Medical care for children is essential in a school setting. Many children require a school nurse when they become injured on the playground or in the classroom. They also need to manage personal health conditions such as asthma. Accidents always happen, and students will require you to help them.Â
Roles of School Nurse Jobs
When choosing a career as a school nurse, many often reside in the school for the duration of the school day. RNs are valuable assets to the community as they guide students, the school community, and staff to better health. An RN will provide optimal care to every and all students alike. Each nurse should expect to:
- Provide first aid and assess student injuries
- Coordinate plans with students who have existing illnesses or diseases
- Keep in touch with teachers regarding the status of students
- Administer medications to students and watch for side effects
- Provide specialized care for students in special education
- Provide seeing and hearing tests for students
- Be a resource for families struggling to find healthcare services
- Educate other staff on different illnesses and allergies to look out for when handling students.
Salary and Benefits
As shared by nurse.org, school nurses make $52,546 annually as of 2022. Most school nurses earn the average range of salaries of $49,000 and $71,500, in continuation with nurse.org. Overall, nurse.org affirms that wages can be as low as $19,000 and as high as $101,500.
If you are a nurse just starting your career, you should expect to start on the lower end of the spectrum regarding school nurse salary. As you gain more years of experience, you should expect a salary increase in conjunction with that. Some nurses find themselves beginning in a hospital setting before exploring other fields. Employers often look for nurses who have experience in treating patients hands-on, so do keep that in mind.Â
As your healthcare career progresses, never feel limited to one position. With a nursing title, you have the freedom to choose different career paths if you wish.Â
How To Become a School Nurse
Choosing a career as a school nurse can boost self-confidence. Many students will become leaders of future generations. You will have a hand in the contribution of our upcoming leaders. Here are the steps to becoming one:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing
The very first step to becoming a school nurse will be attending a school that has a nursing program. Next, you will receive your bachelor’s in nursing, a requirement for school nurses. While a bachelor’s degree is the bare minimum, many employers also seek out nurses with higher degrees, such as a master’s in science.Â
- Get Licensed as an RN
Your next step will be taking an exam to earn your license as a registered nurse. The National Council Licensure Examination with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing accreditation. Once you have passed this exam, you will officially be a nurse!
- School Nurse State Requirements
To get a job as a school nurse, you must first meet your state’s requirements. Every state varies in different license requirements apart from your nursing license. Therefore, contacting your NASN state affiliate for further information is crucial. According to Nursing License Map, the school nurse certification exam takes four hours to complete and has 250 multiple-choice questions. Eligibility for this exam requires experience of 1,000 hours minimum within a clinical environment, as well as three years of work experience in an academic setting, by Nurse License Map.
Should you need further resources as a practicing or studying nurse, please visit us at CynaMed.Â
Finding School Nurse Jobs
As you study to become a school nurse, finding a job can be difficult. CynaMed would like to share that we are currently hiring interested RNs, CNAs, LPNs, and Certified Med Techs. With over 18 years of experience in the healthcare staffing agency, we are confident in finding the perfect job for you. If you wish to apply, visit our website or contact us today!
