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If you don’t like children, being a school nursing probably isn’t the career you. Let’s face it: school-age children aren’t for everyone. However, if you like having nights and weekends off – plus summer vacation – and working with lots of friendly, little faces, working as a school nurse can be immensely rewarding.
If you already have a nursing job but bemoan the idea of working long shifts and are tired of the chaotic schedule eating up your weekends or holidays, this might just be the right choice for you. Nevertheless, working as a school nurse comes with plenty of challenges and a lot of responsibility weighing on your shoulders. After all, you are still a nurse.
So – what are the benefits of being a school nurse? What can this experience do for you and how is it any different than a regular nursing career? Here is our full list:
PROS:
- A whole summer for yourself – is undoubtedly one of the best benefits of being a school nurse. Imagine yourself bathing in the sun, enjoying a nice July breeze while all other nurses are trying to enjoy those 12-hour shifts. Don’t forget about fall, winter, spring break, and other federally recognized school breaks.
- Free holidays and weekends – might just be the next best thing about a career in school nursing! There is no way someone will call you out on a Saturday night for a major life and death situation. The school has a strict working schedule that everyone abides to. Yay!
- Less stress – or to be more accurate, maybe it should be phrased as a different kind of stress. While you will most likely not have to deal with as many emergencies and crazy moments as you would in a regular nursing career, you will face your fair share of challenges. You may have to deal with some complicated situations, learn more about mental health, or work with unruly kids and parents, but these moments aren’t exactly life or death. Communication skills are essential when working as a school nurse. You’ll have to learn how to talk to young people about their health, even if they think they’re invincible.
- A fun, loving learning environment – even though the challenges keep on rolling, you will experience them differently. There is no way you can lose hope, get overwhelmed by stress or ever get bored when working in a reputable school district. Plus, you get to be the fun, caring nurse that all kids will love. Imagine your desk full of funny drawings and hand-written messages. You might even start to crave overtime just to spend more time with the kids.
CONS:
- The main con is lice! – This might be the funniest and most depictive con of working as a school nurse. But no lice will scare a nurse! Oh no. The good part about this con is that you might have a really good laugh about it after it goes away. How great is that?
Find out what school nurses really think about their job here!
- Money – though salaries can be competitive for a school nurse, they might not always be as satisfying as you would expect, especially if educational budgets get tightened. And we all know that is a possibility.
- No overtime opportunities – if a regular nurse can easily rely on extra hours to get some extra money when needed, it will not be the case here. So, if you are not able to make ends meet, you might just have to find a second job to bring in some extra income.
- Advancing is quite limited – with not much of a hierarchy going on in the field of school nursing, there won’t be that much room for advancement in the future. If you want more room to grow as a healthcare professional, you can explore a career in health administration.
If you are considering becoming a school nurse, find a school near you that’s looking to hire an experienced healthcare provider. If you already work as a school nurse, we’re dying to know how you keep your patience when an army of kids is screaming in unison.
Overall, the benefits of being a school nurse speak for themselves. It’s completely different than working in a hospital or caring for the sick and elderly. Most of your patients will be young and healthy. Reach out to a school nurse in your area to learn more about this invaluable profession.
