STIPEND OPPORTUNITY: Regional Health Screening Lead Nurse (SY25-26)

Regional Health Screening Lead Nurse (Stipend Position)

The Office of Health Services is seeking highly organized and clinically proficient Registered Nurses to provide regional oversight and operational support for the district's Health Screening Program.

Internal Stipend Role: There are nine (9) positions available, one for each BPS Region. This role is designed for a current BPS School Nurse who will assume leadership of the screening program within their specific region while maintaining their primary school assignment.

The Regional Lead Nurse serves as the Operational and Clinical Anchor for the Health Paraprofessionals deployed to their region. Using virtual tools, they will monitor daily screening activities and troubleshoot logistical issues. Crucially, this role also serves as a Regional Data Lead, responsible for the high-level review, analytics, and reconciliation of health data. By identifying gaps and correcting discrepancies, the Lead Nurse provides essential support to School Nurses, ensuring that every student's health record is accurate, actionable, and compliant.

Responsibilities

1. Regional Leadership & Virtual Oversight

• Regional Point of Contact: Serve as the primary liaison for all School Nurses and Health Paraprofessionals within the assigned region.
• Virtual Coordination: Utilize Zoom, Google Meet, and other virtual tools to conduct check-ins, troubleshoot issues, and provide guidance to staff deployed in the region without needing to travel physically to other sites.
• Staff Support: Monitor the daily operations of screening teams (both Grant-Funded and Standard) within the region to ensure they are supported and adhering to the schedule.

1. Comprehensive Data Analysis & Quality Assurance

• Regional Data Gap Analysis: Retrieve and analyze health data for the specific region across all domains (screenings, immunizations, chronic conditions) to identify gaps in care.
• School Nurse Support: Collaborate virtually with School Nurses in the region to audit and reconcile student health records. Ensure that "Conditions," "Alerts," and encounter logs are accurate and up-to-date.
• Outcome Monitoring: Monitor trends and measure the success of health interventions within the region (e.g., tracking immunization compliance rates or follow-up success for vision referrals).
• Data Entry & Correction: Assist in high-level data entry and correction to ensure the region's health dataset is "audit-ready" for state reporting.

1. Family Communication & Barrier Mitigation (Referral Follow-Up)

• Parent/Guardian Outreach: Lead the communication efforts for students with failed screenings in the region. Contact families directly to explain screening results and the importance of follow-up care.
• Identifying Barriers: Actively assess why a family has not sought follow-up care (e.g., lack of insurance, transportation issues, language barriers).
• Mitigating Barriers: Connect families with specific resources to overcome these obstacles, such as free vision vouchers or transportation assistance.
• External Agency Collaboration: Work with grant-funded outside vision agencies to facilitate comprehensive eye exams and the provision of prescription glasses for students in the region who fail initial screenings.

1. Dual-Cohort Clinical Mentorship

• Standard BPS Paraprofessionals: Ensure strict adherence to M.G.L. c. 71, 57 and 105 CMR 200.000. Provide virtual guidance to verify that standard protocols are executed correctly.
• Grant-Funded Paraprofessionals: Support the utilization of innovative, grant-approved screening tools (e.g., SPOT Vision Screeners) that may operate outside standard state regulations. Guide these staff in applying flexible protocols designed to increase equity and access.
• Clinical Resource: Act as a virtual resource to answer clinical questions and reinforce training concepts for staff working in the region.

Qualifications

Required:

• Licensure: Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• BPS Employment: Current employment as a School Nurse within Boston Public Schools (BTU Member).
• Certification: Completion of (or commitment to complete immediately) the BU SHIELD School Health Screenings Course.
• Virtual Collaboration Skills: Demonstrated proficiency with video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Google Meet) and the ability to manage teams remotely.
• Technical Proficiency:
• SNAP Health Center: Expert-level ability to run reports, analyze trends, and reconcile complex health data.
• Google Workspace: Proficient in Google Sheets (for data tracking) and Google Docs.
• Communication: Strong ability to communicate sensitive health information to families and collaborate with colleagues virtually.

Preferred:

• Leadership Experience: Previous experience supervising staff, mentoring colleagues, or serving as a regional lead.
• Screening Expertise: Experience with both traditional screening methods and electronic screening devices (e.g., SPOT).