School Nurses

Schools are found in all communities, cities, and rural areas, and learning institutions can vary greatly. School nurses may work in an environment that is a state-of-the-art educational institution in an affluent community, or they may work in a rundown building in the inner city. By the same token, some school nurses may have up-to-date equipment and adequate resources, while others may find that they have restricted funds that inhibit their ability to do their jobs.

School nurses typically work during the day and may have some time off during the summer months when school is not in session.

The increase in school violence impacts the school nurses' working environment since it is evident that acts of violence can occur in any institution and in any community. School nurses must be prepared to deal with the physical results of violence in their schools.

School nurses may come in contact with infectious diseases and are often exposed to illnesses and injuries. All nursing careers have some health and disease risks; however, adherence to health and safety guidelines greatly minimizes the chance of contracting infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS.

School nurses may need to travel between multiple schools during the course of their workdays. "While the National Association of School Nurses advocates for at least one full-time school nurse in every school to provide for the health and safety needs of students and staff, the reality is many school nurses are assigned to multiple schools and must rotate among them," according to the organization's Web site.