Substitute School Nurse

School Nurse (Instructional)

Qualifications: 1. An earned Bachelor's Degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university based upon an approved school nurse program that includes student teaching 2. Current New Jersey registered Professional Nurse License (R.N.) 3. New Jersey certificate as a school nurse 4. Required criminal history background check and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status 5. Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable Reports To: Principal Job Goal: To promote health and safety in the school environment and provide health services to students, faculty and staff; to assist with the teaching of sound health practices; to attend to the health and well being of the students, such that an emergency would take precedence over all other activities. Performance Responsibilities: A. Duties Related to Pupil Health Appraisal: 1. To encourage parents to have their children examined by family physicians and dentists; to provide the parents with school health forms so that the findings and recommendations can be reported to the school. 2. To plan the schedule for school health appraisal with the school administrative team and school physician. 3. To assist the school physician with routine medical examinations. 4. To administer annual screening procedures to pupils: a. Vision testing – color perception b. Hearing testing c. Height and weight measuring d. Retesting of eyes and ears when necessary B. Duties Related to Health Instruction: 1. To teach health lessons in all grades as workload permits and as scheduled. 2. To help classroom teacher with unit instruction. 3. To be available as a resource person in health education. 4. To counsel students, staff and parents concerning health problems as needed. C. Duties Related to Child Study Team: 1. To screen all CST referred students for vision and hearing acuity. 2. To prepare medical summary for students when requested by the CST. 3. To function as an expanded member of the CST, participating in Eligibility/IEP conferences when the child's present health or health history warrants. D. Functions Related to Counseling and Follow-Through Procedures: 1. To send notifications and referral forms to parents regarding any significant health problems of their children that may require further diagnosis and treatment. 2. To hold parent conferences (telephone conferences, home visits or conferences in school) in order to explain significant health findings to parents and to encourage them to accept the responsibility for providing the necessary care and treatment; to help parents to become aware of and make use of available resources in the community. 3. To counsel pupils regarding hygiene and health problems; to help pupils to understand their health problem and to realize the importance of professional care and the necessity to adjust positively to any physical, mental or social limitations that are necessary. 4. To conference with teachers and other school personnel in order to inform teachers of students with health problems; to provide information that will help the teacher accept and understand the pupil and make any necessary modifications in their teaching program; to encourage teachers to observe students and to report any health deviations they may see. 5. To conference with physicians in order to discuss health programs and methods for making necessary modifications in the school program. E. Attendance: 1. To check pupil attendance 2. To check students who return to school after an absence of three days or more, or any student who has had an illness or injury that might require modifications in school activities. F. Emergency Care of Illness and Injury: 1. To provide first aid treatment of all injuries (minor or major) and illnesses. 2. To notify parents regarding injury and/or illness and advise them to seek follow-up care. 3. To provide supervision for sick and injured pupils until they are placed under their parents' care. 4. To secure medical care for students in emergency cases if the parents or emergency contacts cannot be reached. 5. To assume responsibility for educational follow-through with parents regarding all school emergencies. G. Routine Office and Clerical Help: 1. To maintain up-to-date cumulative health records of all pupils. 2. To record all pupil visits to the health office daily. 3. To send notices and referrals to parents re: health problems. 4. To complete monthly health service reports. 5. To check school lunch menus to see that all the children's meals include the proper nutritional values. 6. To file accident reports. 7. To recommend students to be included in the school's free lunch/milk programs and the school dental program. H. Professional and Community Responsibilities: 1. To remain abreast of current developments in the health field through education, professional reading and participation in professional organizations. 2. To be available as a resource person to community groups for discussions regarding the school health program. 3. To attend meetings with the administrative team and the school physician to discuss and to revise school health policies and procedures. 4. To attend relevant meetings within the district as notified. At these meetings, the school nurse will: a. Discuss and share new information pertaining to the school health program. b. Work on the development of school health referral forms and information booklets for parents. I. Limitations: 1. To dispense prescribed medication only under orders of personal physician of child. Written permission must be obtained from the parents and physician. 2. The school nurse cannot diagnose medical disorders. 3. The school nurse cannot treat previously existing medical conditions which have already been diagnosed and treated by the family doctor. (Except when a written doctor's note authorizes such treatment.) J. To Assume Responsibility of Other Related Duties as May Be Assigned