About the School:

Located in the heart of Oakland, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children is a one-of-a-kind educational experience committed to empowering our students to realize their full potential. The School also provides vital early intervention and outreach services to visually impaired students, with or without additional challenges, throughout western Pennsylvania. Founded in 1887, our School is best equipped to care for and educate students with visual impairments. As a private institution chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the School educates approximately 200 enrolled students from 80-85 school districts within western Pennsylvania.

Position Summary:

The Registered Nurse (RN) provides direct nursing services and health care coordination for students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities as needed. The RN ensures a safe, healthy environment, addresses complex medical needs, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, and supports students and the educational teams to enable student participation in their educational program.

Job Information:

Evening Shift: Sundays-Thursdays 3p-11p

189 days per year; non-exempt

Responsibilities:

• Develop a working knowledge about health histories of students assigned to primary caseload.
• Perform nursing assessment, triage, and care for students with acute health symptoms, as needed.
• Provide direct nursing care including medication administration, treatments, tube feedings when necessary and appropriate, catheterizations, suctioning, oxygen administration, and other nursing care to students, as ordered.
• Monitor and manage chronic health conditions such as seizures, diabetes, and respiratory disorders.
• Respond to medical emergencies, provide first aid, and implement crisis health protocols.
• Function/interact as members of a team and to perform duties that are reflective of professional training.
• Communicate with the educational team regarding individual student’s health issues, as warranted and/or requested by educational staff.
• Serve as liaison between school, families, and healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Train school staff regarding student health issues through modeling, informal instruction, and formal teaching sessions, as appropriate, with support from other nursing personnel, as needed.
• Communicate with families regarding student health issues, as warranted.
• Refer persistent, significant, or complex health issues to the School’s nurse practitioner, the student’s primary care provider, or medical specialists, as warranted.
• Document nursing care activities, as assigned.
• Serve as a resource for LPN or Health Assistant.
• Maintain accurate and confidential health records in compliance with state and federal laws (FERPA, HIPAA).
• Ensure compliance with immunization laws, medication policies, and health-related regulations.
• Perform Outreach activities as assigned.
• Work on other assignments as directed.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualifications:

• Valid PA Licensed Registered Nurse
• Bachelor’s Degree with School Nurse certification preferred.
• Experience with pediatric population strongly preferred.
• 3 years experience with children who have visual impairments and other disabilities preferred
• Capable of working in a fast paced environment with multitasking skills.
• Must hold proper clearances for Acts 34, 114, and 151.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.

Physical Demands / Work Requirements:

The following physical demands are typical for a role in this setting:

• Ability to help lift and/or position students when necessary. Must be comfortable with lifting up to 50 pounds from the floor.
• Ability to lift and carry objects such as equipment, books, stacks of reports, etc, generally items weighing 20 pounds or less.
• Frequent reaching, bending, twisting, crouching, stooping, kneeling, crawling, sitting, and walking including up and down stairs.
• Pushing wheelchairs, moving/sliding student equipment.
• Ability to work in a hot humid environment in therapy pool area and outdoors during student activities and morning and afternoon transportation as needed.
• Communicate respectfully with multiple team members.
• Perform maintenance and upkeep of educational areas and therapy areas (i.e. OT/PT gym, clinic room, storage rooms).
• Assist with student enrichment groups and adapted sports programming as assigned.
• Ability to read and attend to computer screens.
• Manual dexterity skills for typing and use of various equipment.
• Comply with established policies and other duties.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.