Why do teachers think they're all that and we're beneath them?

Specialties School

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Not all of them ,of course, but the ones who like to either put us down, act like they know it all, blame us for stuff we have no control over, etc. What is their deal? I get so tired of hearing how easy we have it compared to them or how much more money we make (which we sure don't in the school system!). I don't see them treating the speech therapists or guidance counselors this way so why is it ok to treat us with a lack of respect? Most of the teachers are nice and supportive but every school as some of "those" ones. I just wondered why they are that way. And why does it not bother them to bring a kid into us from the playground with a very minor scraped knee as we're obviously eating lunch and feel perfectly justified in just walking away stating here comes some more like we're being lazy taking a few minutes to eat a bite of food. Can the school not function if the nurse isn't constantly available? Why does everyone think it's perfectly fine to tell us what to do or how to do it? When did this ever become ok? What are ways you have tried to deal with these certain ones and what has worked? I find my claws start coming out when this happens and getting angry does NOT make the situation better! I can handle the clueless teachers that truly believe every one of their students could be ill and need to see the nurse every day (in case it's something life-threatening) better than these mean ones!!

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Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.

Ugh, I feel your pain!!

I'd like to say that since school nurses are vastly outnumbered by teachers, we get overlooked/stepped on. But this theory doesn't work out. In the hospital setting, the nurses have the large numbers. But, we still end up being treated badly. Unfortunately, I think it's a "nurse" thing. :(

In my school, I never get to take a true lunch break. In fact, when I go to the ladies' room, I can often hear people in the hallway outside looking for me. Eventually, they pound on the bathroom door to find me. They all know that If I am not in my office, I have to be in the ladies' room. I never get to go anywhere else! It's a big joke to everyone. They all know I don't get any breaks. It would be so nice for someone to actually pretend to be concerned about that! I have seen teachers throw complete hissy fit tantrums when they don't get their "prep" time, or if it gets cut short for some reason... *sigh*

Basically, we are expected to be selfless, angel-of-mercy type people. Ones that do not ever need to pee, poop, or eat...

I really do love my job. But, we all gotta vent sometime! ;)

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God forbid I don't answer my phone while I'm assessing someone, doing screenings or helping someone then I get the look later and the "Why weren't you in your office". Makes me CRAZY some days.

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The teachers in my school are the same way. They send me kids who have holes in their jeans, glue in their hair, and noisy shoes. I kid you not, I have gotten all of those complaints. I don't get a lunch at all. ...ever. I'm not even supposed to get one, according to my schedule. However, the teachers drop in all the time and don't feel bad about interrupting me inhaling down a pack of crackers to demand that I check their blood pressure. I truly hate this job and can't wait until school is out!

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Specializes in family practice and school nursing.

I know what you mean about no breaks. I eat in between kids at my desk. We have no break room on my side of the building and it is literally a 10 minute walk to where there is a small room on the other end of the building.( No time for that ). Other staff eat in their cars or drive to one of the close by restaurants. I cannot leave because if I try to that is when all the "emergencies" happen ( headaches, bandaids, etc). Plus most of my meds are due at lunch time ( about 12 of them) and I usually have to track down the "no shows' and of course no one answers their phones.So forget the lunch break. The only good thing is if I have to leave early some days for appointments I get to do that with no probelm.. to make up for the lunch times not taken...

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I am not a nurse yet, but I do plan on earning my type 73 certification so I may have the option of school nursing. Allow me to play devil's advocate Teachers have way more stress related to there job that the school nurse. This by no means excuses them from being polite or at least cordial to you but look at what they have to go through compared to you. Parents who expect their children to learn by osmosis while in class but hardly reinforce what they learn once the kids get home. School boards who want them to "pass" kids simply because of age never mind grades. Being forced to teach kids how to pass a test that will determine how much funding the school will have. Or making sure enough kids pass the test or risk an unsatisfactory evaluation which will result in a lower raise or worse termination. It aint easy being a teacher nowadays.

Dont get so mad, simply pity them...

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Only someone who isn't a school nurse would say that. I don't agree. After all, I think trying to make sure no one dies on our watch is pretty stressful. We have to have excellent assessment skills to know if a student needs to go back to class, go home, to the dr or to the ER. Too many wrong calls and we can lose our job, or worse, our license to practice. I never said it was easy being a teacher. I just don't think feeling stressed is an excuse to treat another professional that way. This is exactly the perception I'm talking about- you must be a teacher.

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To the other school nurses: thanks for your replies and understanding my frustration! It is good to vent at times!

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Specializes in kids.

Disagree...

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Specializes in kids.
I am not a nurse yet, but I do plan on earning my type 73 certification so I may have the option of school nursing. Allow me to play devil's advocate Teachers have way more stress related to there job that the school nurse. This by no means excuses them from being polite or at least cordial to you but look at what they have to go through compared to you. Parents who expect their children to learn by osmosis while in class but hardly reinforce what they learn once the kids get home. School boards who want them to "pass" kids simply because of age never mind grades. Being forced to teach kids how to pass a test that will determine how much funding the school will have. Or making sure enough kids pass the test or risk an unsatisfactory evaluation which will result in a lower raise or worse termination. It aint easy being a teacher nowadays.

Dont get so mad, simply pity them...

I disagree...speaking from 19 years as a school nurse.....

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Specializes in family practice and school nursing.

I also disagree..after 11 yrs is school nursing.. Teachers are very stressed...no doubt, my daughter is one.. however so are we.. it's just a different kind of stress and any stress is not an excuse to treat others badly.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Yea....all that stuff is frustrating but I've made an observation since I've worked for a school district (this is my 11th year as an elementary school nurse). In general...people who have only lived in the educational environment have been sheltered from the real world of employment and life in the general population. They've attended school, graduated from high school, attended college, graduated from college and returned to the school environment for employment.....not saying anything about their intelligence but they're just ignorant about the ways of the real world outside the school building walls and can't grasp the concept of John Q. Public out there, on their own, trying to scratch out a living every day.....so I can see where the somewhat shallow behavior comes from. For me...school nursing beats the heck out of nights, weekends, and holidays at the ER or on some hospital floor. Regarding lunch break....I just leave the campus or go eat in my truck in the parking lot....I don't know what state you're in but in Texas a RN in the school setting is considered an "educator" and thus is guaranteed a "duty free lunch." The only way I can get an uninterrupted lunch is to leave the building for 30 mnutes. The principal is responsible for the campus while I'm not there. I've tried staying on campus for lunch but it is impossible to do without some interruption; either about a student or a staff member wanting to show me their ingrown toenail or some rash behind their ear. Just don't let that dumb stuff bother you....it's better to clean dog poop off a kid's shoe than worrying over intracranial pressure monitoring in the ICU somewhere, eh????

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