SUMMARY OF PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

As a member of a health services team that routinely travels between centers to provide various health services, the Program Nurse, RN is responsible to provide children with a comprehensive health program, including preventive and curative health services. The Program Nurse, RN monitors program safety and sanitation practices. Provides leadership, guidance, support to Program LPN's and Health Assistants to ensure appropriate communication and guidance to families is provided. Helps recruit potential parents by providing information to them about the various program services and benefits offered to enrolled children and families.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Comprehensive Health Services

• Performs emergency health measures such as abdominal thrusts, CPR, and First aid.
• Organizes site health program by obtaining and preparing needed medical supplies and equipment.
• Provides anticipatory guidance to parents and staff regarding their child’s health status.
• Coordinates health services with local agencies, including medical and dental providers. Assisting in contract development as needed.
• Assist with physical examinations and sick child clinics when conducted at the center.
• Coordinates and plans health screenings, staff and parent education, community outreach and health activities.
• Makes reasonable accommodations to minimize or eliminate health and safety risk.
• Trains teaching and other staff as appropriate on the administration and handling and storage of medications.
• Provides ongoing support and guidance for medication administration, storage and handling.
• Collects, prioritizes and synthesizes comprehensive data pertinent to the child’s health and situation.
• Makes appropriate referral determinations based on assessments.
• Provides Child and Teen Checkups as the physical assessment under nursing practice.
• Assures that all children are up-to-date with all age appropriate screening and exams.
• Maintains current health budgets. Assures TVOC is payer of last resort and prepares and pays providers as appropriate.
• Obtains a health and developmental history, collects appropriate parent permissions for health services.
• Documents child health conditions and screening results by maintaining a current medical file for every enrolled child. Screens and evaluates findings for deficits in vision, hearing, scoliosis, growth, etc.
• Observes children for developmental and health patterns in making a nursing assessment and nursing diagnoses.
• Documents health information for the database system. Obtains and updates child health history and immunization record, completes appropriate documentation for agency statistics and follow-up purposes.
• Utilizing internal Health Services system, collects, enters, and monitors necessary data in ChildPlus system, ensuring data is current, complete, and accurate.
• Provides health services and training to center staff as needed.
• Obtains a health, nutrition and depression scale for all enrolled pregnant women.
• Provides professional nursing educational services to pregnant women.
• Assures all enrolled pregnant women have access to appropriate care and follow up.
• Uses professional analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to effectively perform essential functions of position.
• Monitors and supports Child Care licensing requirements.
• Ensures Employee Health records are assessed and signed as appropriate.
• Assist in preparing reports as needed.
• Transports children to scheduled medical and dental appointments.

Preventive Health Services and Early Intervention

• Conducts and/or arranges for age appropriate screenings.
• Interprets the health status of children and makes the professional health determination for each child.
• Initiates referrals to parents and community health resources for intervention, remediation, and follow through.
• Provides training and technical assistance to parents/guardians and staff on current child health and safety issues.
• Recommends and helps implement modifications of classroom environment to support child’s health needs.
• Coordinates child follow-up, treatment, and evaluation with appropriate professionals as needed.
• Promotes and assist in the control of communicable diseases through preventive immunizations programs, early detection, surveillance and reporting of contagious diseases.

Resource Development

• Utilizing best practice, provides families with skill, resources and insight to promote on-going health care system.
• Demonstrates empathy and knowledge regarding Head Start families’ culture and lifestyle.
• Acts as a professional resource to parents regarding their child’s present and future health care needs.
• Encourages parent/guardian participation in health screenings, dental appointments and medical follow-up and related health issues.
• Works with staff to ensure that parents/guardians are informed of their child’s health progress.
• Actively collaborates with local Public Health groups to ensure best practice is used.

• Current Registered Nurse license in the state where services are provided.
• Proof of current Professional Liability Insurance with a minimum of $3,000,000 aggregate; upon hire and to maintain current thereafter.
• Willingness to regularly travel between center locations and work occasional evenings to meet program needs.
• Current CPR certification.
• Proof of valid driver’s license and current vehicle insurance coverage.
• Comfortable working with computers, willing and able to learn program specific systems as needed for position.

Tri-Valley is a non-profit community action agency.

We believe in the value of all human beings. It is that belief that drives our efforts to identify needs, seek resources and provide opportunities for people to thrive.

Our work is committed to strengthening our communities so that its citizens have better places to live, work, worship and enjoy.

The mission of Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is to provide opportunities to improve the quality of life for people and communities.

If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact Human Resources at 218-281-0536 or hr@tvoc.org.