JOB TITLE: School Nurse (Floater)

EVALUATED BY: Principal/Designee and/or Director of Health Services

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The school nurse is responsible for developing, implementing and managing a school health program for a school population as defined by the school district. Responsibilities include program management, nursing services, collaboration, health education, community health planning, and professional practice.

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QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Massachusetts
• Baccalaureate or Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited professional nursing program
• Certified or eligible for certification as a school nurse through the Massachusetts Department of Education
• Minimum of two years experience in community health, school nursing, pediatric nursing or a related field of nursing

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Management

Establishes and manages a comprehensive school health program

• Promotes positive safety practices both within and outside of school buildings, and ensures that the school has an emergency plan which is communicated to personnel and students.
• Organizes and implements state-mandated programs such as immunization surveillance and screening programs.
• Maintains comprehensive, up-to-date school health records in all grades.
• Collaborates with school administrators and personnel in assessing and improving the social and emotional climate of students and faculty; involves them in maintaining a healthful school environment.
• Uses population-based data collection to plan and evaluate the school health program.
• Prepares regular written reports for school officials and MDPH and other agencies.
• Interprets school health service needs and the role of the school nurse to the school and community.
• Carries out communicable disease prevention and infection control based on current guidelines for universal precautions, prevention of bloodborne pathogens exposure and hazardous medical waste disposal.
• Ensures the orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation of paraprofessionals as needed.

Nursing Services
Demonstrates appropriate nursing assessment skills and collaboration in meeting the health needs of students and staff

• Collaborates with the parent/guardian and student, where appropriate, to develop and implement an individualized health care plan for the student.
• Collects information about the health and developmental status of the student, his/her family, and significant others.
• Visits homes, as needed.
• Develops a nursing diagnosis and care plan with specific goals and interventions.
• Delineating school nursing actions specific to student needs and coordinated with the efforts of other providers and school personnel; implements plans in a manner aimed at improving health and educational status.
• Provides medically prescribed interventions.
• Administers over the counter medications per school physician certified standing orders to students and staff.
• Responds to frequently encountered health issues, providing counseling and crisis intervention when required.
• Responds to child neglect or abuse issues (as required by Massachusetts statute).
• Assesses student response to nursing actions in order to revise the database, nursing diagnoses, and nursing care plan and to determine the progress made toward goal achievement.
• Provides first aid to injured children and staff.
• Provides everyday care of acutely ill children and staff.
• Keeps daily records of students and staff seen in the health room.
• Maintains current health records on each student.
• Manages children with communicable diseases.
• Performs state-mandated screening programs and provides appropriate referrals
• Assists the Board of Health with immunization programs in the schools and community clinics for disease prevention, including students, staff and the community at large.

Collaboration
Collaborates with her colleagues, team members and community providers in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating programs and other school health activities, so as to maximize and coordinate services and prevent duplication

• Establishes a process to identify students at risk for physical and psychosocial problems, communicates health needs to other school personnel as appropriate and establishes a referral system using both internal and community resources.
• Participates as a team member; with parental consent when indicated, shares information with other team members about children with special health care problems which affect learning and growth; includes the student and parent in the team conference whenever possible and appropriate.
• Acts as an advocate for the student and family when appropriate.
• Attends Special Education Team meetings.
• Identifies health-related needs for inclusion in the individual education plan.
• Serves as a member of pertinent committees and teams.

Health Education
Assists students, families, and groups to achieve optimal levels of wellness through health education and promotion

• Identifies the need for health education.
• Teaches the basic principles of health promotion and disease prevention to students and staff in the community.
• Assumes responsibilities for in-service programs for school personnel for universal precautions, first aid, emergency care procedures, and current health issues.
• Acts as a resource in health education to school personnel, students and families.

Community Health Planning
Participates with other members of the community to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate school health services and community services which include the broad continuum of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention:

• Understands and applies core public health functions of assessment, policy development and assurance.
• Uses community resources for referral of students with unmet health needs, including the need for a primary care provider.
• Participates in the planning and implementation of new services.
• Interprets school health service needs and the role of the school nurse to the school and community.
• Uses the media to convey important health information and advocate for the role of the school health program in promoting the health of the student population.

Professional Practice
Applies appropriate nursing theory as the basis for decision-making in the school setting while expanding knowledge and skills in response to the student health needs and participating in research:

• Demonstrates current knowledge in such areas as (a) professional issues in school nursing, (b) school and community health, (c) communicable disease control, (d)growth and development, (e) health assessment, special health conditions, both chronic and acute, (g) injury prevention and emergency care (h) health counseling, health education and promotion, (i) current adolescent issues.
• Assumes responsibility for continuing own education.
• Maintains certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Obtains expert consultation, supervision and peer review as needed.
• Collaborates with local schools of nursing to provide student practical health, as well as to obtain nursing education resources.
• Participates in research.
• Perform other duties that may be assigned by the Lead Nurse of building principal.

WORK YEAR: Flexible

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT/SALARY

As negotiated by the North Andover School Committee and the North Andover Teachers Association. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties may be assigned as required.