Job Description
Lead School Nurse for Students with Complex Healthcare Needs Reports To: Principal and Office of Health Services Who We Are At our school, we proudly support students with diverse abilities, including those facing cognitive challenges, physical disabilities, and complex medical needs. Our innovative Transdisciplinary Model fosters collaboration among teachers and therapists, ensuring a holistic learning experience with the priority of increasing each student's ability to communicate through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Our vibrant community celebrates a rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds. Excitingly, in 2025, we’ll be moving to a beautiful new building featuring a therapeutic pool, sensory garden, rooftop classroom, and specialized spaces designed just for our students. We warmly invite you to join us at The Carter for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year! Position Overview: The role of the Lead School Nurse entails providing clinical support to a team of school nurses, coordinating student health care plans, managing cases, and ensuring compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations related to student health and safety. The Lead School Nurse will collaborate with the school-based nurses, school-based team, parents, and healthcare providers to promote the health and well-being of students at the Carter School in consultation with the Office of Health Services Key Responsibilities: Clinical Support and Case Management Assist school-based nurses in developing and implementing Individualized Healthcare Plans (IHPs) and ensure these plans are student-centered and culturally responsive. Act as a content expert in caring for students with complex healthcare needs. Provide direct nursing care to students with highly specialized and complex medical needs, including but not limited to those requiring ventilator support, tracheostomy care, enteral (tube) feeding, seizure management, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), mobility assistance, and other advanced medical interventions. Care is delivered in collaboration with school staff, families, and healthcare providers to ensure the safety and optimal well-being of students in the school setting. Serve as a clinical resource for school staff, offering guidance on chronic disease management, medical devices, and specialized interventions in the school setting. Establish and maintain partnerships with primary and specialty care providers involved in the care of Carter School students who have chronic health conditions and special health care needs. Participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance case management practices at the Carter School, in consultation with the BPS Office of Health Services Support & Leadership Provide guidance and mentorship to the Carter school-based nurses. Act as a liaison between school-based staff, 1:1 agency nurses, the Health Services Administration team, families, and healthcare providers. Support the implementation of health policies and procedures in alignment with district and regulatory standards. Maintain the integrity of health data and contribute to data tracking and reporting. Other Responsibilities: Provides emergency medical care to students. Administers and/or supervises the administration of prescription medication to students. Counsels and/or educates students in small groups or one-on-one regarding medical issues. Conducts formal and informal evaluations of medical conditions and develops accurate medical summaries on students. Teaches mini-courses to small groups of students in medical and health areas. Monitors and assesses compliance with immunization standards as per BPS and DPH regulations. Performs vision, hearing, scoliosis, dental, and other health-related screening as required by DPH or BPS Office of Health Services. Develops and maintains contacts with medical personnel or facilities who might provide direct service or consultation. Participates in Service Team meetings for students when medical input, interpretation, or consultation is required. Establishes and maintains appropriate record-keeping and reporting formats and procedures. Conducts formal workshops and/or informal training for staff as appropriate. Maintains adequate and updated health records. Serves as a medical representative to evaluations and reevaluations, obtains and interprets medical evaluations at these meetings. Core Competencies: Using the Rubric of Specialized Support Instructional Personnel (SISP), the Office of Human Resources has identified priority skills and abilities