School Nurse

Title: School Nurse

Position Purpose:

• To provide assessment, screening, planning, intervention, evaluation, counseling, management, and/or referrals concerning the health and medical care needs of students to minimize absences due to illness, maximize educational opportunities, and creating a healthy school climate.

Essential Functions:

• Works collaboratively with health care providers, students' parents, school district staff, and community agencies to ensure access and continuity of care for students.
• Assists in the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive school health program.
• Collects information about the health development status of students for compliance with state immunization regulations and Board of Education policies.
• Conducts school programs of immunization, physical examinations, and sight and hearing testing.
• Performs nursing assessment for students who are ill or injured; applies appropriate theory as the basis for providing first aid, nursing care, intervention, and referrals for those students.
• Evaluates nursing care provided and changes plan of care as necessary.
• Implements Board policy with respect to the exclusion and readmission of students in connection with certain infectious and contagious diseases (e.g., Tuberculosis).
• Maintains accurate records and documentation in accordance with state and federal law and the Board of Education policies.
• Develops individual health care plan (ICHP) when needed with specific goals, nursing diagnosis, and interventions delineating school-nursing actions unique to students' needs and for incorporation into the student's individualized educational plan (IEP).
• Intervenes as guided by the nursing care plan to implement nursing actions that promote, maintain, or restore health, prevent illness, and affect rehabilitation.
• Serves as a member of school teams as designated health care professionals (e.g., Crisis Teams, PPT, Section 504).
• Provides guidance, counseling and health education to students, parents, and employees as necessary.
• Reports to parents, school district personnel, physicians, clinics, and others as needed to meet student health needs.
• Provides instruction and training regarding the Heimlich Maneuver, Blood Borne Pathogen training, the school district's Emergency plan, and with regard to providing care for students, including students with disabilities.
• Contributes to nursing and school health through innovations, in theory, practice, and participation in research, including narrative and statistical reports.
• Provides medical assessment to school district employees as requested.
• Provides health education to students as requested.
• Notifies the appropriate person or agency of student's injury/illness in accordance with Board policy as necessary.
• Confers with parents, students, and school district staff and professionals to interpret health and developmental assessments.

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related tasks as assigned by supervisors or other administrators.

Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all-inclusive of every duty or responsibility.

Equipment:

• Uses medical equipment to provide health care to students/staff, including, but not limited to, blood glucose monitor, stethoscopes, thermometers, sphygmomanometers.
• Uses personal computers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, first aid, illnesses and injuries, nutrition, and related areas.
• Ability to diagnose and provide care for ill or injured students.
• Ability to convey appropriate medical information to school district staff or medical professionals to ensure a proper maintenance in the school setting.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and perform arithmetic operations as needed for position.
• Ability to understand, apply, and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel, Powerpoint, the Internet, Outlook, electronic mail).
• Ability to problem solve job-related issues.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of individuals and students with special needs.
• Ability to follow oral and written orders from supervisors, administrators, physicians, and to coordinate work with the principal, teachers, and others.
• Ability to describe orally and in writing school health services provided, issues, and concerns regarding school health.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with students, staff, and others contacted in the course of work.

Safety Requirements:

• Implements Board Policy regarding Blood Borne Pathogens and other Board policies regarding the medical or health care of employees and students.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel between schools may be required.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards:

• Work in standard school building environment.
• Exposure to body secretions, bloodborne pathogens, medicine and medicinal supplies, illnesses and diseases.

Note: Also, see the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Functions for this position.

Qualifications Profile:

• Any combination of education, licenses, certifications, and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:
• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, or related science area, with coursework in growth and development, health assessment, public or school health, crisis intervention and health education.
• Master's degree in related field preferred.
• Must meet the qualifications of a school nurse as defined in state regulations.
• Successful experiences working with the pediatric population, preferably in a community or school setting desirable.

License or Certificate:

• Registered professional nurse, designated as R.N. as defined and determined by state law, and currently licensed in the state.
• Current certification in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Works Hours:

• 7.5 hours per day to be assigned
• 5 days per week

Compensation:

• $36.21 per hour per the Nurses Union Contract

Requirements:

• Must pass federal and local background checks
• Must have reliable transportation
• Must complete all pre-employment requirements before the start date.

Application Procedure:

• Apply Online via Applitrack on our website:www.winchesterschools.org

Selection:
Process and Interviews convened by Principal/Superintendent/Director of Student Support Services/Principal.

Addendum to Job Description

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Mobility: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time, push or pull 18-26 lbs., sit, kneel and crouch, twist and bend, use hands to type, finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arm.
• Sense: The employee is required to talk/hear conversations and other sounds. The employee must be able to communicate effectively in person and over the telephone. The employee is required to taste and smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, far vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Lifting: The employee must be able to lift or move up to 10 lbs regularly and occasionally up to 26 pounds.; must also be able to lift overhead. The employee may be required to physically move quickly in an emergency or while performing student supervision duties.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical Hazards: While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to work outdoors in a wide variety of temperatures, from -10 degrees F to 100 degrees F . The employee may be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The noise level in this work environment is moderate.