School Nurse

School Nurse

An employee in this class identifies and treats health disorders among students and provides instruction in the maintenance of good health and disease prevention. The employee must evaluate the physical conditions of students and refer students to appropriate resources as needed. Decisions made by this employee require discretionary judgment and analysis.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides comprehensive school nursing services to students Pre-K through grade 12.
• Develops policies, procedures, and work standards for school health programs.
• Serves as a health consultant and provides leadership to schools in the area of School Health Programs with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.
• Initiates program changes as needed.
• Manages program allotment efficiently.
• Prepares health reports for supervisor, board of education, and health department.
• Collaborates with other child-support agencies in designing and providing a school health program.
• Negotiates professional and medical services essential to the school health program.
• Provides first aid care and medically prescribed services.
• Maintains security of school health supplies.
• Instructs students in health education according to the state curriculum (K-12).
• Serves as a resource person on health issues and as a member of the School Nursing Team in the department of Health Services.
• Provides staff development on health-related topics for school staff and volunteers.
• Screens and conducts health appraisals for students and staff.
• Provides follow-up evaluations on students as required.
• Recommends corrective action where problems are identified.
• Conducts home visits when appropriate.
• Corresponds with parents on the health needs of children.
• Records immunizations, health findings, and other relevant health data.
• Completes random moment-in-time studies as required by MAC program guidelines.
• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of the North Carolina Nurse Practice Act.
• Considerable knowledge of emergency and routine medical procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of health care agencies and institutions in the area.
• Considerable knowledge of current literature, trends, and developments in the field of school nursing.
• General knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization, and administration.
• Considerable knowledge of growth and development of children Pre-K through 12th grade, common health conditions, and illnesses of school-age children.
• Skill in performing health screenings and medical examinations.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics of data, people, or things.
• Ability to read a variety of correspondence, referrals, medical records, newsletters, notes, charts, etc.
• Ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, plans, logs, charts, etc.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form.
• Ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
• Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using medical terminology.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.
• Must be adaptable to performing under stress.
• Ability to perform a variety of emergency medical procedures.
• Ability to train others in first aid and emergency care.
• Ability to assess the needs of students and develop a plan to meet those needs.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and to develop simple reports from those records.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, nebulizers, adding machines, blood pressure machines, oxygen tanks, suction machines, feeding pumps, etc.
• Must be able to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear.
• The employee occasionally is required to sit and stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare data, work with record processes, and do extensive reading and research.

Minimum Training and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing preferred.
• Hold current unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina.
• Two years of nursing experience.
• Successful experience in School Nursing preferred, and/or equivalent combination of education and experience a plus.

This Position Reports To: Director of Health Services

Classification: Exempt

Salary: Curriculum Support Personnel Salary Schedule