School Nurse Position

Role:

The school nurse is a registered professional nurse working in the school setting who strengthens and facilitates the educational process by improving and protecting the health status of children.

The major focus of school nursing services is the prevention of illness and disability, and the early detection and correction of health problems.

The school nurse is uniquely qualified in preventative health, health assessment, and referral procedures.

Responsibilities:

• Provide health assessments
• Obtain health and developmental history
• Screen and evaluate findings for deficits in vision, hearing, scoliosis, growth, etc.
• Observe the child for development and health patterns in making a nurse assessment and nursing diagnosis
• Identify health findings that do not fall within the normal range
• Assist with physical examinations when conducted in the school
• Develop and implement a health plan
• Interpret the health status of pupils to school personnel
• Initiate referrals to parents, school personnel, and community health resources for intervention, remediation, and follow-through
• Provide ongoing health information to parents, school personnel, and health agencies
• Recommend and help implement modifications of school programs to meet students' needs
• Utilize existing health resources to provide appropriate care of students
• Maintain, evaluate, and interpret cumulative health data to accommodate individual needs of students
• Participate as the health specialist on the child education evaluation team to develop the health Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan
• Plan and implement school health management protocols for the child with chronic health problems, including the administration of medication
• Participate in home visits to assess the family's needs as related to the child's health
• Develop procedures and provide for crisis intervention for acute illness, injury, and emotional disturbances
• Promote and assist in the control of communicable diseases through preventative immunization programs, early detection, surveillance, and reporting of contagious disease
• Recommend provisions for a school environment conducive to learning
• Provide information on health
• Provide health information to assist students and families in making health-related decisions
• Participate in health education directly and indirectly for the improvement of health by teaching persons to become more assertive health consumers and to assume greater responsibility for their own health
• Provide information to adolescents concerning health problems in order to encourage responsible decision-making practices
• Serve as a resource person to the classroom teacher and administrator in health instruction and as a member of the healthcare team
• Act as a resource person as needed in promoting health careers
• Engage in research and evaluation of school health services to act as a change agent for school health programs and school nursing practices
• Assist in the formation of health policies, goals, and objectives for the school unit
• Support the COVID Coordinator, students, and staff members of any other pandemic/epidemic disease that arises

Coordination:

• Interpret school health services to school personnel
• Plan, implement, and supervise school health screening programs in accordance with state and district requirements and recommendations
• Provide follow-up services when indicated
• Interpret diagnosis report findings and help students and parents accept responsibility for diagnosis and treatment
• Serve as a health liaison between school, home, and the community
• Makes home visits as needed
• Encourage parents to maintain current immunization protection as recommended by the Department of Human Services and Arkansas Department of Health
• Participate in health aspects of sports screenings, building screenings at all grade levels, and may be asked to assist in kindergarten pre-registration
• Help school personnel recognize departures from appropriate behavior and growth patterns; help students and staff adjust student programs when necessary to accommodate health needs of students
• Serve as a resource person to school personnel
• Participate selectively in classroom instruction under the supervision of the teacher

Requirements:

• Attend the annual school nurse update sponsored by the Department of Education in its entirety
• Read and comply with the faculty handbook and student handbook
• Read and comply with the Arkansas State Board of Nursing School Nurse Roles and Responsibilities guidelines
• Get to know the key people
• Obtain a private area for assessment/counseling, with proper ventilation, lighting, heat, telephone, filing, and resource material
• Meet with teachers to acquaint them with the health program, health services offered, and classroom emergency procedures for first aid
• Set up first aid kits
• Set up a daily log to list those students who visit the nurse's office or need special attention
• Set up a daily log for those students who take daily medication and PRN medication
• Review students' health records and inform school personnel of special health problems and possible safety hazards
• Plan to attend faculty meetings
• Keep lines of communication open between nurse and teacher, nurse and administration, nurse and parents, and nurse and guidance department
• Participate in the preparation of the school health services inventory and budget
• Develop a full year plan for scheduled health activities including accommodated mandated reporting
• Join your professional organization with the Arkansas Association of School Nurses
• Prepare reports monthly/annually

Administration:

• Responsible for maintaining and updating cumulative health records
• Helps develop/revise school health policies, procedures, and standing orders
• Prepares inventory needed for school health supplies
• Reviews, revises, and implements emergency policies, including in-service health and safety programs for personnel
• Prepares first aid kits for each building
• Organizes, instructs, and supervises school health volunteers or assistants
• Reports regularly to the principal and superintendent on school health activities
• Prepares statistical reports for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Wynne School District Cycle Reports
• Implements the school medication policy and procedure
• Any other duties as assigned by building administrators or superintendents