Job Description: School Nurse, TAMS & Residential Life
Accountability: The School Nurse is directly responsible to the Associate Head of School in fulfilling all responsibilities.
Nature of the Position:
The School Nurse serves as a leader in the school community whose role provides expertise and oversight of comprehensive school health services. The School Nurse advocates for the physical, emotional, mental, and social health of students. The TAMS/Residential Life School Nurse is responsible for nursing services for all students at the middle school and a portion of the residential life population. This is a full-time position, with a minimum of 190 days of service (school calendar days and 10 summer days).
Job Requirements – This position requires a person who:
- Has specific clinical knowledge-based competencies required to perform all job functions, including assessment, planning, and the coordination of health care for individuals and groups within the school community
- Utilizes clinical knowledge to develop and implement individual health care plans, and health promotion and education activities
- Is able to maintain a safe, secure, and healthy work environment by establishing and following standards and procedures, and complying with legal & regulatory requirements
- Adapts to the demands of a comprehensive and dynamic school community
- Is able to delegate tasks and responsibilities to others and adequately assess workflow, process, efficiency, and accuracy of delegation
- Able to utilize school and health-based technology platforms to perform responsibilities
- Is able to take initiative and work independently, and collaborate as a vital team member
- Demonstrates caring, kindness, and respect to all members of the school community through the delivery of health care services
- Is able to:
- communicate effectively,
- encourage and support collaboration,
- exercise judgment and discretion,
- maintain confidentiality, and
- adapt quickly and successfully to changing situations
- Has excellent skills in verbal and written communication
Performance Responsibilities – The TAMS/Residential Life School Nurse will:
- Provide healthcare assessment to students and staff as indicated
- Develop plans for student care based on assessment, interventions, and identification of outcomes (as directed by the school health advisor or other treating health care provider), and the evaluation of care
- Oversee medication administration, healthcare procedures, and the development (and maintenance) of healthcare plans
- Monitor immunizations and the management of communicable diseases
- Make decisions related to the delegation of healthcare tasks as directed by state laws and professional practice guidance
- Implement and communicate health policy/practice to parents, students, and staff
- Serve as a consultant with other school professionals, such as food service personnel, physical education teachers, coaches, social workers, and school counselors
- Supports the implementation of student academic plans, as appropriate
- Serve as a liaison between school personnel, family, and community healthcare providers to ensure a healthy environment for individual students and the whole school community
- Promote infection control measures and work collaboratively with administration, facilities, and other departments in this effort
- Actively participate in school comprehensive emergency response planning and implementation
- Oversee vision and other screening procedures for the middle school students
- Actively participate in health-related school procedures, e.g., concussion management, for students
- Implement required health-related training for non-licensed professionals (e.g., dorm parents and administrative assistants), including but not limited to medication administration; support annual health trainings for all employees
- Manage the organization of student health files/records; paper and digital
- Monitor and refill medical supplies & equipment for TAMS and Residential Life housing
- Provide health-related education to students and staff in both individual and group settings, when indicated or requested
- Assist local families with healthcare referral questions, as appropriate
- Provide backup support to the Upper School and Residential Life School nurses, as needed
- Coordinate with the other School Nurses to:
- Prepare and implement school health clinics and other preventative health activities within the school
- Additional duties as assigned by the Associate Head of School
Additional Responsibilities for Residential Life
- Provide care coordination for residential life students, including chronic and acute needs; this includes collaboration with other treating health professionals
- Assist international families with navigating local health systems, as required to coordinate care for residential life students, including support of billing and other healthcare paperwork requirements
- Monitor and provide care for dorm students, including during the school day when students are unable to leave the dorm
- Schedule and attend (includes transportation of students) medical provider appointments with students
- Manage student prescriptions, including pick up, and communication of instructions to students, residential life staff; preparation required prior to weekends and school year vacations
- Communicate and respond to student health issues with the Director of Residential Life, residential life staff, and natural parents/agents (year-round)
- Support arriving and departing students with the completion of medical forms
- Attend Residential Life Student Support Team meetings, as appropriate
Required Credentials
- Five or more years of experience
- Maintain a current and valid RN license in the State of Maine
- Bachelor’s degree or higher
- Valid Maine Driver’s license and a clean driving record, and the ability to be added to the school’s automobile policy required
- Maine Criminal History Record Check (CHRC)
- Experience working with adolescents preferred
- American Heart Association CPR and First Aid certification preferred
To apply, please submit the following:
- Letter of interest
- Current resume
- Completed “Non-instructional Staff” application form (available for download online here)
- College transcript (an unofficial/student-issued copy is sufficient, though an official copy may later be requested)
- Contact information for three work-related references
- Evidence of current/active CHRC certificate (required by Maine law)
- This certification may be pursued later in the hiring process but the candidate must be willing to undergo a background check and fingerprinting by the State of Maine; more information may be found at the Dept of Education website here).
All materials should be submitted electronically to lisa.estabrook@thorntonacademy.org.
Please note “Applicant: School Nurse” in the Subject line.
Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.
If electronic submission is not possible, materials may be mailed or delivered to:
Lisa Estabrook Thornton Academy 438 Main Street Saco, ME 04072
The Thornton Academy Board of Trustees has adopted a non-discrimination policy.
Thornton Academy considers all applicants without regard to race, age, color, ancestry
or national origin, religion, gender, gender identification, sexual orientation, physical or
mental disability, marital, veteran, or any other legally protected status.