Escondido Union School District -

Under the direction of the Director of Integrated Student Supports, the School Nurse is responsible for providing a comprehensive health management program for the assessment, evaluation, maintenance, and improvement of the health of students and school personnel.

Specific responsibilities will include but will not be limited to the following:

• Provides healthcare services to students; promotes the health of children. Conducts and supervises the health program at assigned schools.

• Conducts hearing screening and threshold testing according to mandates of the State Department of Public Health. Conducts vision testing, including color discrimination testing as mandated by the State Department of Education.

• Trains and supervises Health Technicians and other office staff in the provision of specialized health care services in accordance with physician’s prescription. Monitors the services and charting responsibilities. Provides such services directly to students as needed.

• Provides office staff training to provide health care services when the nurse or health technician are not available.

• Travels independently to multiple school sites in a timely and dependable manner.

• Required to be “on call” to assigned schools except during lunch and to take “noon call” on a rotating basis with other School Nurses in order to provide continual emergency coverage to the District.

• Verifies absence of student that may be due to medical reasons when requested by Principal.

• Participates in staff and parent conferences regarding students with medical needs, as requested.

• Develops and implements a health plan for students who require medical treatment at school.

  • Obtains medical information from physician.

  • Interprets the health status of pupils to parents and school personnel.

  • Initiates health-related referrals to parents, school personnel, and community health resources.

  • Provides private ongoing health counseling with pupils, parents, school personnel, and health agencies.

• Through student logs and computer input, maintains, evaluates, and interprets cumulative health data to accommodate individual needs of students, parents, and staff.

• Monitors student health data.

• Participates as the health specialist on student assessment teams to develop the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for special education students and 504 Plans for regular education students.

• Reviews, plans, implements, monitors, and maintains school health management protocols for children with chronic health problems, including the administration of medication.

• Assists with students with medical needs by accompanying on field trips or arranging for a qualified alternative.

• Makes home visits relating to health issues.

• Develops procedures for crisis interventions relating to acute illness, injury, and emotional disturbances in collaboration with site guidance staff.

• Assists in the control of communicable diseases through preventive immunization programs, early detection, surveillance, and reporting of contagious diseases, and appropriate referral to clinics.

• Provides health education:

  • Provides direct health education to assist students and families in making decisions on matters that affect their health.

• Provides direct staff development and instruction in health-related areas. Trains staff annually and as needed on blood-borne pathogens, universal precautions, the use of an Epi-pen, and communicable diseases.

• Monitors proper storage and disposal of sharps.

• Assists other professionals in identifying equipment necessary to provide safe lifting and other necessary procedures.

• Coordinates school and community health activities and serves as a liaison between the home, school, and community.

• Assists in the formation of health policies, goals, and objectives for the school district.

• Maintains regular attendance and notifies appropriate personnel when ill, absent, or injured.

• Assists in planning for disaster preparedness and directs First Aid/triage in the event of a disaster at the site.

• Maintains contact with all staff members in regard to school-related health matters.

• Serves as contact person with individuals and organizations outside the school in regard to health matters.

• Completes appropriate reports for MediCal billing in accordance with State mandated cost programs.

• Adheres to all State, Federal, district, and school policies.

• Attends district and community meetings as requested.

Knowledge principles and practices underlying professional nursing: principles and practices underlying the special field of school nursing; current trends in nursing and of literature in the fields of school health; state and local laws relating to health and social issues; mandated school health screenings; disease preventions and restorative measures; safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection. Knowledge of proper First Aid/CPR and emergency treatment of all injuries and illnesses to students and employees; safe and healthful school environments. Knowledge of general layout of community; location of school sites; school site emergency preparedness plans, and quickest routes to emergency facilities. Knowledge of community resources; i.e., medical, dental, psychological, social services. Knowledge of current health issues, treatments, medications; and preventative measures. Knowledge of professional responsibility to maintain valid RN license with other required credentials. Knowledge of safe work practices including, but not limited to lifting, pushing, pulling, hazardous waste, and infectious disease.

Plan, organize, develop and use appropriate strategies for planning, recommending services and implement instruction, including the use of supplementary aides, services, and technology, manage learning environments that are safe and effective; collaborate and communicate effectively both orally and in writing; establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with School Health Technicians, District personnel and administrators, parents, physicians, community agencies’ staff; provide effective learning experiences for students with a wide range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Ability to communicate ideas, procedures, and directions clearly. Ability to implement safe working practices. Ability to have sufficient visual acuity to perform the essential functions of the position. Ability to collaborate and share supervision of health responsibilities. Ability to coordinate and provide ongoing training for site Health Techs in the performance of their assigned responsibilities. Ability to work with District personnel and administrators. Ability to work with individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Ability to be flexible; communicate easily with students, parents, physicians, and community agencies’ staff. Ability to organize own workload, work well with others and delegate responsibilities; set goals. Maintain professional competence through participation in professional growth activities. Able to participate in local, state, and national professional associations for own and the district’s benefit and needs, and in promoting the general welfare and importance of health in public education. Ability to triage over telephone and, in event of disaster, on-site.

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions requires the following physical demands: hearing and speaking to exchange information and make presentations; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; have a means of transportation to conduct work; seeing to conduct inspections of data; and occasional lifting of boxes and equipment and bending or reaching for files and equipment. Weight of materials will vary, but generally fifty (50) pounds or less. Generally, the job requires 50% sitting, 25% walking, and 25% standing. May be required to correctly transfer or restrain a child physically if needed. Will work with students who have significant academic and social/emotional needs. The job is performed under minimal temperature variations, a generally hazard- free environment and in a clean atmosphere

Possession of any of the following credentials: Valid California Registered Nurse License; Standard Designated Services Credential with Specialization in Health, Audiometric Certificate, current CPR and First Aid Certificate.

Must pass pre-employment physical examination and fingerprint clearance following an offer of employment.

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree desired.

Placement on the certificated salary schedule

Board Approval 12/15/2022