- knowledge of medicine and nursing practices
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding
- a desire to help people
- the ability to work well with others
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- excellent verbal communication skills
- knowledge of psychology
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
As part of your role, you could:
- raise awareness of health issues like smoking and drug abuse
- promote healthy living, including safe-sex education
- give immunisations and vaccinations
- carry out developmental screening
- train teachers on healthcare issues
- advise on school health policy
- support children with medical needs like asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or mental health issues
You could work at a school, at a pupil referral unit, in the community or at a college.
With experience, you could become a team manager or a community matron.
You could also become a manager of a service or work in education or research.
You'll find more details about becoming a school nurse from Health Careers.
