What are the pros and cons of being a school nurse?

The pros of being a school nurse are the working hours and rewarding work, while the cons include challenges with parents and lower salary. Here is a more detailed look at the pros and cons of being a school nurse:

What degree do you need to be a school nurse?

You need a bachelor's degree in nursing to become a school nurse. In addition, you also need to pass the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Exam (NCLEX) and obtain certification as a registered nurse in your specific state.

How To Become A School Nurse: What It Is and Career Path

What is a school nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Beverly Malone Ph.D.

A school nurse's primary responsibility is to treat students' illnesses, injuries, and other ailments. In addition to this, a school nurse also educates the student on medical issues and broadens their knowledge about their health and proper hygiene. As a school nurse, you are expected to treat students, administer drugs, and develop health plans for students with chronic illnesses and disabilities. You also must monitor the students' and staffs' medical hygiene and ensure that their medical reports are updated.

To qualify as a school nurse, you will need either a bachelor's degree in nursing or a master's degree, as well as a registered nursing license. Good knowledge of basic first aid, CPR, and other emergency management skills is important. A school nurse also needs to have good listening, communication, problem-solving, and organization skills. Additionally, you need to be confident and empathic. A school nurse earns up to $51,395 yearly and $28.78 per hour.

What general advice would you give to a school nurse?

Dr. Beverly Malone Ph.D.

President and CEO, National League for Nursing

With the pandemic making health care and nursing more important than ever before, graduates will need to enter the workforce with courage, caring, and commitment. We know that COVID-19 will likely be in their workplaces, so we need to make sure they have the appropriate personal protective equipment they need to care for those in need. New nurses also need to make sure they have the appropriate training to handle a pandemic, and they should have the courage to have conversations with their employers about the protection they need. This will be new and not part of the conversation you would have had prior to the pandemic.

You also need to talk to your employer about flexibility around taking time away from your work to recharge and refresh. New graduates should also consider their work-life balance to maintain their well-being. Those looking for new jobs will need to consider their well-being as a priority as they compare positions and opportunities.

ScoreSchool NurseUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,998

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.85%

Black or African American 11.66%

Hispanic or Latino 9.55%

Unknown 4.30%

White 65.20%

Gender

female 93.71%

male 6.29%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a school nurse

Explore school nurse education requirements

Most common school nurse degrees

Bachelor's

50.2 %

Associate

30.8 %

Master's

7.8 %

Start to develop specific school nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	12.56%
School Health	10.43%
Health Education	5.68%
Health Problems	5.47%
Health Services	4.61%

Complete relevant school nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New school nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a school nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real school nurse resumes.

Gain additional school nurse certifications

School nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific school nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for school nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research school nurse duties and responsibilities

Create and manage care plans for students with chronic health conditions (such as diabetes, food allergies and depression).
Evaluate and manage post-exposure of blood-borne pathogens.
Administer medications, evaluate prescription needs and facilitate prescription management, chemotherapy teaching, assess and manage chemotherapy side effects.
Perform employee physical exams including hearing and spirometry as required.

Prepare your school nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your school nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a school nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable school nurse resume templates

Build a professional school nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your school nurse resume.

Apply for school nurse jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a school nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do school nurses rate their job?

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School nurse reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Cons

What is there not to like? It's such a rewarding job!

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019

Pros

Working with children and families most state regulations that inhibit the best care for patients from getting the least prohibitive care necessary for the best outcomes of treatment