Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
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If you want to work as a school nurse, there are a few must-have qualities you need. Working as a nurse in a school means working with children of all ages. With the following 7 qualities, you could take your nursing career to any school from elementary to an upper-level educational organization.
Compassionate And Caring
Nursing, in general, takes patience and compassion, but you must be especially caring towards children to work with them constantly. Children need to be heard and this can be a challenge sometimes if adults don’t take the time to listen. Something an adult feels is not a big deal, could be for the child. Make sure to take time with each child in your care to make them feel validated.
Be A Healthy Role Model
Being a healthy role model for children is a must. Giving them health advice is sometimes needed, but make sure you’re practicing what you preach. You can’t expect kids to listen to you about their health if you are reckless with your own. Things like smoking, drinking excessively, eating poorly, and not getting regular check-ups are all things that you, as a school nurse, might want to avoid.
Detail Oriented
Details are important in any health or medical profession. School nurses have a huge responsibility to care for many children on a daily basis. You may be the only person who can accurately describe what a child experiences while in your care during school hours. This alone could save a child’s life if something serious happens.
Willingness to Learn
As a school nurse, you should never stop learning. Keep up to date with the medical industry and different care options that you might offer to your patients. It would also serve you to learn everything you can about communicating with various aged children. If you plan to work with teens, make sure you have a broad understanding of the health concerns they could experience; such as, drugs, alcohol, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, eating disorders, weight issues, etc.
Non-Judgmental to Others
You must be impartial and nonjudgmental as a nurse. This is one of the most important qualities you must have if you want to succeed in school nurse jobs. Children of all ages get embarrassed about sensitive things that they would normally not share with anyone but their close family. It’s your job to put them at ease and make them feel cared for. You should never judge!
Ability To Stay Calm In An Emergency
There may be emergencies arise at the school. If you get a child with a serious injury, you’ll need to stay as calm as possible. Your peaceful demeanor will comfort the child and prevent panic. Your quick thinking could save a child’s life before other help arrives. You might also be called upon to lead in a natural disaster or larger building-wide devastation; such as severe weather, fire, or other outside threats.
Understanding Of Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a must in the medical field and in the education system. Discussing any child’s case with people you know or in the staff room is highly unprofessional and illegal. You could even lose your job or get into serious legal trouble. Sometimes, the things kids say and do can be amusing. But if it goes against this strict policy, don’t go there.
