Advisor - Lead Nurse

*INTERNAL ONLY*

BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BELLINGHAM MASSACHUSETTS

Title: Advisor Lead Nurse - District

POSITION SUMMARY:

In addition to normal school nurse responsibilities the lead nurse provides nursing leadership within the school system. The lead nurse coordinates the clinical aspects of the school health program collaborating with other members of the health services and health/wellness education team. In this process the lead nurse uses a public health model of assessment policy development and assurance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Duties:

• Assumes responsibility for updating knowledge and skill in community health management and related fields as new information emerges.
• Completes ongoing education programs pertinent to evolving specialty care of school health and school nursing practice as well as meets the continuing education requirements for licensure in Massachusetts as both Registered Nurses and School Nurse as defined by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in nursing and by the Massachusetts Department of Education.
• Serves as liaison between health services and school administration.
• Consults with the administrative team on department issues and concerns.
• Keeps the professional registered nurses current on Department of Public Health policies changes and updates as needed.
• Holds membership in the Massachusetts School Nurses Organization and the Massachusetts School Nurses Association with membership being paid by the School District.
• Assists administration in the hiring of new school nurses as needed.
• Assists school personnel who seek waivers of Department of Public Health School Health Division requirements.
• Adheres to the adopted policies of the Bellingham School Committee.

Needs Assessment

• Using available demographic health and school system data identifies health needs of the student population.
• Develops surveys questionnaires and other tools for obtaining information.

Planning

• Assumes leadership in the school health service advisory committee if present consisting of representation for such groups as school administration faculty students parents and community providers.
• Based on needs assessment develops program goals objectives and action steps.
• Coordinates planning with interdisciplinary colleagues in school health/wellness education programs.

Implementation

• Assists in orientation of qualified personnel to implement the school health program.
• Implements communication systems which promote participatory management among nursing staff.
• Participates in the development of an interdisciplinary plan for each building to ensure that students in need of services are identified in a timely manner and appropriate intervention is initiated (e.g. T.A.T team meetings).
• Develops and recommends policies and procedures for the clinical services and programs to address health issues (e.g. immunizations medications administration services for children with special health care needs school-wide injury prevention programs special programs which groups address such as eating disorders smoking cessation and violence prevention).
• Develops and implements a documentation system at both the individual student level and programmatic level.
• Provides clinical consultation to health/wellness education staff physical educators and other administrative and teaching staff.
• Participates in interdisciplinary teams such as the crisis team and child abuse team to ensure that integrated systems are in place to address the comprehensive health needs of the student population.
• Carries out communicable disease prevention and infection control based on current guidelines for standard precautions prevention of blood borne pathogens exposure and hazardous medical waste disposal.
• Ensures that there is an emergency care plan in place which is communicated to all staff and is closely coordinated with community emergency care procedures.
• Collaborates with members of the administrative team promoting a physically and psychologically healthy school environment.
• Seeks opportunities to interpret the health needs of school-age children and adolescents the goal of the health service program and the importance of health education through special reports the media health fairs and other special events.
• Develops and submits annually a school health service budget; seeks opportunities to apply for outside sources of funding for the school health services.

Evaluation

• Work with the administrative team to create an evaluation format.
• Compiles reports as required by the school system and state agencies.
• In consultation with the building principals schedules and evaluates nursing and other health service staff on an annual basis.
• Reviews changing trends in health needs and the outcomes of programs to determine the need for revision of goals and objectives.

Staff Development

• Collaborates with professional development staff about ongoing continuing education program needs.
• Encourages staff to participate in pertinent conferences and workshops addressing a range of school health issues.
• Provides ongoing formal and informal feedback to staff about their progress in achieving the goals of the program encouraging their continued educational and professional development.

Other

• Collaborates with local nursing institutions e.g. provides student practice in the school health programs guest lectures participate in nursing research seeks opportunities to give consultation on specific issues of school-aged children and adolescent; publishes when

SKILLS/ABILITY:

1. Masters degree and/or 5 Years experience as a school nurse.
2. Certified School Nurse/Public Health Nurse/Advanced Practice Pediatric Nurse.
3. Certification in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
4. Some training/experience with program development.
5. Valid Department of Education license as a school nurse.
6. Valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Massachusetts
7. Good health willing to submit to a medical exam.
8. Strong leadership skills.
9. Must be a person of professional and personal integrity

SALARY: $5168 Stipend

Term of employment

School year to be the same number of days as other professional registered school nurses. He/she may be required to work up to an additional five (5) days for new employee orientation or other needs for which he/she will be compensated at the current per diem rate.

CLASSIFICATION: BTA

REPORTS TO: The lead nurse reports to the School Superintendent and collaborates with the School Physician principals and nursing staff in developing and implementing the school health service program.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITIES:

The lead nurse supervises and annually evaluates all clinical nursing staff providing services in the school health program in a format developed in collaboration with the administrative team.

OUR MISSION:

The Bellingham Public School Districts enrollment is approximately 1930 students and an organizational staff of 400 employees. The district is split into the following building grade levels:

DiPietro Elementary (Preschool Grade 3) Stall Brook Elementary (Preschool Grade 3) Bellingham Memorial School (grades 4-7) and Bellingham High School (grades 8-12) and Keough Memorial Academy (grades 7-12) is our therapeutic day school for students with special needs.

Our core mission is to foster an environment in which students and staff have opportunities to reach their full Bellingham School District is committed to providing a challenging and academically motivating education where all students staff and families accept responsibility for education within their schools.

The School Committee and the Administrative Team support the District Improvement Plan and Strategic Plan. Our goal is to always reach for our vision: The Bellingham Public Schools in collaboration with students their families and the community will provide a safe learning environment where the unique strengths of every learner are enhanced and celebrated. We will work together to build a shared sense of pride in the Bellingham Public Schools by amplifying academic excellence increasing communication cultivating a positive climate improving social and emotional well-being and enhancing technology use and implementation.

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority