There’s a shortage of school nurses, a necessary job when it comes to keeping children safe and healthy, but nurses say there are misconceptions surrounding the job.

It’s another morning on the job for registered nurse Marcy Traudt, as kids flow in and out of the nurse’s office at Cahill Elementary School in Saugerties.

“I love the children here. They're wonderful,” Traudt said. “Kids just everywhere, they definitely need somebody who stands behind them.”

Traudt graduated as an RN 16 years ago. This is her sixth year working as a school nurse. She said she sees around 40-50 kids each day.

“People think all we do is ice packs and Band-Aids, because a lot of people joke that, 'I could, I’ll be the school nurse today,' but we do a lot,” Traudt said.

Beyond treating stomach aches and bruises, Traudt said her job also includes mental health support, following New York state regulations, such as vaccine requirements, BMI rates and a lot of paperwork, including documenting every student that walks in the door.

The COVID-19 pandemic, she said, certainly played a factor in school nurse burnout levels.

“I actually started talking to a therapist once a month just to, you know … She said, ‘I feel like it [doesn’t] do much for you.’ But I said, ‘sometimes you need someone to vent to get it all out, too,’ ” Traudt said.

According to the National Education Association, fewer than 40% of U.S. public schools employ a full-time registered nurse. The organization said school nurses are leaving for jobs in places like hospitals or nursing homes for higher pay.

“It makes me sad because everyone I’ve [spoken] to, they love their job. It's just the burnout is high. We're not necessarily compensated, and we don't always feel supported everywhere, so that definitely can be a big part of why people are leaving,” Traudt said.

Despite the challenges, Traudt said she doesn’t plan on leaving the profession any time soon.

“I would miss the kids a lot. I love them,” Traudt said. “I love my job. I love being a nurse. Being a nurse is a calling.”

A 2021 survey by the National Association of School Nurses said only 34.2% of RNs working in schools make more than $60,000 per year. That’s compared to 69.5% of the RN workforce.