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Are you searching for a school nurse job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a school nurse. Feel free to use our school nurse job description template to produce your own school nurse job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a school nurse.

 

Who is a School Nurse?

A School Nurse is a trained professional who makes sure that students have access to and receive adequate mental and physical health services at every point in time. When necessary, they construct care plans for their patients, including medication management if necessary, in collaboration with teachers, parents, and/or guardians. A specialized branch of public health nursing known as school nursing supports academic success by promoting and protecting students’ health as well as facilitating normal growth. By bridging the gap between health care and education, providing care coordination, advocating for high-quality, patient-centred care, and working together to design systems that enable people and communities to realize their full potential, school nurses, who are grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, can close the achievement gap between health care and education.

To help students grow to the fullest extent of their physical, emotional, and intellectual potential, the school nurse engages in professional nursing practice in a learning environment. School nurses support safe and healthy behaviours and offer treatment for current and potential health issues. In addition to helping students manage chronic problems including food allergies, asthma, and other ailments, these nurses respond to emergency injuries that occur within the student body. School systems, state health departments, and county health departments are examples of practice contexts.

During the school day, school nurses serve as the main source of medical care for both children and adults. An educational environment is where a school nurse works with students of school age. Students who become ill or hurt while at school frequently go to the school nurse for evaluation. The duties of the position may include giving out regular medications, caring for a child who has a virus, or stabilizing a youngster until help arrives in the event of a more serious injury. In collaboration with school doctors, neighbourhood doctors, and neighbourhood organizations, school nurses are in a good position to lead the school system. When families and students are in state health insurance programs, they make it easier for them to access Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. They may also help each student who needs it find a medical home.

A school nurse’s principal responsibility is making sure every kid has everything they need to learn well, which frequently involves taking care of health issues. According to Landseadel, the majority of a school nurse’s duties are essentially case management. “School nurses develop, disseminate, and organize care plans for children and adolescents who require additional physical and/or mental health support to succeed in school.” Administrative tasks that support student safety are also encountered by school nurses. A few examples of this are carrying out the legally required vaccine checkups and “working with social workers and guidance counsellors to set up home education for pupils too ill to attend a school or those who are hospitalized.” The foundational ideas and practices of professional nursing must be understood, along with the most recent developments in the specialized field of school health, for a school nurse to be successful. When a nurse is an RN, they might apply to work at a school. Successful school nurses need to know about mental health, school law, and policy in addition to their physical health expertise. They also need to be at ease around children. As they interact with teachers, administrators, and parents, school nurses must also have great communication skills. Being in a school environment implies that occasionally nurses play a role in students’ social well-being and anti-bullying initiatives, thus being at ease with resolving disagreement is a crucial skill set to retain.

 

School Nurse Job Description

What is a school nurse job description? A school nurse job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a school nurse in an organization. Below are the school nurse job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a school nurse job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

• Make use of the resources already available to give faculty and staff the proper medical treatment.
• Evaluate the status of the immunization records for the personnel and students when necessary.
• Assess illnesses and injuries, then use the proper intervention techniques to address them.
• Encourage students and staff to be as healthy as possible by offering preventative healthcare services, such as vaccinations.
• Complete gastrostomy tube feedings, catheterizations, and tracheostomy care for students who have difficulty eating.
• Check your hearing and vision as well as do other regular health examinations.
• Implement preventative programs and talk to older students about preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Make plans to stop students from using illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
• Locate aid for pupils that are struggling.
• Teach pupils how to take care of themselves to help them manage chronic illnesses.
• Dispense medication.
• Create the health education program in collaboration with the principal and the instructors.
• Serve as the community’s point of contact for parents with concerns about their children’s health.
• Create and implement health plans for kids who have particular health requirements.
• Conduct health examinations and check for any deficiencies in the students’ growth, development, hearing, or eyesight.
• Plan and put into action school health management protocols and procedures, especially for emergencies.
• Give parents or staff referrals for intervention and treatment of unusual or concerning health concerns impacting students.
• Ensure that students, parents, and staff health counselling are ongoing.
• Complete the appropriate medical documents.
• Attend several meetings at the institution.

 

Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree in nursing or a field closely related to health.
• The accomplishment of passing the registered nurse national examination (NCLEX-RN).
• Possession of certification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN).
• Participant in the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access).
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Detail-orientedness skills.
• Familiarity with kids in general.
• Capability to monitor and track student data and immunization status using computers.
• Possession of the capacity to relate to children, interact with patients, and interact with the school community.
• Adequate health knowledge.
• Ability to manage children’s medicine while they are enrolled in school.
• A solid grounding in physical evaluation, first aid, and emergency care.

 

Essential Skills

• Communication skills:  Regardless of the children’s age, whether kindergartners or seniors in high school, the school nurse must be able to speak with them on their level. The better she is at listening to pupils and letting them know she is open to talking with them, the more likely it is that they will seek her counsel when they are feeling under the weather. Adults, such as parents, teachers, and administrators, must be communicated with by school nurses. An advocate for students’ medical needs is something that school nurses are supposed to do. To effectively interact with children, parents, teachers, and administrators, they must be able to speak properly.
• Organization and time management skills: These skills complement one another. Your capacity to perform efficiently in the job is reflected in your organizing skills. To manage their daily tasks effectively and conduct themselves professionally when speaking with patients, family members, and coworkers, nurses must develop time management skills. Effective multitasking and the capacity to prioritize your workload are crucial. Don’t forget about those last-minute assignments or schedule modifications. Being quick to adjust, reprioritize, organize, and manage these changes is essential for nurses. Lessening those pressures requires excellent time management and organizational abilities.
• Patience: Students that appear unhappy or distressed due to physical, emotional, or mental problems are interacted with by school nurses and given care. When assisting troubled kids, being patient might help you rapidly identify the problem and discover a workaround.
• Medical and clinical expertise: A school nurse must be competent to administer first aid, identify illnesses, and seek more medical assistance as needed. They are expected to be knowledgeable about a range of medical illnesses, from those affecting kids with impairments to those whose conditions pose a serious risk to their lives, such as diabetes or severe food allergies.
• Attention to detail: A school nurse may attend to the needs of numerous different pupils in a single day. Each student’s unique needs must be carefully considered by the nurse, who must also be able to spot signs that a student might be in danger at home.
• Knowledge of procedures and policies: Understanding the laws and procedures of the school is essential. The responsibilities of the school nurse are governed by specific regulations and procedures in each school district. A successful school nurse will be well-versed in these requirements and strictly adhere to them.
• Organizational skills: All of the students in a school are tracked down by school nurses. To identify whether students have risky allergies or complicated medical histories, they must maintain careful documentation. Basic medical records are also maintained by school nurses and include details like height, weight, immunizations, and other significant data.
• Multitasking skills: A school nurse must be able to attend to the needs of several pupils at once without losing track of crucial details.
• Teaching skills: Teaching abilities are vital to school nurses. Many schools require their nurses to instruct faculty members and students on general hygiene, illness prevention, and general health. A school nurse must feel at ease imparting knowledge about critical facets of individual health care.

 

How to Become a School Nurse

Step 1. Obtain a high school diploma

Obtaining a high school diploma or GED equivalent is the first requirement for working as a school nurse. Take into account the fact that university degrees are necessary for school nurses. To maintain a good GPA throughout high school, you must make every effort. To be a competitive applicant when you apply to universities, it’s also imperative that you sufficiently prepare for your SAT or ACT exams. Biology, psychology, anatomy, physiology, health, and physical education are a few high school courses that can be beneficial to your nursing career. It may be advantageous to volunteer while you are still in high school to pick up some work experience. A nearby hospital or long-term care institution might have volunteer opportunities available. You can learn more about the industry and demonstrate your practical experience on a college application by taking advantage of this opportunity. When you volunteer, make an effort to network with industry leaders because finding a mentor early in your career can be quite helpful.

Step 2. Earn a bachelor’s degree

Getting a bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) degree is the next step to becoming a school nurse. The typical time for students to complete this degree is four years. Seminars, lectures, and laboratory exercises are frequently used in courses. A bachelor’s degree in nursing or a closely related medical profession, such as biochemistry, health education, social work, nutrition, or counselling, is required to become certified by the National Board of Certified School Nurses. Most four-year institutions offer nursing programs and degrees in the field. A list of approved degrees can be seen on the NBCSN website.

Step 3. Pass the NBCSN exam.

For the NBCSN exam, candidates must have at least 1,000 hours of clinical experience in a school setting, participating in any tasks that improve the health of students and their families. The committee advises having 4,000 hours of experience. Once you are eligible for the exam, you must sign up, pay the exam fee, and pass it to be certified. You must complete the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to obtain your nursing license, which entitles you to engage in nursing practice. The exam is typically taken 45 days after undergraduate courses are completed. The NCLEX-RN exam is designed to ascertain your readiness to practice nursing. You will be given scenarios on the exam that call for you to use your nursing knowledge to come up with solutions.

Step 4. Become an RN

The required exam for all registered nurses is the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. You must prepare for and pass this exam to become a state-licensed school nurse, which is a requirement for RN licensure. Being proficient in written and spoken English or French is required to become an RN, in addition to certificates and degrees. It’s crucial to register in the country where you obtained your bachelor’s degree. Another achievement to strive for is becoming a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or being granted permission under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to practice nursing. It’s crucial to pass an evaluation of your moral character and eligibility for practice, which frequently includes passing a background check.

Step 5. Obtain more licenses and education certifications

To be eligible for a job as a school nurse, you must keep your credentials current. Earning a minimum of 75 credits in continuing education every five years is required to maintain certifications.

Step 6. Create your resume.

It’s time to start looking for a job after you’ve received your license. Make sure your résumé is current, and be careful to dress appropriately for an interview. To find out if schools are actively looking to hire a school nurse, consult job boards or get in touch with the respective institutions. Indicate on your CV your greatest level of study and all certificates. Include your relevant professional history and transferable talents as well. Include the name of the employer and the dates of employment for each former position that you listed. Your job responsibilities and any achievements should be listed in a bulleted list.

 

Where to Work as a School Nurse

Nearly all educational institutions, including public and private schools, as well as alternative and/or vocational schools, employ school nurses. To satisfy the needs of kids and teenagers, school nurses collaborate with a variety of organizations, including GPs, health visitors, allied health professionals, and volunteer agencies. Once an RN, a nurse may apply to work in a school. They work throughout the year to assist kids and teenagers in a variety of venues, including schools and homes or neighbourhood health centres, and frequently use digital technology to meet their needs. To ensure that services are provided effectively, they occasionally supervise a team that includes community staff nurses and nursery nurses.  They may also work on US military sites or in foreign schools. Budget cuts have made it more and more necessary for employed school nurses to travel between schools in a specific district, for example, even though they normally operate in a health office on a school site. When classes are in session, school nurses normally work throughout the day, and many take breaks over the summer, on holidays, and during other school breaks.

 

School Nurse Salary Scale

In the US, the average school nurse income is $53,109. Normally, the compensation ranges from $42,429 and $67,047. The pay for school nurses often varies depending on the sort of school they work at, the need, their educational background, their experience and ability, their level of responsibility, and their location. Because of the diverse tasks involved, a school nurse working in a high school or college setting probably earns a different pay than one working in a preschool or elementary school. In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for a school nurse is roughly 236,000 NGN. From lowest to highest, salaries range from 90,000 to 305, 000 NGN.

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