School Nurse, School Nursing Schools, Training, Education, Jobs, and Careers

What is a School Nurse?
Being a school nurse is a special kind of vocation. The pay is not that great but the benefits are good. She would also follow the school schedule, which would mean that her afternoons are free and she has the summer months off. That is a nice benefit if she has children at home.

Job Description and Duties:
Another specialized path that a student could take would be a nurse at school. This career centers on caring for all ages of school students and helping to ensure their well-being.

Here are some of the duties that are involved:

• Care for and ensure well-being of students

• Promote health

• Provide screenings

• Intervention when health problems arise

• Ensures that the school and students are in compliance with the health regulations of the state

• Administer some medications

• Monitor immunizations

• Provide basic health education for the students

• Serve as a liaison between students, health care providers and families

• Provide care for students who have chronic health problems

• Have the responsibility of working with public health agencies, doctors and specialists to make sure that the students receive complete health services

Education and Training of a School Nurse:
You need to graduate from an accredited high school or earn a GED. Continue your education by attending an accredited nursing school to earn a BSN degree - a person could attend a two-year vocational school to become an LPN and then attend school for two more years to earn her BSN - some states require that a nurse get a master's degree or MSN - every state is different so make sure you understand what your state's requirements are. After nursing school, you should take and pass the NCLEX-RN.

Typical courses or things you would learn in school are:

• School nursing theory
• Child health
• Child development
• School Nurse internship or School Nurse Seminar
• Courses in community and public health
• Physical assessment of school students
• Human growth and development
• Developmental disabilities courses
• Sexual education
• Biological, psychological and sociological development
• Take and pass a state-approved examination to earn her School Nurse Certificate

Obviously, you would find a School Nurse working in schools - grammar schools, junior high schools, high schools, vocational schools, schools that handle child disabilities junior colleges and colleges and universities.

School Nurse Salary:
Salaries may differ depending upon the region of the country, the school, the state and the years of experience the nurse has had. According to salary.com, the median salary for the United States is $43,000. Nurses at school settings, in many states across the country are put on the teachers' pay scale. We all know that teachers in the U.S. are underpaid.

Therefore, the nurse that works in schools can expect to earn less than a full-time registered nurse who works in a hospital. However, this Nurse receives the same teachers' benefits, and she has the "luxury" of having the summer off.

School Nurse School:
There are good nursing schools out there. One we like is ITT Institute. They offer online and campus programs. You need to check them out. Get their free information while you’re there. Click this link to get started.



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