School Nurse

School NurseThe school nurse serves as the primary health consultant and provides the direct care necessary to support student health needs in the school setting. The nurse identifies the health needs of students through appraisal, health histories, screening programs, observations, and conferences with parents, health providers, and school staff. Additionally, the school nurse is the only licensed position that can provide the training, delegation, and supervision of unlicensed personnel performing nursing tasks in the school setting.Ensure mandated school health services in the educational environmentIdentify students with health care needs requiring modifications or accommodations in the school setting or during school sponsored events and activitiesObtain and interpret student health data, as deemed necessary for child find/special education assessments, and 504 accommodation plansDevelop and implement Individual Health Care Plans for students with health care needsParticipate as the health expert on the response to interventions (RtI), special education and/or 504 teams by mitigating health related obstacles to learningProvide for the administration of medication and nursing proceduresDevelop and implement the health component of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with disabilities or handicapping conditions that affect the student's educationEnsure the provision of first aid and triage for physical and mental health issuesImplement health screening programs (i.e. hearing and vision screening) and facilitate follow-up careMaintain a student health record that contains the health status of the student, a record of immunizations, and a chronological history of physical and mental health problems or conditions that may affect the education of the studentAssess the health of the school communitySupport student school attendance and performance through the promotion and maintenance of optimal health and well-being of students, families, and school personnel using health counseling and/or educationAdvocate for the physical and emotional safety of the school communityProvide education and serve as a resource regarding child protection issuesContain the spread of diseasePromote and monitor immunizationsInstitute appropriate disease control measuresAssist in the development of policy and provide recommendations to support public health lawEducate about infectious and nuisance diseasesRespond to disasters and assist communities in recoveryDesign response plans to assist all students with special needs in emergenciesEnsure the quality and accessibility of school health servicesAlign school health programs with national and state standards and evidence-based practiceCollaborate and coordinate with students, families, community health services, and other outreach programs.Serve as a liaison between student, school, parent, and community health care providers and organizationsProvide health related case management services and assist families in accessing resourcesCollaborate with parents and health providers to develop, implement, and review individualized student health plans appropriate to the school setting for those students identified with significant health concerns including acute, chronic, or life-threatening conditionsTo 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.Skills, Knowledge, & Equipment:Specific knowledge of current theory, research, and practices related to the health care of school-aged children and youth, principles and practices of community health, basic health (physical, social, emotional) assessment skills, basic health teaching skills, counseling and consultation, legal rights for education of children with special health needs, and nursing procedures for children who are technology dependentDemonstrated effective written and oral communication skillsEvidence of ability to establish and maintain effective cooperative relationships with school personnel, students, and parentsDemonstrated understanding and empathy necessary for working with studentsDemonstrated ability and desire to function as a team member with the ability to work independentlySupervision/Technical Responsibility:Supervise the daily activities of students in employee's care, health aides, and other delegated unlicensed assistive personnelExperience:Previous experience in educational, pediatric, or public health setting preferred.Two or more years experience as a professional nurse preferredEducation and Training:Bachelor's or higher degree in nursing OR three (3) or more years of licensed, practical experience as an RN with school-aged childrenSuccessful completion of field experiences and a supervised practicum as prescribed by the preparing institution, including experiences with school-age children in a community health/public health or school settingCertificates, Licenses, & Registrations:Must hold a valid license to practice in Colorado pursuant to the Nurse Practice Act (12-255-101, et. seq., C.R.S.) or a valid multi-state license and able to practice in Colorado pursuant to the nurse licensure compact (24-60-3802, C.R.S.) o Important Note: Registered nurses must maintain an active DORA license to practice nursing in Colorado in addition to the CDE-issued special services license/school nurse. Those holding multi-state licenses issued by another state must apply for a Colorado DORA-issued RN license within 60 days, as per the Nurse License Compact.Must hold current CPR certificationSafety to Self and Others:In order to safely perform this position, you must familiarize yourself with the safety rules of your job and participate in all safety training provided by your department. You must wear personal protective equipment whenever required, ask for assistance if the task requires more than one person and, if you're unsure how to perform a task safely, stop and ask your supervisor for instruction before continuing.All employees of the District are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work place and insuring that safety precautions and practices are followed.We expect you to immediately report any unsafe working conditions or safety problems to your supervisor. Until corrective action is taken, be sure that the area or condition is restricted and that cautionary devices, i.e., cones, temporary fencing, floor signs, etc. are in place so that others are not affected or injured.Physical Demands:While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.Equal Employment Opportunity:Thompson School District shall not discriminate in its employment or hiring practices on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age marital status or disability. The Superintendent is committed to cultural diversity among district personal as a means of enriching educational experience. The District shall identify, solicit, and consider applicants for employment from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals who will contribute to that effort.Other Duties:Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of the activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.