Do you have an interest in medicine, but you would also like to work within a school setting? If you don’t want to be a teacher, but you still want to find a way to touch the lives of our future generation, you might want to consider becoming a school nurse. Before you head off to school and begin the necessary training to become a school nurse, however, you might want to take a closer look at the pros and cons of becoming a school nurse in order to make sure it is truly the right career path for you.

Pro: Work a Regular Schedule

One of the best parts of working as a school nurse is the fact that you get to work a regular schedule. Even if you work as a nurse at a doctor’s office, you will often be called upon to work a flexible schedule in order to work within the hours the office is open. As a school nurse, on the other hand, you can count on your work hours being the same each day. In addition, you get to enjoy following the same schedule as the school, which means you get the summers off as well as other scheduled breaks. This can be particularly beneficial if you have children who are attending the school district where you work, as it helps reduce the amount of babysitting help you need.

On the other hand, working a job where you have the summers off may be problematic if you cannot financially afford to be off from work. Therefore, you need to consider your income needs when determining if this job is right for you.

Con: No Opportunities for Overtime

Just as you have to face the loss of income over the summer when you work as a school nurse, you also have to realize that there are no overtime opportunities. Many nurses who work for hospitals or other medical facilities regularly take advantage of overtime in order to make a handsome annual wage. If you want to bring in a sizeable income as a school nurse, you will likely need to work another job on the side.

Pro: Reduce the Amount of Stress You Experience

There is no doubt that working in nursing can be quite stressful. Although school nurses are still faced with stressful situations, they generally do not encounter hectic medical situations as often as nurses who work in other health care facilities. Therefore, if you are looking for a nursing job that won’t have you feeling stressed out on a daily basis, becoming a school nurse might be right for you.

Con: No Upward Mobility

If you are interested in finding a job where you will have plenty of promotion opportunities, you might want to reconsider becoming a school nurse. In most cases, you will be the only nurse in your building and possibly even for your school district if you work in a small community. Therefore, you won’t have opportunities for upward advancement. At the same time, you essentially serve as your own boss when it comes to the medical aspects of your job. So, while you won’t advance in your position, being in charge of your own station can be quite satisfying.

Simply put, working as a school nurse can be a very rewarding job. Not only does it allow you to work within the medial field, it causes less stress than most other nursing jobs and it offers a great schedule. At the same time, the earning potential is not the same as it is with many other nursing jobs. Therefore, you need to consider your long-term financial goals when determining if becoming a school nurse is right for you.