JOB
SUMMARY: The school nurse will provide nursing services for the students and staff in the Gadsden Independent School District.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
In collaboration with educational staff and others, the professional registered school nurse establishes and manages a coordinated school health program consistent with New Mexico guidelines, regulations, and statues governing nursing and school health, as well as local District policy by: Consult with the school administrators, physicians and others to establish, review, and revise policies, procedures, and specific programs for coordinated school health education and services as needed.Utilizing needs assessment procedures and data collection procedures to evaluate health services. Preparing regular written reports for school officials and state agencies from individual school sites. Organizing and implementing state-mandated programs such as immunization, surveillance, and health screening programs at individual school sites. Facilitating the orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation of health assistant personnel as needed.Developing and using effective methods of documentation and a coordinated school health record system.Developing programs for communicable disease prevention and infection control.Promoting positive safety practices both within and outside of school buildings and participating in the emergency plan which is communicated to personnel and students.Interpreting school health service needs and the role of the school nurse to the school and community; also serving on school health advisory committees as appropriate.Using the nursing process, the registered school nurse plans and implements health care incollaboration with educational staff, families, and students by: Collecting and analyzing information about the health and developmental status of students, families and staff.Developing nursing diagnosis and student’s individual health care plans with specific goals and interventions delineating school nursing actions specific to student needs and coordinated with the efforts of other providers and school personnel; also implementing this plan in a manner aimed at improving health and educational status.Providing for medically prescribed interventions, including medication administration and medical/nursing treatments and arranging for the standard care of ill and injured students and staff members as needed.Responding to health issues, providing counseling and crisis intervention when required in areas such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, death of family members, suicide, and child neglect or abuse.Managing communicable disease issues in the school by providing school-based education and interventions in collaboration with and under the direction of the local health authority, and pursuant to appropriate federal regulations and guidelines.Assessing student response to nursing actions in order to revise the data base as needed, nursing diagnoses and nursing care plan and to determine the progress made toward goal achievement.The registered school nurse collaborates with other professionals, team members, and community providers in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluation programs and other school health activities in order to maximize and coordinate services and prevent duplication by: Establishes a process to identify students at risk for physical and psychosocial problems, communicating health needs to other school personnel as appropriate and establishing a referral system using both internal and community resources.Participating as a team member and with parental consent when indicated, sharing information with other team members about students health problems and needs; also acting as an advocate for students and families when appropriate.Including students and families in team conferences whenever possible and appropriate.Identifying health-related needs for inclusion in the student’s individual education plan and developing the health management plan if appropriate.Serving as a member of pertinent committees and teams.Participating in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of school-based health centers, and acting as the leader of these centers if appropriate.Participating in the planning, implementation of staff and student health promotion and wellness programs.Working with community agencies addressing school/community health care needs.The registered school nurse assists students, families and staff to achieve optimal levels of wellness through health education and promotion by: Identifying needs for health education and teaching the basic principles of health promotion and disease prevention to students and staff, using principles of learning and appropriate teaching methods.Participating in the planning of health in-service programs for school personnel.Acting as a resource person to health education programs and classes.The registered school nurse participates with other members of the community in assessing, planning implementing and evaluating school health services and community services, which includes the broad continuum of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs by: Serving as a member of the school team which assesses the health/social aspects of the school sites long-range strategic plan.Using community and population-base data.Understanding and applying core public health functions of assessment, policy development, evaluation and assurance.Using community resources for referral of students with unmet health needs, including the need for a primary care provider; participating in the planning and implementation of new services.Working with the community to convey health information and acting as an advocate for the role of the school health program in promoting the health of the student population.The registered school nurse applies nursing theory as the basis for decision making in the school setting while expanding knowledge and skills in response to student health needs by: Demonstrating current knowledge in such areas as: professional issues in school nursing, school and community health, communicable disease control, growth and development, health assessment, acute and chronic health conditions, injury prevention and emergency care, and student issues.Demonstrating current knowledge in the area of legal/ethical health policy.Participating, where appropriate, in pilot projects/research projects related to school health.Collaborating with local schools of nursing to provide student practice in community health as well as to obtain nursing education resources.Assuming responsibility for continuing her/his own education and obtaining expert consultation, supervision, and peer review as needed. Other duties may be assigned.Performs other duties as assigned. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly supervises the Health Assistant. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Evaluation in conjunction with the Director of Nursing and Health Services.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Must be able to respond quickly to emergencies and be able to perform CPR and First Aid.Maintains emotional control under stress.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.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.