Job Description

School Nurse

Baystate Academy Charter Public School (BACPS) is a college preparatory charter school in Springfield, MA. BACPS will provide rigorous academic standards and educational opportunities rooted in health sciences to students in grades 6 – 12. Through unique partnerships with Baystate Health, Sand EL Education, BACPS will prepare students to enter the world of higher education and health careers with scientific knowledge, ethics, integrity, and compassion.

The School Nurse is responsible for direct and indirect nursing care to enhance the well being, academic success, and life-long achievements of students. The School Nurse facilitates positive student responses to normal development, promotes health and safety, intervenes with actual and potential health problems, provides case management services, and actively collaborates with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management, self advocacy, and learning.          

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

• Assess and evaluate students’ medical history, including social, behavioral, psychological and familial concerns.
• Utilizing evidenced based practice, identify need for appropriate nursing services in the school setting.
• Initiate a plan of care with student and family input to best meet needs of individual student.
• Implement plan of care with consultation with school staff and community providers as necessary.
• Evaluate effectiveness of interventions and revise plan as necessary.
• Provides emergency care for all students and staff on school premises in the event of injury or sudden illness.
• Administer prescribed and approved medication to students with parent/guardian and physician consent.
• Perform mandated screenings in vision, hearing, scoliosis, and height and weight as deemed appropriate by state and city departments of public health.
• Documents pertinent information in student records in accordance with Standards of Practice and safeguards documentation utilizing HIPPA and FERPA regulations.
• Conducts home visits to initiate or follow up on the health care needs of students.
• Prepare regular written reports for supervisor, MDPH and other relevant agencies.
• Notify appropriate individuals, i.e. parents, staff, physicians of immediate and potential health related concerns.
• Promotes healthy programs in collaboration with coalitions, associations, CDC and Department of Public Health.
• Acts as a resource in health education to students and families and refers to appropriate help agencies when necessary.
• Maintain DESE and DPH certifications or actively pursuing and seeks out own learning experiences to keep current with new trends.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB:

1. Responsible for providing the optimum quality of health care to students.
2. Participates in direct and indirect nursing care, health maintenance, teaching, counseling, collaborative planning and rehabilitation in order to:

• Assess student’s health status, records and related health data;
• Analyze and interpret recorded data and a makes informed judgments regarding nursing care as mandated by MD order and standards of practice;
• Participates in planning and implementing nursing interventions;
• Responsible for knowledge of most recent advancements and current knowledge in the field;
• Collaborate, cooperate and communicate with other health care providers to ensure quality and continuity of care.

3. Promotes student and family education to involve them and significant others within the school system to establish and implement health goals.
4. Conducts self in professional manner as evidenced by appropriate attire, punctuality and indication of strong work ethic.
5. Reports to the principal.

EDUCATIONAL & JOB EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:                    

1. Bachelors Degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university.
2. Licensed as a Registered Nurse for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3. Current certification in CPR and First Aid.
4. A minimum of two years of child health, community health or other relevant clinical nursing experience

Baystate Academy Charter Public School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.