For nurses interested in new opportunities, this summer is an excellent time to start exploring the market. Not only are job prospects and wages on the rise, but this season brings about a wave of new hiring needs. While these roles span a range of specialties and settings, there is no better time than now to consider a career as a school nurse.

“With September on the horizon, the demand for school nurses is high,” says Amanda Cruse, a Senior Managing Director within ES Healthcare, a division of Execu|Search. “Individual schools as well as school districts prefer to do most of their hiring and training in the summer months to ensure they are properly prepared for their students. As a result, the hiring process can move fairly quickly for these types of roles.”

The summer hiring surge, however, is not the only reason to consider becoming a school nurse. Supporting the health of students to improve their well-being and promote academic achievement, school nurses are an important part of the nation’s education system.

This work can be highly specialized and meaningful for the right person. If this sounds like you, continue reading to learn more about the benefits of becoming a school nurse!

Gain increased flexibility

With per diem, part-time, and full-time opportunities available, working as a school nurse gives you the flexibility to work as little or as often as you’d like. “School nursing can help you earn some extra money while balancing a lighter case load,” says Amanda. “Whether you want to pick some extra shifts on your days off from your full-time job or need a work schedule that can accommodate your school schedule, the flexibility of these opportunities make this a path worth considering.”

If you want a full-time job as a school nurse, the schedule can be just as great! Not only do you work school hours, but you also get holidays and the summer off. Before making the leap to a full-time school nurse role, you can evaluate if this is the right fit for you by taking some per diem assignments.

Diversify your skills

If you want to make yourself more marketable for a career in pediatrics, experience in school nursing can help you stand out from your peers! Creating a learning environment that meets the physical, mental, and emotional needs of students requires an individual to have strong clinical, organizational, and communication skills. “Since many schools are open to entry-level nurses, a job as a school nurse can be a stepping stone to a career in pediatrics,” advises Amanda. “Whether you choose to move onto a hospital role or pursue a career as a school nurse supervisor, the experience, skills, and professional contacts you gain working in this setting can open a lot of doors!”

Make a community impact

Becoming a school nurse may be the perfect career move for an individual looking to work in an environment outside of a physician’s office or hospital, but who still wants to make an impact on their community. “A student’s ability to learn is directly related to their health,” says Amanda. “They provide preventative services, help identify physical or mental health issues, and do so much more to ensure that students and their families have access to the resources they need to lead healthier lives.”

If you are interested in school nursing opportunities in New York City, we encourage you to come to our meet and greet on July 24th! ES Healthcare is currently hiring school nurses for the 2019-2020 school year, and we would love to meet you! For more details, reach out to Madison Burress at Mburress@execu-search.com with the subject line DOE July Open House.