JOB DESCRIPTION: The School Nurse provides comprehensive health services to students with special needs, ensuring safe participation in the educational environment. This role involves direct clinical care, care coordination, emergency response, and collaboration with families, healthcare providers, and school staff.

JOB GOAL: To foster a supportive school environment that ensures student safety, health, well-being and academic success by using nursing assessment skills, clinical knowledge and interventions.

REPORTS TO: Principal and Director of Health Services

Days: 220

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Registered Nurse (RN) with current and unencumbered license to practice in the state of SC (may be a graduate of a four-year BSN program) or (graduate of a two-year-ADN program)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification for Healthcare Providers
• Pediatric or school nursing experience preferred
• Experience providing medically complex care preferred

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBLITIES

• Adhere to laws, guidelines and practice regulations set by the South Carolina State Board of Nursing and the SC Nurse Practice Act along with other state and local statutes and regulations applicable to school nursing.
• Deliver skilled nursing care to students with chronic and complex medical conditions (e.g., tracheostomies, feeding tubes, seizure disorders, diabetes).
• Develop, implement, and maintain individualized healthcare plans (IHPs) and emergency care plans (ECPs).
• Administer medications and specialized treatments in accordance with physician orders.
• Monitor student health status and respond to medical emergencies using appropriate clinical judgment.
• Assist with crisis intervention to ensure safety of students and staff.
• Coordinate care with physicians, specialists, therapists, school staff and families.
• Train and supervise school staff on medical procedures and emergency protocols.
• Complete initial documentation, reporting and follow up (if applicable) for employees who sustain work-related injuries.
• Utilize the district’s electronic medical record program to maintain accurate and confidential health records in compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
• Participate in nursing staff development programs and certification training to ensure compliance with federal, state and local health regulations and district policies.
• Participate in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and contribute to student support planning.
• Review student immunization records for compliance and coordinate access to immunization services as needed.
• Monitor for trends in student illnesses to quickly identify potential disease outbreaks and ensure compliance with SC Department of Public Health- School Exclusion guidelines.
• Educate students, staff and families on health safety and infection control measures to prevent illness and injury.
• Inspect and maintain district emergency medical equipment and stock medications (AED’s, Epinephrine, Naloxone, First Aid/Stop the Bleed Kits) to ensure they are functional, accessible and are not expired.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Principal or District Director of Health Services.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements: Requires work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 50 pounds of force on a recurring basis.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics (whether like or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving assignments and/or directions from supervisor.

 Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of documents. Must be able to speak with poise, voice control and confidence and to articulate information to others.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of instructions in oral, written or diagrammatic form; to deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Must have the ability to comprehend and interpret received information and the ability to comprehend and implement basic machinery functions. 

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with persons of varying educational and cultural backgrounds.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to add and subtract totals, to multiply and divide, to determine percentages and decimals, to determine time. Must be able to use practical applications of fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion.

 Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape, and visually read various information. 

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment and communications machinery.

 Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items including computer keyboards, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. 

Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

 Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under moderate stress when confronted with an emergency or tight deadline. The worker is subject to tension as a regular, consistent part of the job. 

Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to hear and understand communications through a telephone.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Knowledge of Job: Has thorough knowledge of the methods, policies and procedures of Spartanburg School District Seven pertaining to specific duties of the School Nurse. Is knowledgeable in the standards and regulations pertaining to the specific duties and responsibilities of the position.

Has knowledge of the organization of the district and of related departments and agencies. Has the ability to comprehend, interpret and apply regulations, procedures and related information.

Can perform duties effectively and professionally in an environment in which discrimination and other public issues are constant concerns. Has the ability to plan, organize and prioritize daily assignments and work activities. Has good organizational, technical and human relations skills. Has the ability to learn and utilize new skills and information to improve job performance and efficiency. 

Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interaction with internal and external entities with whom the position interacts. 

Quantity of Work: Performs described Essential Functions and related assignments efficiently and effectively to produce quantity of work which consistently meets established standards and expectations. 

Dependability: Assumes responsibility for completing assigned work. Completes assigned work within deadlines in accordance with directives, policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Maintains accountability for assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas. 

Attendance: Attends and remains at work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absenteeism and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and leave requests.

Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be accomplished and initiates proper and acceptable action for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.

Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies issues or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to issues or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors.

Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with established policies or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation intra- and inter-departmentally.

Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with managers, supervisors and co-workers for mutual benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships inter- and intra-departmentally, and with external entities with whom the position interacts. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints to established and maintain good will. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image. 

Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of work elements and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends required meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules.

Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all established safety and housekeeping standards. Ensures such standards are not violated.

DISCLAIMER: This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

Spartanburg School District Seven does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, sex, color, disability, age, national origin, or any other applicable status protected by local, state, or federal law. The district also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups as required