Health Assistant - Nurse; LPN- Forest Park Middle school

REPORTS TO: Principal/Nursing Supervisor

DEPARTMENT: Nursing

FUNDING: General Fund

SALARY: LPN - Union Salary Schedule

WORK SCHEDULE: To be arranged with the Principal and the Nursing Supervisor of Nursing (In accordance with contract requirements).

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

• Assess and evaluate students’ medical history, including social, behavioral, psychological and familial concerns.
• Utilize evidence‑based practice to 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 the 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.
• Provide 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.
• Document pertinent information in student records in accordance with Standards of Practice and safeguard documentation utilizing HIPAA and FERPA regulations.
• Conduct 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.
• Provide information about health and disease prevention in cooperation with health education programs within Springfield Public Schools.
• Promote healthy programs in collaboration with coalitions, associations, CDC and Department of Public Health.
• Act as a resource in health education to students and families and refer to appropriate help agencies when necessary.
• Report to work as scheduled and conduct themselves in a professional manner.
• Serve as a role model for other nurses and for students in SPS.

• Responsible for providing the optimum quality of health care to students.
• Participate 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 make informed judgments regarding nursing care as mandated by MD orders and standards of practice.
• Participate in planning and implementing nursing interventions.
• Maintain 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.
• Promote student and family education to involve them and significant others within the school system to establish and implement health goals.
• Conduct themselves in a professional manner as evidenced by appropriate attire, punctuality and strong work ethic.
• Report and be administratively accountable to the building nurse, Nursing Supervisor and the building principal for the provision of health services in the building.

• A valid and current Licensed Practical Nurse License by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• CPR and First Aid Certification by a recognized provider, renewable biannually.
• A minimum of one to two years of child health, community health or other relevant clinical nursing experience.

• No lifting, bending or twisting restrictions. Must be able to ambulate quickly and walk up four flights of stairs.

The Springfield Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy related conditions, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, or marital status. Additionally, they prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.