Certified School Nurse: Meadow Glens/Connections

Certified School Nurse

School Nurses promote the physical, mental, emotional, and social well being of student and staff. The school nurse is directly responsible for the Health Services program in assigned buildings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Keeping individual cumulative health records for each student
• Physical Examination reports
• Results of screening programs and referrals
• Immunization records as required by Illinois School Code
• Reports of all accidents and injuries and medical reports
• Other health data that could affect students' school performance

Health Office Management

• Maintains a user-friendly and organized health services facility
• Maintains confidential communication with appropriate staff, students and families
• Manages and makes recommendations for the health services annual budget based on critical needs
• Maintains compliance as required by the Illinois School Code for physical examination and immunization records
• Follows up on referrals for specific health problems
• Communicates with parents regarding student's health status
• Assesses individual student's health and safety needs and develops plans to meet those needs at school
• Determines the epidemiological impact of students' in the school setting

Implements the School Health Program

• Provides and/or delegates services including first aid, care for ill students, and emergency care to students and staff; identifies health problems; makes referrals for diagnosis and treatment; maintains appropriate documentation
• Participates in the development of Health Office procedures
• Ensures completions of mandated dental and vision and hearing screenings and reports
• Utilizes specialized vision and hearing screening equipment to screen medically fragile and/or non-verbal students who cannot be screened by conventional methods
• Follows up on vision and hearing referrals of students and helps parents access appropriate resources to complete vision/hearing

In-services staff to assure uniformity of procedures used in the District

• Develops appropriate procedures for administration, storage, and documentation of medication prescribed by the physician
• Monitors effectiveness of medication and communicates medication related concerns to parent/guardians and to the prescribing physician
• Directs, per District policy, the procedures set forth in the Rules and Regulations for the Control of Communicable Diseases as issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health
• Performs scoliosis screenings as requested by parent or health care provider
• Monitors monthly attendance and meets with the building administrator to follow-up on students who have been absent or tardy>10% of the school year
• Provides staff with up-to-date information about students' health care needs on an as need to know basis
• Participates in other health related Child Find activities
• Participates as a crisis team member and provides crisis intervention for students and staff in the event of sudden illness or injury or death
• Makes appropriate assessment and referrals for suspected abuse/neglect ass a mandated reporter
• Obtains and interprets up-to-date medical reports for the Problem Solving Team to aid in planning for students' educational, health, and safety needs at school
• Interviews and supervises medical/technical nurses who work 1:1 with medically fragile students
• Identifies resources and information about services in the community and provides this information to staff and parents

Special Education

• Provides up-to-date information to the Problem Solving Team about students' health and medical concerns
• Follows up on health/medical needs of students discussed at Team meetings
• Writes the health component of the Individual Education Plan as indicated
• Recommends accommodations/modifications of the school program for students with a specific health concern
• Develops and maintains current health care plans for students who need special nursing interventions during the school day. This includes staff in-service and training, and ongoing monitoring to insure that procedures are carried out safely and documented accurately
• Completes health histories as a component of case study evaluations and presents health history information at the IEP

Safety

• In-services staff on Department of Labor regulations regarding blood borne pathogens and follow-up on exposure incidents
• Evaluates areas in school where nursing procedures, diapering, and toileting needs of medically fragile students can be carried out using good hygiene and providing for student privacy
• Coordinates with local fire department and EMTs on services such as the MEDIC program for medically fragile and technology dependent children and students with do not resuscitate orders AED use, and emergency treatment/paramedic calls.
• Evaluates the need for specialized equipment for students with medical concerns and orders the equipment. Trains staff to sue the equipment safely
• In the early childhood program, participates in Child Find screenings as part of the early childhood diagnostic team
• Observes and consults with building administrators relative to safety precautions in the school building, especially in areas such as Art, Home Economics, Shop, Physical Education, and Science departments

Professional Development

• Participates as a member of professional school nursing and education organizations
• Utilizes continuing education opportunities to enhance professional knowledge in both nursing and education fields
• Participates as a member of the faculty on District committees and association activities
• Participates in health related community activities as a representative of the School District

Communication

• Maintains communication with administrators, teachers, other school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action, which will meet the health and safety needs of students
• Initiates contact with and acts as a liaison between the home, school, community health agencies, and the private medical sector to enhance the health and wellness of the school community
• Maintains confidentiality regarding all school and health-related issues

Qualifications: Type 73 Certification as defined by the Illinois State Teachers Certification Board Audiometric Certification Vision Screening Certification CPR/AED Instructor certification mandatory First Aid Instructor recommended

Work Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the responsibilities the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to stand. Continual and/or intermittent walking for up to 15 minutes at a time may be required. The employee is required to stand, walk, and reach with arms and hands. The employee may be required to lift up to 10 pounds frequently (books, supplies, etc) and up to 25 pounds on occasion (AV equipment, etc.) The employee may be required to use approved methods to physically assist students to walk, stand, toilet, etc. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

Terms of Employment: Per NUEA contract