School Nurse

Certified School Nurse

School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievement of students. The school nurse may be the only health care provider in the educational setting. The school nurse's primary role is to support student learning by acting as an advocate and liaison between the home, the school, and the medical community regarding concerns that are likely to affect a student's ability to learn (NASN 1999). The school nurse needs expertise in pediatric, community health, adult, and mental health nursing with strong health promotion, assessment, referral, communication, leadership, organization, and time management skills.

Reports To: Assistant Superintendent for Equity and Student Services, Director of Special Education, Director of Student Services, Student Services Coordinators, Building Administration

Supervises: L.P. Nurses, and other health care providers for students

Qualifications:

• Professional Education License with Endorsement School Nurse
• Registered Nurse Licensure, Illinois
• Current First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation program completion
• Computer literacy
• Prior professional nursing experience, preferably in pediatric, adolescent, community, and mental health nursing
• Exemplary organizational, interpersonal, clerical, communication, and technology skills

Responsibilities:

• Provides direct professional nursing services, first aid, illness, and urgent care to students in response to the nursing assessment and in accordance with professional standards, school policy and procedures, and state and local mandates.
• Administers medication with appropriate documentation.
• Participates in maintaining accurate medical records to assure compliance with state mandates including immunizations, physical examinations, dental examinations, and medical conditions.
• Performs mandated screening procedures for vision and hearing (requires state credentials as a screener) along with appropriate follow-up and reporting procedures.
• Makes appropriate assessments and referrals for suspected abuse/neglect as a mandated reporter.
• Attends Case Action Team, Individual Assessment Plan, and Individual Education Plan meetings as invited, to present relevant health, vision, and hearing information so as to work with the Special Education Team to develop appropriate education plans for identified students.
• Completes accident reports for students.
• Conducts individual and classroom lice head checks as necessary.
• Compiles data for statistical purposes.
• Maintains confidentiality regarding all school and health-related issues.
• Utilizes existing technology effectively in the performance of duties.
• Maintains communication with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to enhance cooperative action which will meet the health and safety needs of students.
• Develop individual school health care plans, as necessary, to outline the plan of care for students with acute and chronic health care conditions.
• Maintains contact with a professional nursing organization and utilizes continuing education opportunities to enhance professional knowledge.
• Participates as an active member of the school community, representing health and wellness.
• Performs other health or school-related work as required.

Communication Skills:

• Strong communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both oral and written form using a variety of communication techniques and tools to ensure the appropriate flow of information, collaborative efforts, and feedback.
• Ability to compose correspondence, reports, and/or other required written materials.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret information.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions, inquiries, and/or complaints.
• Displays courtesy, tact, and respect when dealing with others.

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to perform basic math using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals consistent with the duties of this position.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and information furnished in written oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to identify and define problem(s), collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Maintains appropriate confidentiality.
• Promotes a harassment-free environment.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships; demonstrates a commitment to teamwork.
• Ability to learn and utilize office equipment, computers, and software especially as systems are updated.
• Ability to react well under pressure, handle and balance multiple demands at one time, work with frequent interruptions, and perform duties and tasks at expected levels of professionalism.
• Extensive knowledge of and ability to perform duties in compliance with all district, Board, state, and federal laws, methods, requirements, policies, procedures, and activities pertinent to the duties of this position.
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate files and records.
• Ability to meet strict deadlines.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters when performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties. Employee experiences constant interruptions and inflexible deadlines. The noise level in this environment is quiet to moderate. Duties are performed primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors. In-district and out-of-town travel is required as necessary for training and/or to carry out duties and responsibilities.

Evaluation:

The performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with the provision of the Board's Policy on Evaluation of Classified Personnel.

*Note: The Board of Education of Joliet Public School District 86 reserves the discretionary powers to change (add or delete) any or all of the components of the aforementioned job description to comply with mandates as set by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the State of Illinois School Code, and the Illinois State Board of Education and it is the right of the said Board of Education through its administrative discretion to update this job description to be in concurrence with recognition standards and current educational practices.

Sources of Consideration: Illinois Association of School Nursing, National Association of School Nursing, and American Nurses Association