​ Hello everyone! I wanted to ask for some advice. I only have about 6 months of nursing experience. I worked in acute care, SNF, LTC, and memory care. Before becoming an LVN, I worked as a caregiver for about 10 years with individuals with developmental disabilities/special needs, as well as a home care aide for elderly clients, primarily with dementia care. My last nursing assignment was about 2 years ago. I had my baby and decided to stay home with her. During that time, I’ve also been studying for an LVN-to-BSN challenge exam, although unfortunately I didn’t get accepted. I recently also got certified in IV therapy and blood draws. So even though I haven’t been working hands-on as a nurse, I’ve still been trying to keep up with my education and advance my skills over the past 2 years. At this point, I really don’t want to go back to SNF. My experience there was honestly pretty unsafe, and I felt like I was putting my license at risk every day. I know some nurses are comfortable managing 30+ patients, many of whom are coming straight from the hospital and are medically complex, but personally, that environment was very overwhelming for me. I recently got an interview for a district nurse position where I would be working under a credentialed school nurse. The job description says K–8, and I could potentially be doing 1:1 care for students with special needs. I’ve been reading that new grads, especially nurses who have been out of practice for a couple of years like myself, may not be the best fit for school nursing. That has definitely made me nervous. At the same time, I’ve been applying to other entry-level nursing positions (excluding SNF), and I haven’t had much luck. I’m in the Northern California/Bay Area, so the job market is pretty competitive. I really want to be a safe and competent nurse, and if I get this position, I want to do well. I’ve been brushing up on things a school nurse might encounter, such as seizure protocols, diabetic management, head injuries/concussions, anaphylaxis, tube feeding, etc. For those of you who work as school nurses or have experience training new nurses in school settings: How can I set myself up for success in this role? Would you consider this a reasonable position for someone with my background, especially since I would be working under a credentialed school nurse? What should I focus on learning before starting, and what should I expect during the first few months? And honestly, if you think I should NOT take a school nursing position with my limited nursing experience, I’d also appreciate suggestions for other types of LVN jobs that might be a better fit for me. I’m not looking to take a job where I’m in over my head. I just really want an opportunity to get back into nursing and build my skills in a safe environment. Thank you! Edit: also to clarify, I wouldnt have minded working at SNF if they gad regulations on how many patients I had. I know thats where I will really get the experience but I dont want to go back to a place that made me feel miserable and afraid for my license   submitted by   /u/shesquatsalot [link]   [comments]