Boundaries for The School Nurse

 Do school nurses need professional boundaries?

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip: I've been promoting boundaries on The School Nurse Ig feed for years, literally years. Boundaries will look very different from one school nurse to the next, but they are just as important and should be set & followed. 

What are professional boundaries?  

When school nurses set boundaries they are practicing a social skill. This social skill defines a specific areas in their life  (professional or personal). Think of professional boundaries like a set of rules, instructions, or directions that you use to define where your professional responsibilities end and your personal responsibilities begin.

What happens when school nurses don't set professional boundaries?

Without clear and defined professional boundaries, a school nurse may begin to develop resentment for the job. They may feel taken advantage of, taken for granted, and/or underappreciated.

Why do school nurses need professional boundaries?

When a school nurse sets healthy professional boundaries, they may feel:

• more in control of their time
• like they have a more clear understanding of professional responsibilities v. requests
• more confident saying "no"

What are some examples of professional boundaries for school nurses?

1. Set an auto email response on your work email & include a return to work date.
2. Remove your work email from your personal cell phone.
3. Set rules for students to follow when waiting to be seen in your office.
4. Take a your required uninterrupted lunch break.
5. ..... Please comment more examples.....

RESOURCE BOOKS

Boundaries

Boundaries at Work

From Burnout to Purpose