school year.
You really impact a lot of lives in school nursing. It's nice to make a difference. It's nice to know that a student with diabetes or asthma can safely be in school because of your presence. It's nice when you can work with parents to improve their child's health or help make it possible for a child to remain in school. We have a student who is going to undergo major surgery in a couple weeks. She will be wheelchair bound and the administrators left it up to me as to whether or not she could safely be in school. I opined that she should be in school and that we could accommodate her. I like having that kind of say in a student's life. :)