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What Are a School Nurse’s Roles and Responsibilities?
School nurses are essential healthcare professionals that provide a wide range of care for students across the country. Like many other healthcare jobs, there is a shortage of school nurses, which affects the lives of children every day. Amergis Educational Staffing recognizes that school nurse roles and responsibilities require professionals who are dedicated to the health and well-being of their students. We’re proud to have been helping top healthcare talent find new and exciting opportunities for over thirty years. If you’re interested in exploring how to become or school nurse or potential school nursing positions, check out our up-to-the-date listings for more information.
But what exactly are a school nurse’s roles and responsibilities?
School Nurse Roles and Responsibilities
School nurse roles and responsibilities vary depending on several factors, most importantly, the needs of the students being monitored.
However, some of the most common school nurse roles and responsibilities include:
- Utilizes the nursing process to plan, implement, and evaluate students’ care needs
- Performs interventions, treatments, and medications administration as outlined in the individualized healthcare plan (IHP)
- Monitors and documents the effectiveness of interventions, treatments, and medications
- Evaluates and assures student safety at all times
- Communicates with school district personnel about students’ IHPs
- Maintains accuracy in student health records
Perhaps a school nurse’s most important role is to be a calming presence for their students. Often, when children visit the school nurse, they might be frightened or worried about treatment. Having a school nurse who can put a student’s worries to rest is certainly an asset to the entire school community.
Tips for School Nurses
Although a school nursing position might not be as grueling as a position in an Emergency Department, there are certainly days that will be draining. The best tip that experienced school nurses can share with newer professionals is to be well prepared. Proper preparation will help school nurses overcome the unpredictability of the day-to-day operation of their position.
To prepare for their first day, school nurses should be sure to:
- Give themselves plenty of time to get their assignments
- Review nursing orders before providing care
- Check supplies upon accepting the student into nursing care
- Examine medications for expiration dates
Conversely, there are some things for school nurses to avoid.
For example:
- Don’t forget to document.
- Don’t apply anything topical, such as sunscreen or an antibiotic ointment, without an order.
- Don’t forget your pens, logins, passwords, required paperwork, and stethoscope.
- Don’t use nail clippers or tweezers.
Of course, some of the tips might not apply, depending on the assignment.
Benefits of Partnering with Amergis Educational Staffing
So why would healthcare professionals across the country choose to partner with Amergis to make a career change? Whether these professionals are looking for a school nursing position or other opportunities in educational services, working with Amergis is an excellent way to increase job satisfaction.
Some of the many benefits of partnering with Amergis include:
- A network of Amergis offices for opportunities nationwide
- Personalized career consultations
- No time wasted finding job openings
- Recruiters who have extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry
- Over 30 years of experience in healthcare staffing
- Ongoing training to expand knowledge and skills
Above all, Amergis ensures that school nurses have continuing assistance every step of the way, including 24/7 on-call support and periodic check-ins from our Amergis team. Every day, we prepare our healthcare professionals to be successful in their new positions, which reflects our commitment to improving the quality of life for patients nationwide.
Make the Transition into School Nursing with Amergis Staffing
As a leading provider of school-based professionals, Amergis is dedicated to our goal of matching top talent with the work that matters. We are proud of our well-earned reputation as a superior staffing agency for healthcare workers, but we are only as good as what we do for our healthcare professionals every day. Learn more information about school nurse roles and responsibilities or potential school nursing opportunities from Amergis today.
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