School Nurse

The School Nurse's purpose is to provide a clinically effective, high-quality service of nursing care to all pupils and first aid care to all members of the school community. The postholder will use research-based practice to plan, deliver and evaluate school nursing interventions throughout the School. Full-time, part-time and bank contracts are available covering the school’s three terms leaving over 20 weeks’ for holiday each year. Successful applicants will work on a rota basis covering nights when pupils are on site (on call cover from home) and weekends (c25 weekends fall within term time). Night cover and weekend work will be distributed equally across the team. The school offers competitive rates of pay, meals on duty and payment of NMC membership fees.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Adhere to the NMC Code of professional conduct and be conversant with the Scope of professional practice and other NMC advisory papers.
• Keep up to date with professional developments.
• Use evidence-based practice to develop and maintain a high quality of nursing care to the pupils.
• Ensure that a code of confidentiality is adhered to.
• Assist the Senior School Nurse with appropriate development of policies and protocols.
• Assist with a smooth and efficient running of the Health Centre and ensuring efficient systems and processes are followed.
• Maintain registration with the NMC.
• Work extra hours as required to cover during special events or other absence.

Nursing

• Provide a high standard of service within NMC guidelines to pupils, members of staff and any visitors while on site, as directed by the Senior School Nurse.
• Organise and run nurse clinics during duty (within agreed level of competence).
• Ensure care plans are developed and written for pupils requiring them, in liaison with pupils, parents and boarding house staff.
• Provide immediate and ongoing medical treatment as necessary.
• Provide continuing care for pupils with chronic medical conditions in consultation with their medical advisers.
• Provide a responsive call out service for all emergencies within the School grounds and request emergency services where appropriate.
• Provide first aid and emergency care and treatment as necessary.
• Take responsibility for the opening and closing of the Health Centre when on duty.
• Assist with maintaining all first aid equipment, boxes and bags within the school boundaries ensuring that the contents are in an appropriate condition and fit for purpose for use on and off site.
• Assist the School Medical Officer in their regular surgeries and with borders’ medicals.
• Assist in the delivery of routine childhood vaccinations and travel health.
• Operate procedures for control of infectious diseases.
• Follow procedures for the safe disposal of clinical waste.
• Be aware of recommended procedures for and maintaining safe storage usage and disposal of medical supplies and drugs.
• Maintain treatment room stock, hygiene and tidiness.

Health Education

• Promote health education throughout the school population, either on a 1-1 basis or through small teaching groups and assemblies.
• Ensure the provision of and access to a range of publicity materials on issues relating to student health.
• Keep up to date with current health promotion initiatives.
• Assist in providing relevant training sessions for all House Matrons as and when required.

Administration

• Maintain medical records accurately, confidentially and safely.
• Keep nursing records to a high standard ensuring that accurate and rapid retrieval of information.
• Record dispensing of drugs following drug protocols.
• Maintain general office procedures.
• Assist with school medical examinations.

Health and Safety

• Have an involvement and awareness of health and safety issues within the school affecting staff, pupils or the environment.
• Follow school accident reporting procedures as per Health and Safety policy.

Liaison

• Oversee and mentor Health Care Assistants.
• Collaborate with other members of the Health Centre team to ensure seamless and continuous care, and with parents, academic staff, and school staff and all other departments as necessary.
• Engage with Boarding House Masters/Mistress and Matrons, School health advisors and other members of the primary health care team, School Medical Officer and the School’s Counsellor, and social services where appropriate.