BOARD POLICY 4216.7
The School Health Nurse
The Ironton City School District shall have a School Health Nurse, whose major duties and concern shall be developing and executing a plan, which will generally safeguard and promote the health of the students and employees of this School District. In developing and executing such a plan the School Health Nurse shall consult with the Administration of the Ironton City Schools and with the Department of Health. The School Health Nurse shall confine the work of the position to the implementation and execution of the school health program, which has thus been formulated for the schools of this District. In health and medical matters beyond the scope and breadth of the nursing profession, the School Health Nurse shall consult the City, County, and/or State Department of Health, and the Administration of the Ironton City School System.
The School Health Nurse shall be fully certified, currently licensed (by the State of Ohio) Registered Nurse. The School Nurse shall have successfully completed a fully accredited nursing program and hold a B.S. Degree in Nursing. In addition to this legal requirement, the School Health Nurse shall be an individual of character befitting the position and which typify and epitomize the principles upon her positions rests.
The School Health Nurse shall be employed under a written contract in the Ironton City Board of Education. The Ironton City Superintendent of Schools shall make recommendations to the Board concerning the filling of this position. The School Health Nurse shall be a certified employee and thus entitled to the rights and privileges thereof, as granted by the Ohio Statutes and by the Ironton City Board of Education Policies.
The School Health Nurse shall be paid an annual salary as adopted for certified personnel (teachers) by the Ironton City Board of Education.
The School Health Nurse shall work all the days on which school is in session in any given school calendar of this District. Work hours shall be begin when the first school in this District opens for instruction and shall end when the last school in this District closes for instruction, daily, Monday through Friday.
The School Health Nurse shall be entitled to sick leave and other leave as granted by State laws on such leave, and in accordance with Ironton City Board of Education Policies 4151.1-2 and 4151.7.
The School Health Nurse shall be allowed mileage, at a rate as established by this Board of Education, as follows: for travel between office and the schools; between the schools; between schools and home visitations; for travel to meetings with this District (or business) related to this position. For travel outside the Ironton District, the School Health Nurse shall formally apply to the Superintendent of Schools for permission (and mileage).
The registered, certificated, professional school nurse has the unique distinction of being the only medically oriented professional on the educational team. The Nurse utilizes professional skills to discover student health problems and coordinates the school and community health resources to help every child attain maximum educational potential.
The successful school health program depends upon the School Health Nurse’s versatility, creativity, and leadership qualities. The Nurse cooperates with fellow educators in working with students, parents, community agencies, and teachers.
To:
(1) Aid in formation of policies and objectives of school health service program and function as
part of the school health team.
(2) Determine health status of students by means of health appraisals;
(3) Interpret the health and developmental status of the student to himself, parents, and schools
personnel.
(4) Cooperate with Public Health in the control of communicable diseases;
(5) Maintain orderly and current health records;
(6) Implement first aid and care of the sick or injured according to school practices;
(7) Work with school administrative staff, parent groups and students in promoting a safe and
healthy environment in the school;
(8) Evaluate Health Services.
The Superintendent of the Ironton City Schools shall compile a written list of specific duties and responsibilities which the School Health Nurse shall follow.
11-20-67
Rev. 10-13-80
Rev. 11-12-84
Rev. 2-10-92
Rev. 7-1-96
The School Health Nurse
The position of the School Health Nurse in the Ironton City Schools is considered to be of the utmost importance. It is the duty of the Nurse to consider the position in this light and thus to devise and execute a school health plan which will reasonably guarantee the highest possible standards in the health of the students and employees of this District.
Although it is impossible to list, specifically, all the duties of the School Health Nurse, an attempt is made here to outline these duties and obligations which in a general manner, concern one in this position. Other duties of the School Health Nurse which are not listed here, but which would normally and inherently be considered a part of the work, shall also be incorporated in the overall health program, whether listed here or not.
The Ironton City School Health Nurse shall:
(1) keep abreast of the latest professional information in the field of nursing and incorporate the best
policies and practices of this profession into the Ironton City School System’s Health Plan;
(2) consult with the Department of Health on medical matters which go beyond that of a nurse;
(3) know and enforce within our schools, with the assistance of the Ironton City School Administration,
State laws, and Board Policies on the health of the students and employees in the Ironton System;
(4) determine and record on permanent record the health status of students by means of health appraisals
which consist of the following:
General assessment of student health,
Health and weight as an assessment of growth, development, and nutrition-status,
Vision screening,
Hearing screening,
Postural screening,
Dental inspection,
Objective appraisal of personal hygiene and physical appearance,
Evaluation of immunization and health history,
Emotional and mental health program, and
Special screening.
(5) do health appraisals periodically during student’s school life in accordance with the Ohio Department
of Health Regulations;
(6) hold the primary responsibility for implementing the control of communicable disease in the school,
for the protection of all pupils and school personnel, in compliance with the rules and regulations
established by the local and State Health Departments, and recommend student exclusion for control
of disease or when regulations are not met;
(7) supervise compliance by pupils and parents with immunization and communicable disease laws,
regulations and policies of the state and school district;
(8) make arrangements for immunizations, skin-testing, and screening for students and employees as
required by the laws of Ohio and by the policies of the Ironton City Board of Education;
(9) assist classroom teachers in teaching health more effectively by serving as a consultant to individual
classroom teachers, as a resource speaker, particularly in classroom activities, providing sources of
reference and audio-visual aids;
(10) observe, when visiting the schools, all children for cleanliness, nutritional deficiencies, and physical
defects;
(11) monitor medications given to pupils at school and observe pupils for effectiveness and/or side effect
of drug;
(12) use professional knowledge and experience in evaluating the signs and symptoms of illness at school
and recommend proper management to the student, the principal, and the student’s family;
(13) interpret and implement first aid care according to Ohio Department of Health;
(14) exercise leadership in assuring that the school health program is an integral part of the community
health program;
(15) direct particular attention to the students assigned to the D.H., Multiple Handicapped, SBH, Home
Instruction and Learning Disabilities classes, observing these children for emotional and/or health
programs;
(16) become acquainted with local, state, and national facilities and organizations to which to appeal for
aid in securing eye glasses, braces, special shoes, and similar necessities for the handicapped and/or
needy students;
(17) accompany, when called upon by the Superintendent to do so, student groups on field trips, etc.;
(18) interpret and implement first-aid care; requisition, through the Board Treasurer and Superintendent,
first-aid materials; keep first-aid cabinets in all of our schools buildings filled and sufficiently equipped for both emergency and routine use; and post first-aid regulations for school personnel to follow as suggested by the Ohio Department of Health;
(19) be available and on call to any school in this District needing professional services for an emergency
and/or questionable illness or injury among students or employees;
(20) assist in implementing health and safety regulations as they apply to laboratories, shops, lunch rooms
and food handling areas;
(21) participate, as advisable, in student conferences between the school psychologist, principal, teacher,
and other responsible school personnel;
(22) counsel children who have special health needs and problems, both physical and emotional;
(23) inform the faculty members of each school at the beginning of the school year (and throughout the
school year as necessary) as to the names and conditions of students in each particular school who have such health problems as would require special attention by the teacher and/or school personnel;
(24) prepare a school health program calendar before the beginning of the school year, listing the event and dates of each, and present these calendars to all of the schools in the Ironton City District;
(25) conduct safety and sanitary inspections in the schools and make necessary recommendations;
(26) make home visitations of students ( in the company of another school employee, when possible), as
requested by the teachers and/or school officials, to discuss home-school health problems of students;
and assist the attendance officer with chronic or questionable cases of student absenteeism;
(27) keep the City Superintendent of Schools (and other school personnel as necessary) apprised of school
laws , rules and regulations, especially new legislation;
(28) work with the school personnel in drug abuse cases, using the Nurse’s professional expertise to
inform and advise personnel as necessary in such cases, and set up a plan in the schools which attempts to deter drug abuse among students;
(29) follow the procedures listed in Board Policy 6190 Home Instruction for home instruction for students;
(30) will participate when requested as a member of the placement team for students who are to be placed
in a Special Education Program such as Home Instruction, L.D., D.H., M.H., and SBH;
(31) will keep apprised of current policies of the Ironton City Schools and advise the School Board of
policy changes needed to comply with school laws and help develop new policies when appropriate;
(32) perform any other duty not mentioned herein but which would be a part of or attendant to the
position; or complete any other related work as assigned to the Nurse by the Ironton City
Superintendent of Schools.
11-20-67
Rev. 10-13-80
Rev. 11-12-84
Rev. 2-10-92