School Nurse
What do you do?
What is your background?
How did you become a School Nurse?
What qualifications do you need and how long does it take?
What is the most difficult thing about the job?
What is the best thing about the job?
Name: Ruth Smith
I try and encourage children in schools to think about their health, I want them to keep fit and healthy. If they get ill I want to help them know how to cope with it, like using a puffer if you have asthma.
I give immunisations and do hearing and sight checks on children
I was born in Kent after my mother was evacuated there during the Second World War. We came back to London but I became very ill when I was six and spent a long time in hospital. I really liked the nurse who looked after me and decided then that I wanted to be a nurse!
First I started training when I was 17 looking after people with broken bones. I then trained as a children's nurse. I enjoyed that but when I had a family I needed regular hours so I became a School Nurse which I would highly recommend as a job.
You need A levels to train now, a science and maths and English would be useful. Then you train for three years. Then you will be a qualified nurse.
Helping children who are very ill can be difficult and helping children when someone close to them dies.
I really like working with children. I much prefer them to adults!
