School Nurse Job Description
General Statement of Job: School nurses are responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating school health services within the context of the Coordinated School Health Program Model. The school nurse serves in the roles of program manager/coordinator, case manager/direct care provider, collaborator/advocate, educator and counselor for the
school district in assigned schools. This position reports to the Assistant Superintendent.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities: School Health Services Manager/Coordinator
Assures that schools are in compliance with mandated health service activities. Coordinates and participates in the establishment, review, and implementation of school health services, policies, and procedures. Assures that such policies and related procedures adhere to legal and regulatory requirements and ethical standards of nursing practice. Develops and coordinates quality improvement activities for the school health service component of the school health program. Documents, compiles, and analyzes data for required reports on school health
services.
-
Assures that school health services and activities are appropriately documented
according to professional school nurse standards.
-
Assesses, plans, and evaluates the health services component of the coordinated
school health program. Implements communicable disease control in the school, including monitoring, surveillance, and participating in disease prevention and outbreak management within the school. Serves as the health care consultant for school personnel, students, and their parents/families. Provides professional health leadership to administrators and school staff. Develops training for, trains and monitors staff that provides health services, including delegated procedures, the administration of medication to students, and
other health related mandated activities.
Case Manager and Direct Care Provider for Student with Special Health Care Needs and Those Needing Health Services
Identification of students with special health care needs.
-
Development of emergency action plans for students at risk of medical crises at
school or during a school function. Development of and monitoring of individual health care plans for students who need invasive procedures performed during the school day, as well as for students who may require adaptation of the health-related learning environment or classroom schedule. Provision of case management and active collaboration with staff, students, and families to promote self-management and optimal care during school hours. Provision of training for staff regarding chronic illnesses experienced by students at school.
-
Functioning as a health resource for chronically ill students and their families.
Provision of consultation and recommendations in the planning and development
of health accommodation plans for Section 504 eligible students.
-
Determination of tasks that may be appropriately delegated to licensed or
unlicensed persons, on a student by student basis, and the provision of training for these people for these tasks. On going supervision and evaluation of delegated staff to assure the safe and effective performance of delegated tasks. Provision of periodic health appraisals of students with identified or suspected health problems. Coordination of screening programs and immunization revise/follow up for the
school.
Collaborator/Advocator
-
Functions as the liaison between the school and local health service
agencies/providers and community resources. Serves as interpreter of health mandates, recommendations, and trends to school
personnel through written materials, meetings, etc.
-
Collaborates with other student services personnel to prevent health problems
from becoming reasons for educational failure.
Provides guidance and support to families in finding and using treatment services.
-
Collaborates with community agencies to provide resources for students and their
families through serving on committees, task forces, etc. . Seeks out local and other resources for use in the school setting.
Supports the development and on-going functioning of the School Health
Advisory Council.
Educator for School and Community Concerns
Participating with other school personnel in developing workshops for teachers, assistants, and other staff on health-related topics.
Conducting in-service training for school personnel on health issues.
-
Providing classroom health instruction/serving as a resource to increase the
existing teaching staff's capacity to achieve the school's health education goals.
-
Participating in the development and implementation of health promotion
activities.
Counselor for Health Concerns of Students and their Families and the Staff
-
Provision of health counseling for students and their families to maximize
classroom participation.
-
Promotion of health through education and counseling.
-
Interpretation of students' health needs to school personnel and facilitation of
understanding of and adjusting to changes and limitations.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
-
Community, including community as a system and aggregates as clients
Pediatric/Adolescent Nursing Public Health/Community Health Nursing Health counseling, mental health and crisis intervention Communicable Disease Applicable laws, regulations and standards pertaining to school nursing practice School Health Law Special education legislation and services
Case finding, case management, and health advocacy
-
Program management, including personnel supervision
-
Family theory, assessment, and intervention
-
Leadership, networking, and collaboration
Ethnic and cultural sensitivity and competence Contemporary health and psychosocial issues that influence children, families, and the community. Health care delivery systems and the concepts of primary health care. Building student, staff, and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self-advocacy, and learning. School as a non-traditional health care setting. Development, management, and evaluation of school health programs Environmental health within the school community,
Plan, coordinate, and supervise the work of others.
-
Deal tactfully with others and exercise good judgment in appraising situations.
-
Make independent and timely nursing decisions including use of triage.
Secure the cooperation and respect of students, faculty, and staff Elicit needed information and maintain effective working relationships, Collect data to direct evidence based practice. Record accurately services rendered and interpret and explain records, reports, activities, health care plans, accommodations, and medical interventions, Identify health related barriers to learning.
Minimum Training and Experience:
-
Required: Registered Nurse, currently licensed in NC
-
Required: Nationally certified school nurse or registered nurse working toward national school nurse certification, to be completed within three years of hire date.
-
Highly Recommended: BSN/BS (to make National Certification within easier reach) or more advanced nursing education,
-
Highly Recommended; A minimum of three years RN experience dealing with young children and adolescents (ages 5-18) May Hire;
-
Registered Nurse working toward baccalaureate degree and national school nurse certification with the stipulation that both be completed within three years of hire date.
