Title:               School Division Head Nurse

                        (Combined Position with School Nurse Assignment)

Reports to:     Principal and Director of Student Services

Terms of Employment:         11 month/220 day contract (Additional Head Nurse Supplement)

Purpose: The School Division Head Nurse is responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating and evaluating school health services for Waynesboro Public Schools and within the context of the school setting.  To provide leadership and consultation to the school division administrative personnel, school clinic personnel, and school staff in matters pertaining to school health.  To enhance the educational process by the modification or removal of health related barriers to learning and by promotion of an optimal level of wellness. 

Provides direct services to a school clinic.  The Head School Nurse works under the supervision of the Department of Student Services and reports to the Director of Student Services, as well as, the principal of their assigned school.

Job requirements:        

• Ability to work cooperatively with students, parents, school personnel, and community agencies
• Valid Virginia Driver’ License
• Two years experience with references; experience with child and adolescent health, school health, or community health preferred
• Current license to practice as a registered professional nurse (RN) in the Commonwealth of Virginia
• Graduate of an accredited program of nursing

Essential functions:

Physical Requirements: seeing, hearing, clear speech, touching, smelling, lifting (minimum 20 lbs), walking, climbing stairs, bending, ability to respond quickly to emergencies on all building levels, driving

Stress Factors: stamina, high pressure, independent functioning, flexibility

Work Environment: works with others, verbal and face-to-face contact, primarily inside, primarily English speaking

Mental Requirements: reading and writing of complex materials, perception, judgment, decision-making

Equipment: computer, telephone, medical equipment

Performance Functions and General Job Description: (Performs all functions of a school nurse, in addition to providing direct clinical care applicable to assigned school; consultative services offered when off-site and at the division level) See School Nurse job description.

1. Clinic standard

• Developing protocols and standard procedures
• Supervising building nurses
• Completing required state and local reports
• Coordinating division level health services with private and public health providers
• Providing overall leadership
• Regularly reports to the Director of Student Services
• Keep job requirements an essential function
• Administers and manages medications within the schools
• Performs medical procedures for medically involved/ fragile students
• Screens and evaluates finding of deficit in vision, hearing, fine & gross motor, and scoliosis
• Develops procedures and provides for crisis intervention for acute illness, injury and emotional disturbances
• Conducts headlice screens and manages detected cases
• Maintains clean and orderly school clinics
• Refers to principal, parent, MD, or community resources, when necessary
• Travels between schools to provide direct care/consultation
• Participates in Eligibility and child study meetings
• Develops Health Care Plans, IEP’, 504 plans, AEP plans
• Delegates and supervises Licensed and Unlicensed Personnel
• Assesses client needs, plans for care, implements plan, and evaluates process for health care planned

1. Communication standard

• Maintains, evaluates, and interprets cumulative health data to accommodate individual needs of students
• Inspects student records for compliance with laws regarding school physicals and immunizations
• Maintains and communicates emergency information for each student
• Generates required reports
• Maintains confidentiality with student/employee health information
• Interprets medical findings to the student, family, and school personnel
• Interprets governmental laws related to the health of students

1. Coordination standard

• Understands the roles of school staff and work with them appropriately
• Works with health services to develop and implement health regulations and protocols
• Attends school and community meetings and committees as needed, assigned, or requested
• Trains, supervises, and evaluates others involved in health services delivery as appropriate

1. Health Education Standard

• Acts as a resource person to school staff regarding health education
• Provides individual health teaching and counseling for students, families, and employees
• Promotes student, staff, and school safety and wellness through health education
• Provides formal health instruction within the classroom using effective teaching strategies and developmental learning theories

1. Professional Standard

• Adheres to district policies and school system regulations
• Conducts herself/himself in a professional manner
• Works collaboratively and cooperatively for the benefit of the total school division program
• Demonstrates participation in maintaining current content knowledge
• Demonstrates professional improvement in the health services program through self-assessment and through collaboration with supervisor
• Performs other related duties as assigned

The role of Head School Nurse, addresses system-wide health service issues, which effect the entire school population.  The Head School Nurse follows Waynesboro Public Schools School Health Policy and Procedures and:

• Assures Waynesboro Public Schools is in compliance with mandated health service activities.
• Coordinates and participates in the establishment, review, and implementation of school health services, policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are reviewed annually and changes are made as needed.  In coordination with the Director of Student Services, the Head School Nurse oversees policy and procedure review and revision. 
• Head School Nurse reviews and updates all standard forms for the school health program.
• Assures that such policies and related procedures adhere to legal and regulatory requirements and ethical standards of nursing practice.
• Documents, compiles and analyzes data for required reports on school health services
• Assures that school health services and activities are appropriately documented according to professional school nurse standards.
• Assesses, plans, and evaluates the health services component of the coordinated health program.
• Implements communicable disease control in the school, including monitoring, surveillance and participating in disease prevention and outbreak management within the school.
• Serves as the health care consultant for school personnel, students and their parents/families.
• Provides professional health leadership to administrators and school staff.
• Develops training for, trains and monitors staff that provide health services, including delegated procedures, the administration of medication to students, and other health related mandated activities. Includes diabetic care managers (DCM), Bloodborne pathogen training, medication training, and initiating individual care plans.
• Coordinates the establishment of guidelines, procedures and training in First Aid/CPR/AED/First Responder Program for schools and staff.
• Participates in development of school’s emergency health and crisis plan if consulted.
• Where applicable, directs, monitors and evaluates aides, assistants, volunteers, unlicensed and/or licensed personnel assigned to the school health program (Vision screening, DCM’s, medications).
• Facilitates a system for the identification of students with chronic/acute health care needs; review of student enrollment forms with health information.
• Works in collaboration with Director of Student Services and medical providers to coordinate health services for students.
• Coordinates bloodborne pathogen program for school division (training at individual schools); keeps records of employee’s hepatitis B immunizations; coordinates with Health Dept. to help staff receive immunizations. Head School Nurse coordinates all new employee shot schedules at the beginning of each school year.

Evaluation:   Health Services is a function of the Student Services Department.  Clinical supervision will be managed by the Director of Student Services with consultation of medical providers as needed.   The school principal and division personnel administrators will supervise work attendance, district policies, and other professional issues.