Working with another nurse

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

Hello,

I will be starting at a new school in September. I will be working with another nurse who has been doing this for 5 years. We have K-5 students.

If you work with someone else, can you tell me how you divide up the work ??

Do you get along good ? What might be the source of problems ?

Thanks for your feedback !

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Currently solo, but I've worked in health offices when there was more than one nurse. Some places divide by grades, trying to make the numbers as equal as possible. (That doesn't always work for visits, as some grades can have more frequent flyers than others.)

I suggest you work as a team to do the screenings, and have occasional "staff meetings" of two to stay on the same page and also to deal with any little issues before they grow into big ones...

[moreoreo]

I work with a health aide in a PK-5 school of 800+. She is part time and goes to a different school on Thursdays. She is certified to do screenings while I am not so that already divides up some work. I focus on seeing the students and reviewing incoming paperwork while she does screenings and keeps things organized. If the H/O is full she will pass meds as I see the students or get their initial complaint and do basic first aid while I assess head injuries/asthma/etc. With two nurses it would obviously be different as you are both able to assess. Is there another nurse she was working with before you? If so she will likely already have ideas of how the work should be divided. My school's health aide and I get along wonderfully. I feel badly that in my first half-year she had to shoulder extra work of counseling me through my growing pains . Next year should be better for both of us. I think with good communication it is a great gift to have two people in the health office!