School Nurses

Nursing specialties will be in great demand in the future. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 7 percent through 2029, or faster than the average for all occupations.

The outlook for school nurses may differ. As educational systems try to find ways to cut costs, professionals such as school nurses may be eliminated, or jobs may be reduced from full time to part time. Since cuts may vary by region and state, school nurses should be flexible and willing to relocate or to seek other nursing opportunities, if necessary.

Nevertheless, there remains a great need for nurses in schools. In May 2019, nurse.org reported that a school nurse shortage had become something of a national crisis. "Only three out of five schools employ a full-time nurse," wrote Portia Wofford. "Many schools resort to using school staff and faculty — who have no medical training — to provide care to students. According to the National Association of School Nurses, about 40% of schools only budget for a part-time nurse and 25% have no nurse at all."