School Nurse - High School

TITLE: School Nurse - High School

SUMMARY: Reporting to the Building Principal and/or Director of Student Services and Special Education, the School Nurse is responsible for enhancing the educational process of students by the modification or removal of health-related barriers to learning and by promotion of an optimal level of wellness to both students and staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manages a comprehensive school health program consistent with the Massachusetts guidelines, regulations, and statutes governing nursing and school health.

Organizes and implements state-mandated programs such as immunization surveillance and screening programs (vision, hearing, postural).

Teaches the Certified Nursing Assistant program within the high school daily, plus the clinical component.

Promotes positive safety practices both within and outside of school buildings.

Maintains comprehensive school health records for each student based on nursing assessment and medical information; maintains a daily record of all Nurse's Office visits and activities.

Performs communicable disease prevention/infection control per current guidelines for universal precautions, prevention of blood-borne pathogens and exposure to hazardous medical waste.

Provides medically prescribed interventions, including medication administration; provides care to ill children and first aid to injured children, and triage to appropriate health care providers.

Using the nursing process, collaborates with the parent/guardian and student, when appropriate, to develop and implement an individualized health care plan for the student.

Documents the administration of all medications in accordance with District policy and state laws.

Provides health education to students, families, and school personnel for optimum wellness.

Attends educational activities related to current clinical knowledge and professional issues.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience

Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Bachelor's Degree or Master''s Degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university. Certification as a School Nurse with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Current certification in CPR/AED and First Aid. Two years of experience in school, pediatric, or public health nursing preferred. Need a minimum of one year of experience in long-term care for DPH approval as the CNA primary instructor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of medical disorders and treatment, child growth and development, public health problems, and procedures for treatment in coordination with other health and social service agencies. Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting the delivery of school health services; knowledge of the school organization and the community served.

Skill in interacting tactfully with others and exercising good judgment; making independent and timely nursing decisions; securing cooperation and respect of students and staff; maintaining effective working relationships; accurately recording services rendered; interpreting and explaining records, reports, activities, health care plan, accommodations, or medical intervention.

Ability to identify abnormal growth, development, and symptoms of disease; coordinate and facilitate services between the school, local health agency, and other community resources; develop and maintain health records on students.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to remain in a stationary position for extended periods; move and traverse swiftly throughout the building; position oneself to effectively assist students; close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus; mental acuity to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions. Accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Exposure to disease/pathogens, blood, bodily fluids, medications, and toxic chemicals. Employee experiences constant interruptions and deadlines. The noise level is quiet to loud. Duties are performed primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors. In-district and out-of-town travel is required as necessary for training and/or to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position. The essential duties and responsibilities listed are intended only as an illustration of the type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment of the position.