School Nurse

Job Description

To ensure each student reaches their maximum mental, physical and emotional potential, with a focus on the relationship between a student's health and successful living and learning.

Responsibilities:

1. Provide emergency care for ill or injured students using first aid procedures and obtaining necessary assistance in cases of serious trauma and/or illness. When notified of a medical emergency, accident or crisis situation, report immediately to the location to facilitate the prompt activation of the assessment, intervention, treatment, or referral process.
2. Assist with managing students with health problems in the school setting. Assess all students with known health problems on a required basis, based on severity of problem or level of need.
3. Provide health appraisals including heights, weights, vision, hearing, tympanometry, spinal screening, and other health problems as deemed necessary. Make referrals for medical treatment and do follow-up on those problems when necessary.
4. Dispense medication according to law and district policy.
5. Promote health education, both individually and in the classroom, and act as a resource to the teacher promoting optimum health. Plan and organize staff inservice training and facilitate all classroom teaching on assigned campus.
6. Perform health screening and complete forms on students being referred or reevaluated for Special Education Services. Review all Special Education assessments and reevaluations (REI) and complete all required forms.
7. Provide health counseling for students with health problems.

School/Organizational Climate:

1. Support the philosophy of individual school campuses, the school district, and the school health program.
2. Cooperate with other staff members in child abuse and drug abuse cases, assisting with the documentation and referral process according to district guidelines.

School/Organizational Improvement:

1. Attend monthly health services staff meetings and other meetings required of staff members in the school assigned.
2. Perform other health related duties and other functions as assigned by the principal and/or director of nurses.
3. Participate in special programs and ARDS as required by individual campuses.
4. Update all health screening, health care, and health education programs by attending inservices, workshops, and training sessions providing current health information.

Administration and Fiscal/Facilities Management:

1. Maintain accurate and complete health records on each student including immunization records, health history, screening results, referral and follow up information. Review and/or complete all annual reports (hearing, vision, scoliosis, immunizations, etc.) based on screening data.
2. Adhere to the Texas Immunization Law securing records on each student and updating records as necessary on individual student health records in district's immunization computer system.
3. Keep an accurate daily record of student referrals to the Clinic.
4. Document medication on daily log including time, dosage, and person administering.
5. Communicate with the principal in interpreting and implementing policies, laws, and procedures of the health services program.
6. Maintain a current list of students with medical conditions and provide that information to the appropriate personnel when necessary.
7. Cooperate with all student service departments, faculty, and parents to meet the needs of students.
8. Complete accident reports for students and staff and follow proper channels of documentation.
9. Maintain adequate inventory of first aid supplies in each school.

Professional Growth and Development:

1. Pursue educational studies and seek current health information in order to maintain a professional level of performance.
2. Attend inservice meetings as required by the state of Texas and the District.
3. Attend the required number of continuing education courses needed to maintain professional nursing licensure for the State of Texas.
4. Perform other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor and/or Superintendent.

School/Community Relations:

1. Provide referrals and follow-up on identified health problems as necessary to attain optimum health for each student.
2. Make home visits as part of the assessment and follow-through process.
3. Act as liaison between students, families, principals, teachers, counselors, family physicians, and other agencies.
4. Control communicable diseases through exclusion and readmission of students, and notify the health department of all reportable diseases.
5. Promote health by participating in community health activities.
6. Attendance at work is an essential function.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

1. Plan with and supervise LVNs on designated campus
2. Plan and supervise purposeful assignments for aides and volunteers
3. Supervise the assigned LVN
4. Provide training as needed for LVNs within the district

Requirements:

• Minimum Experience: One or more years of nursing experience required
• Minimum Education/Certification:
• Graduate of an accredited professional nursing program
• Valid registered nurse license to practice professional nursing in Texas from the State Board of Nurse Examiners
• Certified by the Texas Department of Health to conduct vision and hearing screening and trained in scoliosis screening
• Current CPR certification
• Valid Texas driver's license
• Eligible for coverage under the District's vehicle insurance program