Are their any school nurses on here?

[hoochi]

im wanting a career change and was just wanting a bit of informaation really is the job what you thought it would be ect, i understand theres a lot of training but thought maybe i could be a school nurse support worker whilst i did the training that is there is such jobs

[angelic]

Have you done any nurse training at all or are you looking to start from fresh?

[closemead]

im wanting a career change and was just wanting a bit of informaation really is the job what you thought it would be ect, i understand theres a lot of training but thought maybe i could be a school nurse support worker whilst i did the training that is there is such jobs

Good post Im also interested in this or health visiting. I'm a mental health nurse at the moment.

[maiden scotland]

this page might help :) http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/library/schoolnurses/

[charlie]

hi i'm a school nurse assistant at the mo...you dont need nurse qualifications to do this just a qualfication in childcare...well in my area anyway...we also have staff nurses who are registred nurses as well. A staff nurse can become a school nurse by doing a years degree to qualify. Its a brill job and very interesting...ask me any questions you want and i'll try to help

[BritBrat]

My OH is a Nurse.

Will be starting dissertation soon for degree.

If you can write an essay easy you can become a nurse very easy, but I think that is all wrong and I hope they change back to hands on patient training like it used to be.

[angelic]

My OH is a Nurse.

Will be starting dissertation soon for degree.

If you can write an essay easy you can become a nurse very easy, but I think that is all wrong and I hope they change back to hands on patient training like it used to be.

Sorry to disagree, but your comment is rather misleading as nurse training is very hands on and I can't imagine it differs across the country?
There is a whole lot more to a nursing course than being good at essay writing.

IMHO I would say it is very hands and very hard work, you have to pass each stage of the practical placement to be allowed to continue to the next stage of the 3 year course.

Placements are very demanding and students are treated no different to fully trained staff.

[BritBrat]

I don't agree but I am not going to argue about it.

As for being treated as fully trained on placements again I do not agree.

[angelic]

I was simply giving my opinion from recent experiences a family member (1st year student) and other students from same Uni (different hospital) have had on placements.

It is very misleading to give the impression that you can become a nurse simply by good essay writing when that is far from the case.
Nursing course is 3 years of hard work via study/placement.

[laalaa1983]

As a nurse, i have to agree with the comment about "if u can write and essay, you can be a nurse".

I think this is more the case in Scotland.

In my 3 years at uni. i saw 3 girls thrown out of course for failing essays. Practically they were excellent, but found it hard writing essays.

On the other hand, there were many girl who could write essays at the drop of a hat, but practically were poor.

I did not find the practical side of my training demanding at all. The hours were demanding.

Student nurses are too sheltered by their mentors, and are not getting a true picture of the accountability and responsibility involved in being a nurse.

Just, IMO.

[BritBrat]

Thanks laalaa1983,

I think it is the same south of the border.

They really do need to get away from project 2000 and be more hands on and listening to what the patients body is telling them rater than computers and sheets of paper.

Yes they do need to keep up to date with new ideas and practice but at the end of the day it is the patient that matters and not some new idea that may sound good but in practice does not help the patient, yes some it will others it will not and a good Nurse will know what is right for that patient at that time.

I don't think "Polit & Hungler" is ever gong to get out of my brain.

[kayw]

This is a very interesting discussion for me. I am a qualified nurse, paediatric, general and school nurse (amongst other nursing quals) I trained in the late 70's early 80's and i know that is a lifetime away, but the caliber of students I see seem to be focused on the theory side of the course, and it is important, however, as in all walks of life, things are getting tough and I can assure you that to get a job and make any career headway, you need an awful lot more that writing skills. At the top of my list is communication skills.
Had a student out with me today, and she has been great, she has wanted to learn rectal diazepam administration, and been really keen to learn about the other stuff I have been doing. She wants to come out again with me, working with children with complex needs and she was great with them

[angelic]

As a nurse, i have to agree with the comment about "if u can write and essay, you can be a nurse".

I think this is more the case in Scotland.

In my 3 years at uni. i saw 3 girls thrown out of course for failing essays. Practically they were excellent, but found it hard writing essays.

On the other hand, there were many girl who could write essays at the drop of a hat, but practically were poor.

I did not find the practical side of my training demanding at all. The hours were demanding.

Student nurses are too sheltered by their mentors, and are not getting a true picture of the accountability and responsibility involved in being a nurse.

Just, IMO.

Experiences I am quoting from are in England.
I agree hours are demanding, but so was placement. On a high dependency ward which was short staffed with 4 first year students with no practical training outside Uni.

Family member didn't even see mentor for first 2.5 weeks as she was off sick. When she was on duty, she was more interested in bullying the staff and students. Far from sheltering students, this particular mentor had little contact with the student who was sent on one occasion to do Obs for 15 patients alone? This was on a first placement, students with just 2.5 months classroom experience?

This is a very interesting discussion for me. I am a qualified nurse, paediatric, general and school nurse (amongst other nursing quals) I trained in the late 70's early 80's and i know that is a lifetime away, but the caliber of students I see seem to be focused on the theory side of the course, and it is important, however, as in all walks of life, things are getting tough and I can assure you that to get a job and make any career headway, you need an awful lot more that writing skills. At the top of my list is communication skills.
Had a student out with me today, and she has been great, she has wanted to learn rectal diazepam administration, and been really keen to learn about the other stuff I have been doing. She wants to come out again with me, working with children with complex needs and she was great with them

Interesting to hear your views too Kay, especially with your experience.
I completely agree with your comment about communication skills being a priority. This is exactly why I was trying to make a point that there is a whole lot more to becoming a nurse than excellent essay writing.

Family member is very much like your student and during placement took on many tasks by asking to observe many procedures above those required and even helped with laying out a body. Care and compassion is something sadly seemingly lacking in some nurses. If someone has these qualities and a strong willingness to learn and be involved, they should be encouraged wholeheartedly.