//www.snp.homestead.com
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Introduction
Many nurses find the idea of School Nursing attractive. The
schedule looks great, the summers off look heavenly, and as
parents, many feel a perfect affinity for working with children.
These nurses often wonder about the requirements for being hired
as a school nurse, how to find job openings and how to break in
if they have no prior school nurse experience. They wonder what
educators look for in an applicant and what it is like to be
interviewed, hired and employed by someone who is not a nurse
or medical professional. Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Is school nursing right for you?
There is more to the job than meets the eye of the casual observer. It is a lot
more than putting on Band-Aids, taking temperatures and checking for head
lice. Todays school nurse does the following:
Screening
Ensuring immunization compliance
Developing individual health care plans for children with complex or
chronic health conditions
Doing illness and injury assessments
Providing health counseling
Writing health policies
Educating parents, staff and students around health issues
Administering and monitoring medications, treatments and self care Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Responding to neglect and abuse issues
Preventing emergencies
Dealing with crises
Writing reports
Entering data into the computer
Reviewing and interpreting medical reports
Documentation, documentation, documentation
There are meetings, committees and conferences to attend, and often even
teacher-ly duties like recess, lunch or bus duty. If all of this sounds interesting,
read on to find out how to find, apply and get hired for a school nurse position. Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Why Schools Hire Nurses
Why Schools Hire Nurses
!
Schools want kids in school, ready to learn. Both conditions depend
upon being healthy.
!
Schools need someone to intervene around health-related barriers to
learning
!
Schools need a specialist in dealing with complex health conditions,
chronic illness management and acute conditions which impact
individuals and populations
!
Schools need someone skilled in performing first aid and illness
assessment and care Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Rewards for the School Nurse
Rewards for the School Nurse
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Making a difference before its too late
!
Whole person nursing
!
Autonomy
!
Wellness focused care
!
Diversity in role
!
Schedule (school vacations and summers off!)
!
Fun Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Challenges
Challenges
!
Educational issues and how a nurse impacts these
!
Funding/Budgets/Resources
!
Public misconceptions, professional isolation
!
Unpredictable and non-medical setting
!
Need to be good at everything
!
Teaching to groups
!
Schedule Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Pay
Pay
!
National average around $33,500, but pay varies greatly.
!
If on teachers pay scale, the pay is usually higher than if not
!
No merit pay, but increases are automatic if nurse has a contract
!
Pay more for degrees and longevity
!
You may start at Level One if no school nurse experience, even if
you have many years experience in other settings
!
May be able to negotiate for a higher starting level
!
Can spread your salary over the summer Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Job Descriptions
Job Descriptions
!
Tend to focus on the tasks
!
Focus on educational needs, not health needs
!
May have been written by a non-nurse
!
May be antiquated or non-existent
!
Might include things you dont think of as nursing, like lunch duty
!
Might include classroom teaching responsibilities Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Qualifications
Qualifications
!
Vary by state
!
RN with child health experience in most
!
Some, but not all, require BSN or other BS; specialty certification in
school nursing (NCSN or state-specific); or even Masters Degree in
Education, Nursing, Public Health or other relevant field Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Skills and Qualities Schools Want
Skills and Qualities Schools Want
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Expansive view of nursing
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Organized, flexible
!
Likes variety and the unexpected
!
Good communicator
!
Creative
!
Leader
!
Collaborative
!
High energy
!
Public health minded
!
Computer literate
!
Understands budgets
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Good presentational skills
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Self directed
!
Varied experience
!
Outcomes focused
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Understands educational goals Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Who
Who
doesnt
doesnt
make it as a school nurse?
make it as a school nurse?
!
Looking for an easy job
!
Likes a plan and likes to stick with it
!
Nervous making independent nursing interventions without a
doctors order
!
Believes nursing is caring for the sick and injured only, the rest isnt
nurses job
!
Mommy focus, ie do everything for them instead of teaching kids
how to care for themselves
!
Wants to save the world (guaranteed to lead to fast burnout)
!
Believes head lice, hygiene and sick kids are the parents
responsibility not shared by the school
!
Sees documentation as just needless paperwork
!
Would rather report than support parents
!
Expects 9-3 with summers off, and wont work a minute longer
!
Wants enforceable policies and rules for everything; easier than
educating and supporting parents Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Trying Out School Nursing
Trying Out School Nursing
!
Substitute
!
Volunteer
!
Network
!
Shadow
!
Find a mentor
These are all great ways to get school nurse experience, school nurse
and principal references, the inside scoop on where to work or not,
job leads and an edge over unknowns, should you ever decide to
apply for a position
On the other hand, these might convince you that school nursing is not
for you, and save you from making a career move you might regret Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Tips for Positioning Yourself for a Job
Tips for Positioning Yourself for a Job
!
Reach out from where you are now. Schools love nurse guest
speakers, volunteers, subs, committee members, and collaborators.
These will all help you develop a relationship that could lead to a job
in the future
!
Find a respected school nurse contact in each district you would
consider, and ask her for info, support, job leads
!
Send applications to superintendents, not to schools or school nurses,
unless it states this specifically Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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?s to ask in evaluating a school
?s to ask in evaluating a school
district as an employer
district as an employer
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How many schools will you cover
!
How many kids
!
Who supervises you
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Are nurses considered professional or support staff
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Are nurses included in teachers contract
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Is there an orientation
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Are there collaborative colleagues, or does everyone do their own thing
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Is there staff development money for school nurses
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Are there sub nurses
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What are benefits
!
What is your workspace like (is it a broom closet or real office? computer?
sink and bathroom?)
!
Who interviewed you, ie who is invested in your success as a team member? Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Finding Jobs
Finding Jobs
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Ask other school nurses. Go to their conferences or take a school
nurse workshop
!
Send an application to a district, even if there is no opening
advertised
!
Apply in response to ads. Even if you arent sure if you want that
job, you will get a sense of what schools want, what their interviews
are like
!
Jobs are usually advertised in newspapers mixed in with teacher ads,
not under health/medical
!
Typically advertised in April and May, when contracts are up Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Your Resume Focus
Your Resume Focus
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Highlight community involvement (volunteer and paid) with kids,
health, education
!
Diverse work experience, since the school nurse must do it all
!
ER experience often seen as a plus, though they may not see how
your ICU experience might be relevant (if it is, be prepared to
convince them)
!
Your flexibility and communication skills
!
Your ability to work independently but also be a team player
!
Your ability to work with diverse populations
!
A philosophy of supporting kids and families for school success Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd, NCSN, PO Box 391, Gilmanton, NH 03237 * http://www.snp.homestead.com
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Best References
Best References
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School administrators
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Teachers
!
School nurses
!
Parents
Why these? Because the biggest school nurse issues encountered by
educators are not about lack of nur