School Nurse

School Nurse

The School Nurse plays an active role in the health and safety of students and staff. The School Nurse shall enforce the State rules, regulations, and district policies to ensure the operations of the educational program. To provide assessment, screening, planning, intervention, evaluation, counseling, management and/or referrals concerning the health and medical care needs of students for the purpose of minimizing absences due to illness, maximizing educational opportunities, and creating a healthy school climate.

The following information is intended to describe the overall nature and scope of the work being performed in relation to the position. This is not a comprehensive listing of all the responsibilities or tasks; other work may be assigned when deemed appropriate:

• Utilize practical nursing skills to perform medical treatments and procedures for students during school hours.
• Enforce appropriate immunization guidelines for all students according to Delaware State Law.
• Consult with students, school staff, parents and physicians concerning student health concerns.
• Administer vision, hearing and orthopedic screening.
• Keep accurate records, test, reports, etc. as required by Delaware Statutes and policies, Federal Regulations, and School Board Policy.
• Establish and maintain good rapport and communication with students, school personnel, parents, and community.
• Participate as the health care professional at student service meetings.
• Participate in staff development activities to prevent and control contagious diseases, increase knowledge and enhance the quality of nursing care.
• Provide staff development regarding health care issues.
• Assist in the surveillance, detection of illnesses. Works collaboratively with health care providers, students' parents, school district staff and community agencies to ensure access and continuity of care for students.
• Assists in the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive school health program.
• Collects information about the health development status of students for compliance with state immunization regulations and Board of Education policies.
• Conducts school programs of immunization, physical examinations, and sight and hearing testing.
• Performs nursing assessment for students who are ill or injured; applies appropriate theory as basis for providing first aid, nursing care, intervention and referrals for those students.
• Evaluates nursing care provided and changes plan of care as necessary.
• Implements Board policy with respect to the exclusion and readmission of students in connection with certain infectious and contagious diseases (e.g., Tuberculosis).
• Maintains accurate records and documentation in accordance with state and federal law, and Board of Education policies.
• Develops individual health care plan (ICHP) when needed with specific goals, nursing diagnosis, and interventions delineating school-nursing actions unique to students' needs and for incorporation into the student's individualized educational plan (IEP).
• Intervenes as guided by the nursing care plan to implement nursing actions that promote, maintain or restore health, prevent illness and effect rehabilitation.
• Serves as a member of school teams as designated health care professional (e.g., Crisis Teams, PPT, and Section 504).
• Provides guidance, counseling and health education to students, parents and employees as necessary.
• Reports to parents, school district personnel, physicians, clinics, and others as needed to meet student health needs.
• Provides instruction and training regarding the Heimlich maneuver, Blood Borne Pathogen training, the school district's Emergency plan, and with regard to providing care for students, including students with disabilities.
• Contributes to nursing and school health through innovations in theory; practice and participation in research, including narrative and statistical reports.
• Provides medical assessment to school district employees as requested.
• Provides health education to students as requested.
• Notifies the appropriate person or agency of student's injury/illness in accordance with Board policy as necessary.
• Confers with parents, students and school district staff and professionals to interpret health and developmental assessments.

Below are the qualifications for this position:

• BSN is required. Master's degree in related field preferred.
• Must meet qualifications of a school nurse as defined in state regulations.
• Successful 3 years of supervised clinical experience working with pediatric population, preferably school setting.
• Knowledgeable about pediatrics nursing and child development preferred.
• Experience in first aide, immunizations and communicable diseases.
• Excellent communication skills/ability to work with young students and parents.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Criminal background check and Tuberculin testing.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE: Must be eligible for State of Delaware Certification as a School Nurse. Registered professional nurse, designated as R.N. as defined and determined by state law, and currently licensed in the state. Current certification in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

The following provides a brief description of physical requirements for this position: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, sit, use hands to the finger(s), handle, or feel objects, tools or controls, use fingers to type and/or write; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close, distance, and color vision, peripheral and depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The physical demands of this position will also include the ability of the individual to perform all of the essential functions and related responsibilities of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

This position normally performs work in a school building or participating in community-based instruction with various schools.

All persons employed by the Appoquinimim School District are required to submit a criminal background check and a tuberculosis test. Anyone offered employment is required to provide the following: proper identification (Social Security Card and Driver's License), documentation of eligibility for employment in the U.S.A., completion of I-9 form, and completion of paperwork for the Delaware Child Protection Registry.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Appoquinimink School District is required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship. Qualified employees must have the requisite skills, experience, education, and licenses for the job, and must also be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations.

The Appoquinimink School District is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in its educational programs, services, and activities for all students and employees. The Appoquinimink School District does not discriminate or retaliate in the hiring, training, assignment, promotion/transfer of employees on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, domicile, marital status, handicap, or any other characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Job performance will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions set forth in the negotiated contract between the Appoquinimink School District Board of Education and the corresponding workgroup union/association, if applicable.

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