Issue #01: Four reasons you shouldn't be a school nurse
Plus a YouTuber, a tiny yellow book, a quote and more
So you wanna escape the bedside nursing gig, work 8a-4p, have a regular sleep schedule? Why not be a school nurse? I’ll tell you why not. I’m going to be sharing a few reasons why you shouldn’t be a school nurse which will hopefully reiterate the reasons why you should 🐸 .
This is my 3rd week of working as a school nurse, so I am only a tiny bit qualified to discuss this topic. So here are my thoughts so far…
4 reasons you shouldn’t be a school nurse:
Also - click here to read the cover letter that got me my school nurse job! ⭐️
If you hate kids and/or families: For obvious reasons, working at a school requires you to work with the pediatric population and also work with parents/ families. I actually haven’t worked with the pediatric population (other than babies) since nursing school but always knew I enjoyed working with kiddos and teens. I mostly work with the high school population (and occasionally float down to hang out with the littles). I love the mix of ages because I get to be silly with the younger ones and have real conversations with the older ones. There is still a lot of charting, a lot of phone calls/emails to parents and a lot of reassurance (even for the older kids). So, if you hate kids… maybe you shouldn’t be a school nurse.
If you dislike working with a small team: I’ve been asked multiple times “do you work with other nurses?” and the answer is yes, I do! But it will always depend on the school. Where I work, there are 2 awesome full-time nurses. I show up as needed as an occasional (aka casual) nurse. Overall, it is a much more independent job (similar to working at a clinic) compared to working at the hospital. In an emergency, you won’t necessarily have other HCP’s by your side in seconds. If autonomy and working in a smaller team freaks you out… maybe you shouldn’t be a school nurse.
If you don’t enjoy health teaching: With the school nurse role comes a lot of health teaching - whether it’s with students or teachers/staff. Just yesterday I ran a refresher workshop on anaphylaxis and asthma! When students come in to see us and we send them back to class, or send them home, we always have to do a little teaching. For example, after a head injury, I have to encourage the parents what symptoms to look out for, when to seek emergency care etc. You’re basically doing a small version of discharge teaching all day. So if you hate doing health reaching… maybe you shouldn’t be a school nurse.
If you’re not open to doing admin tasks: COVID has brought unique challenges to schools everywhere. The beginning of the school year has brought a lot of sifting through emails, filling in spreadsheets, making rapid testing kits, being on hold with Public Health etc. A normal school year (so I’ve heard) also requires admin tasks but apparently this year is much worse. I personally don’t mind doing administrative tasks (I enjoy colour coating Excel spreadsheets) but I know some people hate it. Sooo if you hate doing sit down, administrative work… maybe you shouldn’t be a school nurse.
Hopefully these 4 reasons give you a little more insight into my limited knowledge of the school nursing profession thus far. I continue to learn on the job and am faking it until I make it. I will update as I learn more!
Last week I learned what I’m supposed to do for a wasp bite… they don’t teach us this in nursing school 🐝 . I am freshening up on my first aid and remembering to take a holistic approach in this position - stomach aches and headaches can also indicate anxiety and stress.
So far, I’m really enjoying the position and love the small team of people I work with in the nursing office.
The Youtuber and book that helped push me to share more of my work
Ali Abdaal (@AliAbdaal) is a UK doctor and part-time Youtuber I found when looking for study tips in nursing school. He got me into using the Anki flashcard system and I learned a lot from him since 2018. Over the last few years, he has become really successful on YouTube and now talks more about entrepreneurship, investing and sharing your work.
I originally followed him on Instagram for study tips but he has inspired me in many other ways since.
He recently made a video talking about a book called “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. I was intrigued and because I trust Ali’s recommendations, I bought the book and finished it in a day. It talks about showing and sharing the day-to-day work tasks that we do.
Ali and this book are ultimately what helped give me the final push to start this newsletter and to continue on this creative Scrubs And Roses journey.
Quote that inspired me recently: “The more you like yourself, the less you’ll need others to”.
I saw this on Alfie Deyes Instagram stories recently and it made me pause (which doesn’t often happen for me in a reflective way when scrolling through Instagram). I really think this can be true at times. I think this quote speaks to having more self-love and self-acceptance. It emphasizes the importance of seeking validation within ourselves instead of externally. Easier said than done but some good food for thought!
Don’t forget - click here to read the cover letter that got me my school nurse job! ⭐️
That’s all for now. Thanks so much for being here and reading! Let me know what you thought and what you’d like to hear more about.
- Tamara
Love these and following your journey 😍