Children at school take part in numerous activities during the day. Many of these activities require physical effort. Sports or physical education classes can often result in injuries, and that’s why school nurses are very much needed. Kids who experience any kind of injuries are taken care or guided further by the school nurse. Of course, their job doesn't consist only on treating physical injuries, as school nurses address various concerns that the students might have. Knowing that it is a very valuable job, we will provide a detailed description of it in the continuing, considering some of the most important parts and requirements of the job.

What Is a School Nurse?

A school nurse is a trained professional that deals with various injuries and concerns that kids in a school might have. Being a school nurse is not an easy job: they offer medical, mental, emotional, physical, and social assistance for the students. Moreover, the school nurse keeps track and takes care of kids with chronicle diseases and their medical treatment. Also, they manage and help kids with disabilities.

Being a school nurse requires flexibility because of the intensity of cases that might happen during the day, month, or year.

What does a school nurse do?

There are numerous specific services that a school nurse should be able to provide for the students in need. Some of these services are general to nurses but some are more specific to the role of school nurses. Below we list some of these responsibilities and explain how they impact the student life.

To provide hearing, vision, and other health screening:
1. Can influence the way teachers and professors treat their students
2. Creates the opportunity to discover possible problems in advance and treat them accordingly
3. Gives the opportunity to arrange the activities that kids with such problems need to pursue and how they should follow them
4. Can help on organizing class activities to be more comfortable for them (Group activities or letting them sit in front desks so that they can follow lectures), etc.
To develop and follow up on plans for dealing with students with chronic diseases:
1. Helps with keeping kids’ performance at the highest levels possible
2. Contributes to avoiding future injuries regarding their conditions
3. Helps parents to continuously keep an eye on their kid’s health, etc.
To monitor student immunization records:
1. Helps with meeting the vaccination needs for each student
2. Prevents future complications for kids
To help students with disabilities:
1. Helps with giving these students the chance to follow their education
2. Help parents keep up with their kids needs
3. Helps create a better environment and possibilities for them

In addition, school nurses discuss issues with teachers, administer medications, educate staff and students on health procedures, and more.

What are the requirements to become a school nurse?

In order to become a school nurse, there are study/certification conditions that need to be met. According to Glassdoor, you need to have an associate or bachelor’s degree on nursing to become a school nurse. Some states in the U.S. also require a certified nurse license, but that is not needed in all states. The State Department of Education or the Department of Health can give such certification if that is required by the state you work in.

Below we list the certifications and skills required to become a school nurse:

Registered Nurse (RN) License
Knowledge about numerous health areas as well as mental health
Knowledge about school policies and laws
Ability to work in groups of people or individually
Flexibility
Multitasking ability, etc.

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Where can a school nurse work?

Although called school nurses, these type of nurses can also work in the following places:

Alternative school
College/University
Department of Health
Hospitals
Overseas military bases
Summer camps
Vacational schools, etc.

Average School Nurse Salary

The average school nurse salary varies based on some factors: the state where they work and the years of experience. In general, the average salary for school nurses is $48,530. Below we will provide some data on school nurse salaries based on their experience and state.

Average school nurse salary based on experience

As said before, the average salary for a school nurse changes based on years of experience. According to Nursing Process, there is a difference between salaries for entry-level nurses and those with 20 or more years of experience. Below we will provide with data on the matter.

An entry-level school nurse on average earns $40,550 annually;
A school nurse with 1-4 years of experience on average earns $46,790 annually;
A school nurse with 5-9 years of experience on average earns $57,190 annually;
A school nurse with 10-19 years of experience on average earns $71,050 annually;
A school nurse with 20 or more years of experience on average earns $88,240 annually.

10 best-paying states for school nurses

Another factor that has an impact on the annual average salary for a school nurse is the state they work in. Below we will list 10 of the best-paying states for school nurses according to ZipRecruiter.

New York - $72,337
New Hampshire - $70,244
Wyoming - $64,474
West Virginia - $62,847
Massachusetts - $62,078
Pennsylvania - $61,782
Montana - $60,807
Hawaii - $60,687
Arizona - $60,182
Washington - $59,873.

Do school nurses get paid in the summer?

School nurses don’t work 365 days a year. They most commonly work only on school days. Their annual salary is divided in 12 partitions that they receive monthly or bi-weekly (24 partitions). This means that they do get paid every month the same amount including in the summer.

How Can You Increase Your Salary as a School Nurse?

In addition to moving to a state where the salary of a school nurse may be higher or waiting to gain years of experience to earn more, there are some other opportunities that one can take to increase their income as a school nurse. Some of these opportunities include working on critical care areas or obtaining additional certifications. And if you have the spirit of a leader, then looking to be a team manager or a community matron could definitely help increase your salary, as well as working in research or education.

Since we already established that school nurses don’t work during the summer while school are closed, another option is to work during this season, for example at camps or hospitals. Picking up shifts at hospitals in the evenings or weekends or working at after-school programs can also increase your income.

Keep in mind that this profession is very delicate and requires a high degree of attention. Should you want to increase the amount of hours you work to earn more money, be mindful to get the rest you need in order to be able to perform at your best.

School Nurse Job Outlook

The need for school nurses is always increasing. Nowadays the levels of awareness on the matter are high and the government knows it. For the decade the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that between 2020 to 2030 there will be a 9% employment growth rate for registered nurses, which includes school nurses.

Some factors that contribute to this increase include the retirement of many professionals and the rates of obesity and diabetes growing amongst young people.

Conclusion

Being a nurse is one of the most needed and respected professions, and taking care of the physical and mental well-being of children is a big responsibility, as they are our future. And although it may require a lot of sacrifice, it is rewarding at the same time. In addition, working as a school nurse can be very profitable, especially as more and more experience is gained over the years, and it allows you to pursue other job opportunities, particularly if you work in a school with a fixed schedule.

What Is the Average School Nurse Salary?