Nurse Practitioner

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) is responsible for providing outpatient diagnostic, treatment, and preventative health care services; management of chronic illness; utilization of appropriate referrals and consultation to staff physician and community specialist; health education to patients.  The NP will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school clinic for routine student visits, data input for state reports and education for students and staff regarding health and wellness. This role will utilize the NP responsibilities and apply to the students within the school. 

• This job description is in addition to the school nurse job description for school health.  As the NP, they will be responsible for both the standard school clinic as well as the school based health clinic for the ability to diagnose and treat students.
• Provides comprehensive health care services to all patients, including but not limited to, well-childcare, acute care and chronic care.
• Provides patient and family education to promote wellness, to prevent health problems, and to maintain current health status as well as intervene in acute or chronic illness states.
• Coordinates client care with other community professionals and organizations for optimal care.
• Works collaboratively with the supervising medical director, clinic management team and other professionals.
• Works collaboratively with the school and school district to determine student needs and align clinic care and offerings accordingly.
• Participates in the chart audit process as specified regarding the Tennessee Department of Education Yearly health services survey.
• Participates in the planning of clinic provider schedules to ensure clinic coverage.
• Provides input into the decision-making process by attending provider and clinic staff meetings.
• Assist in developing goals and objectives for the program.
• Participates in problem-solving of issues and concerns affecting the program.
• Maintains current continuing education hours, certification, and licensure.
• Provides direction, guidance, training and assistance to subordinate staff; schedules regular and backup nursing coverage for schools and coordinates daily work activities; organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; monitors status of work and inspects completed work; troubleshoots and works to resolve problem situations;  and responds to employee problems/concerns.
• Develops and implements protocol and procedures for responding to student illness and injuries, including special intervention for occurrences of acute illness, severe injury, emotional disturbance, and communicable diseases: recommends modification of school programs to meet the health needs of the general and special populations; and assists in the continual evaluation of program effectiveness.
• Ensures compliance with established school health guidelines, safety and infection control procedures, and all other applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, practices, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations; follows safety procedures, utilizes safety equipment, and monitors work environment to ensure safety of students, employees, and other individuals.
• Provides routine and emergency medical care to students within the prescribed boundaries of training, certification, and applicable policies and procedures.
• Promotes and protects the optimal health status of students; works with children and children with acute or chronic illnesses, injuries, handicapping conditions, and developmental disabilities; works with students during extracurricular activities to promote wellness and teen pregnancy prevention.
• Observes students for development and health patterns in making nursing assessment and diagnosis; identifies deviant health findings; interprets the health status of students to parents and school personnel; initiates referrals to parents, school personnel, and community health resources for intervention, remediation, and follow-through.
• Promotes and assists in the control of communicable diseases through preventive immunization programs, early detection, surveillance, and reporting of contagious diseases; controls spread of infectious diseases the school system by promoting prevention, excluding symptomatic children, informing parents, and disinfecting the environment.
• Coordinates referrals to outside health agencies.
• Participates directly and indirectly in health education for improvement of health by teaching persons to become more assertive health consumers and assume greater responsibility for their own health.
• Provides ongoing health counseling with students, parents, and school personnel; maintains, evaluates, and interprets cumulative health data to accommodate individual needs of students; participates in home visits to assess the family's needs as related to the child's health; provides direct health education and health counseling to assist students and families in making decisions on health and lifestyles that affect health.
• Provides instruction or recommendations regarding OSHA, CPR, and other health-related needs.
• Monitors inventory of department equipment and supplies; ensures availability of adequate materials to conduct work activities.
• Participates as health team specialist on the Child Education Evaluation Team to develop the Individual Education Plan (IEP); participates in M-Team for students with health disabilities.
• Arranges and supervises clinical observations/experience for nursing students.
• Operates a computer and other school office equipment to enter, retrieve, review or modify data.
• Operates a variety of equipment and tools associated with school health work activities.
• Communicates with supervisor, employees, other departments, school officials, school faculty/staff, students, parents, physicians, pharmacists, other medical/nursing professionals, social service agency personnel, health department personnel, community organizations, vendors, the public, state/federal agencies, outside organizations, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.
• Complies with applicable district, state, and federal codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures. 
• Attends work and arrives to work on time.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Adheres to the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee Law.

Knowledge/Education/Experience:

• Tennessee nurse practitioner licensure
• Board Certification
• BLS certification
• DEA and full prescriptive authority
• All certifications and licenses must be kept current as a condition of continued employment.
• Malpractice/Liability insurance
  
  

Skills/Qualifications:

• Knowledge of medical principles and procedures.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form.
• Ability to contribute to the development of staff by identifying learning needs and assisting with those needs.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with other providers.
• Computer skills.
  
  

Compensation:
Salary is based on a combination of relevant education and experience.

Grade: N
Salary Scale