Nurse

Professional School Nurse

We are looking for a professional school nurse to join our team at NMSD. This position is 2nd shift nurse (Sunday through Thursday from 4 pm to 12 am).

The professional school nurse's primary responsibility will be to provide health services to students when they are at school, such as treating minor injuries, mild to acute sicknesses, and supporting students with chronic illnesses. The nurse will also help with preventive care by educating students and staff on how to avoid communicable diseases and utilizing proper hygiene. The professional school nurse is also responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating and evaluating school health services for individual student health plans. This position also requires working regularly with our registered nursing staff and the Family Nurse Practitioner/Health Center Coordinator.

The school nurse functions independently under state and agency guidelines and policies without on-site supervision 24/7. Work is self-directed and clinically autonomous. Supervision may be exercised over volunteers, unlicensed personnel, and/or licensed personnel (e.g. LPN).

It is anticipated and expected that all functions of this position will be performed in a positive and respectful manner, with a strong focus on advancing the mission and vision of New Mexico School for the Deaf. The duties and competencies listed are comprehensive yet not all inclusive of this position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned)

• Maximize the quantity of in-class time by reducing the incidence of health-related absenteeism
• Eliminate or minimize health problems which impair learning
• Promote the highest degree of independent functioning possible
• Assist medically fragile students
• Provide tube feedings and/or ostomy site care
• Assist with students' personal hygiene and ADLs
• Medication administration
• Provide basic healthcare to students in case of injury or acute illness
• Monitoring of annual immunization tracking of the students
• Develop health plans for students with chronic illnesses and disabilities
• Educate students and staff on healthy habits, such as proper nutrition and hygiene
• Detect health problems in early stages through regular screenings
• Keep track of students' vaccination records
• Update students' medical history and maintain electronic health records (EHRs)
• Ensure school environment is safe for children and school staff (e.g. prevention of communicable diseases, training on emergency action plans)
• Ensure compliance with national and local health laws
• Utilize and share knowledge of local resources as needed
• Coordination of care with parents/guardians and/or other medical providers
• Collaborate with NMSD staff regarding student health needs
• Support school wide student health and wellness services and initiatives
• Work with outside agencies to coordinate necessary student medical services as needed
• Medicaid Billing
• Coordinate student medical appointments with social work as necessary
• Some administrative work including, answering phones and emails, processing of incoming/outgoing mail, scanning medical records, and ordering supplies

Position-Specific Qualifications:

Education and/or Experience:

• Graduation from a nationally accredited nursing program and/or school, with a demonstrated commitment to serving students with diverse backgrounds, interests, goals, and abilities. Preference of at least two years nursing experience working with pediatrics (18 months to 18 years).

Certificates, Licenses, Registration:

• New Mexico Board of Nursing License to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN). (NM recognizes RNs from other Compact States. The list of those states is available at the NM Board of Nursing website), Any nurse hired will be expected to have or obtain, at their own expense, within one year a PED (Public Education Department) school nurse certification. And Current BLS certification.

General Qualifications and Expectations: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Commitment to Vision - Must be committed to NMSD's Vision, Mission, and Beliefs
• Language Skills - Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports and correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, and the general public.
• American Sign Language: Proficiency in or willingness to learn American Sign Language required.
• Written Communication: Writes clearly and informatively; varies writing style to meet needs.
• Organization - Must be organized and detail-oriented.
• Analytical - collects and aggregates data for program maintenance and improvement.
• Continuous Learning - Seeks feedback to improve performance; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills.
• Job Knowledge - Competent in required job skills and knowledge; exhibits ability to learn and apply new skills; keeps abreast of current developments; requires minimal supervision; displays understanding of how job relates to others; uses resources effectively.
• Use of Technology - Adapts to new technologies; troubleshoots technological problems; uses technology to increase productivity. Has a working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Outlook.
• Mathematical Skills - Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Reasoning Ability - Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to think independently, solve problems and work with the whole team.
• Problem Solving - Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works in group problem solving situations.
• Cooperation - Establishes and maintains effective relations; exhibits tact and consideration; offers assistance and support to co-workers; works cooperatively in group situations; works actively to resolve conflicts.
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Diversity - Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity; builds a diverse workforce.
• Ethics - Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and principles.
• Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; completes tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values.
• Adaptability - Manages competing demands.
• Personal Appearance - Dresses appropriately for position; keeps self well groomed.
• Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent.
• Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions.
• Initiative - Seeks increased responsibilities; asks for and offers help when needed.
• Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality.
• Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions.
• Physical Demands - The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to drive for long periods of time; stand; walk and sit. Unless otherwise stated in this job description, the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.

NMSD is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We adhere to all applicable laws, statutes, and regulations regarding equal employment opportunities and