Registered School Nurse

CAPS Collaborative•Leominster, MA

18h

About The Position

Manage the school health program consistent with the guidelines, regulations, and statutes governing school health. The Registered School Nurse assesses and evaluates student health, maintains health records, coordinates services with community health programs, promotes disease prevention, provides emergency care, and advises staff, parents, and students on health, safety, and nutrition. The role also supports students’ educational programs through IEP participation, health reports, health care plans, home visits when necessary, and follow-up on absences and health concerns. The nurse works with students, staff, families, administrators, health professionals, and community agencies. The position requires professional conduct, sound independent judgment, effective communication, flexibility, and the ability to work with students or staff who are ill, disabled, emotionally upset, or injured. The nurse is expected to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality, contribute to professional development and collaboration, and assume other responsibilities deemed important by the Executive Director.

Requirements

Hold a current Massachusetts nursing license.
Demonstrate professional conduct.
Cope with the mental, emotional, and physical stresses of the position.
Be able to relate to and work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset, or injured students or staff.
Be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability.
Be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend English.
Effectively work with staff, students, family members, visitors, governmental representatives, and the general public.
Demonstrate flexibility, tact, patience, and enthusiasm when working with students and staff.
Make independent decisions when circumstances warrant.
Be willing to seek out new methods and principles and incorporate them into existing practices.
Have excellent knowledge of nursing assessment and nursing diagnosis; pediatric health issues, including care of technology-dependent students; nursing principles, interventions, and techniques; and quality assurance in nursing practice.
Have knowledge of child development, current health issues, developmentally appropriate health risk factors, mental health issues, chronic and acute health conditions, current health practice, legislative issues, laws associated with student educational placement, infection control, universal health precautions, and personal hygiene.
Have strong verbal and written communication skills to initiate and respond to students, teachers, parents, staff, administrators, and other health and educational professionals.

Responsibilities

Manage the school health program in accordance with applicable guidelines, regulations, and statutes.
Assess and evaluate student health, including conducting appropriate yearly screenings for vision, hearing, scoliosis, height and weight, and vital signs.
Review and update immunization status and obtain records of physical and dental examinations as recommended by the DPH/School Health Unit.
Collect and maintain student health records in accordance with state law and school policy, using computer and paper files.
Provide follow-up for students who fail screenings or have health problems, and follow up on student absences.
Visit program classrooms several times a day and as needed.
Coordinate health services with community health programs by contacting physicians, dentists, and agencies serving CAPS students and utilizing community resources.
Promote disease prevention and control through parent and teacher meetings or trainings and, when requested, guest speakers for staff in-services.
Observe school facilities and recommend modifications needed to maintain student and staff health and safety in accordance with the Center for Disease Control.
Provide emergency care for injuries or sudden illness, respond to frequently encountered health problems, and follow seizure protocols.
Teach CPR and First Aid courses for staff.
Serve as a health, safety, and nutrition resource for staff, parents, and students.
Attend IEP meetings and write health reports for those meetings.
Make home visits when necessary.
Conduct in-service programs for staff and students upon request.
Write health care plans for students as needed.
Attend area workshops and conferences to promote professional goals.
Report student medical information, including dismissal, seizures, bruises, and illness, and classroom staff issues to Program Coordinators.
Plan, direct, and supervise licensed personnel and nonprofessional health personnel.
Maintain professional boundaries and student/staff confidentiality as appropriate within the educational team.
Stay informed about current literature and resources in the field and participate in staff meetings and professional development opportunities.
Assume other responsibilities deemed important by the Executive Director.