Nurse Float

Education and Experience:

Certified LPN required, RN preferred

Current licensure is in good standing in the state of practice

1-2 years of experience as a nurse

Special Skills, knowledge and abilities

Medical terminology

Clinical skills

Time management and adaptability skills is required

Ability to operate standard office equipment

License or Certification necessary:

Certified LPN or RN

CPR and/or BLS Certification required

Physical Demands

Nurses may spend a great deal of their professional day walking, standing, moving, and manipulating equipment, as well as lifting and moving objects, equipment, and supplies. It is reasonable to anticipate lifting 20-25 pounds in any given day. Lifting up to 40-50 pounds may occasionally be required, depending on the specific style or type of care provided.

Summary:

The Nurse is responsible for managing the individualized patient care by promoting and restoring patients' health through the nursing process; collaborating with practitioners and multidisciplinary team members; providing physical and psychological support to patients, friends, and families; and supervising assigned team members. The nurse is responsible to report to the Director of Nursing for the assigned area.

As a Nurse float, this position will primarily work in the clinic, but float into our schools when needed. When a float is not needed at the school, you will work in the Clinic 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Being a float means that there may be times when we will not know until the day of, that a school might need to be covered.

The provision of direct health care to students and staff includes offering emergency care for injuries and acute illnesses, training and delegating medication administration to unlicensed personnel, and assisting in the management of chronic conditions. The school nurse coordinates care plans for conditions like diabetes and asthma, develops Individual Health Plans (IHPs) for students with chronic diseases, and ensures compliance with health service regulations. Additionally, the nurse plays a leadership role by ensuring adherence to legal and ethical standards, participating in health-related advisory committees, and developing emergency response plans. Health screenings for vision, hearing, and other issues are conducted to address barriers to learning, while efforts to promote a healthy school environment include monitoring immunizations and assessing physical and emotional safety. The nurse also provides health education, promotes wellness activities, and collaborates with staff to foster healthy lifestyles. Finally, they act as a liaison between families, the community, and health care providers, facilitating communication and case management to support student health and well-being.

Responsibilities:

In the Clinic, the nurse float is expected to provide high-quality, culturally competent, and compassionate care while adhering to facility protocols and maintaining professional development.

Assessment & Care Prioritization: Conduct individualized patient assessments, prioritizing based on immediate needs, and adjust care as the patient’s condition evolves.

Care Planning & Collaboration: Develop and update individualized care plans in collaboration with the healthcare team.

Treatment & Interventions: Administer treatments and perform therapeutic nursing interventions as per the care plan and practitioner orders.

Cultural & Age Competence: Deliver care that is sensitive to the patient’s age, culture, and specific needs.

Patient & Family Education: Provide customized education to patients and families regarding health and care.

Documentation: Accurately document assessments, responses to interventions, and progress.

Emergency Response: Initiate emergency resuscitation and life support measures when required.

Confidentiality & Professionalism: Maintain patient confidentiality and deliver care in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner that respects the patient’s rights.

Communication & Reporting: Report patient condition to appropriate personnel at the start and end of shifts.

Continuing Education & Competency: Stay current in nursing practices through ongoing education, workshops, and professional engagement.

Documentation Proficiency: Be proficient in both paper-based and electronic medical record documentation.

In the school, the nurse float will vary depending on individual needs of local school districts to facilitate the educational process by removal or modification of health-related barriers to student learning.

The National Association of School Nurses has identified seven core roles of the school nurse. As reference, the roles are:

1. Provision of direct health care to students and staff - ensure consent is on file when they arrive at the office.

• Check Insurance
• Provides care to students and staff who need emergency care due to injury or who present with an acute illness
• Within the nurse’s scope of practice and state laws, trains, and delegates to unlicensed school personnel medication administration and/or the delivery of health services as ordered by a licensed healthcare provider. Delegation to others involves initial assessment, training, competency validation, supervision, and evaluation by the school nurse.
• Assists faculty and staff monitoring chronic medical conditions, assess patient and contact NP with name, age, full set of vitals including height, weight, and complaint
• Treat patient per NP orders. Speak with the parent/guardian when needed
• Coordinate care and student emergency action plans related to diabetes, seizures, asthma, allergies and use of emergency medications i.e. EpiPen, Glucagon
• Develop an Individual Health Plan (IHP) for children with chronic disease in conjunction with their practitioner or pediatrician
• Administer daily meds with a written order from a PCP/Specialist. Document in Infinite Campus and on MARs
• Assist diabetic with accuchecks for blood sugar, carb counts, and insulin administration under Diabetic Medical Management Plans from their Endocrinologist. Speak with parent/guardian and Endo as needed.

2. Provides leadership for the provision of health services

• Assures that school district policies and procedures adhere to legal and regulatory statutes and ethical standards of nursing practice
• Serve on advisory committees/consultation for health accommodations necessary to support student individual education care plans, (i.e. 504 & 1EP).
• Assist with the development of school emergency response plan for emergencies and disasters and the training of staff to respond appropriately within applicable state laws
• Develop plans/implement plans, and evaluate response to interventions

3. Provides screening and referral for health conditions

• Address potential health problems that are barriers to learning or symptoms of underlying medical conditions by coordinating and assisting with mandated screenings, i.e., vision, hearing and scoliosis;
• Initiates referrals according to state and school policies
• Conduct lice checks. These cannot be completed as a class, but as one at a time due to HIPAA and must be completed in nurse’s office individually
• Urine dip sticks
• Get students ready for wellness exams, sports physicals, and immunizations (obtain

consents, VS) for NP.

4. Promotes a healthy school environment

• Monitors immunizations and reports communicable diseases as required by law
• Review immunization records for compliance to state laws and school policies
• Assess the physical environment of the school to improve health and safety, including the assessment of playground, indoor air quality evaluation or review patterns of illness or injury to determine source of concern
• Assist in evaluation of school emotional environment to decrease potential bullying and violence and/or an environment that is not conducive to optimal mental health and learning

5. Promotes health

• Provides health education information directly to individual students, groups of students, or classes or by providing guidance and consultation about health education curriculum;
• Promotes health awareness activities such fairs for staff and families; consultation with other school staff, i.e. food service personnel or physical education teachers, regarding healthy lifestyles and staff wellness programs
• Serves as a member of the coordinated school health team that promotes the health and wellbeing of school members through collaborative efforts
• Check monthly for expired medications and supplies. Dispose of properly. If a student's medication is expired, please contact parent/guardian.

6. Serves in a leadership role for health policies and programs

• Provides leadership in the development and evaluation of school health policies, programs and the promotion of a health school environment through the collaboration with coordinated school health programs, crises/disaster management teams and school health advisory councils
• Oversees the collection of health data and submission of health reports to LHD for

immunization and KOE for school health services.

7. Serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community, and health care providers.

• Provides case management through by communicating with the family through telephone calls, written communication and home visits as needed
• Serves as a representative of the school community to promote the health of the community

Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist FHCA in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful family practice for all patient and employees.

For more information, please follow the links below:

National Association of School Nurses —http:// www.nasn.org

Kentucky Board of Nursing - http://www.kbn.ky.gov

Kentucky Department of Education - http://www.education.ky.gov

About Family Health Care Associates

Family Health Care Associates has been servicing communities across Kentucky since 2002. Our mission is to provide quality health care to all people in the communities we serve. We believe the importance of living a healthy life can be achieved through proper training and guidance to all people in the community. Our goal is to help people learn how to live healthy and work to prevent illness before it happens.