School Nurse

Purpose of the Role

The School Nurse is part of a wider pastoral team whose aim is to promote the physical health and emotional wellbeing of the pupils and staff. The School Nurse works closely with Senior Leadership, pastoral staff, form tutors/class teachers and the Wellbeing Advisor.

Main responsibilities and duties include

Medical Needs

• First Aid trained to provide first aid and emergency care to all members of the school community where necessary. 
• Care for students who are injured or who become unwell during the school day. Notify parents/carers and arrange for the students to go home if necessary.
• Be familiar and keep up to date with the multi-agency procedural guidelines for Safeguarding and the Westholme Schools’ Safeguarding policies.
• Keep abreast of local arrangements concerning the safeguarding of children and young people.
• Provide emotional support to vulnerable students and signpost to the appropriate support within school.
• Ensure individual care plans and treatment protocols are developed and written for those students requiring them in consultation with the parents/carers and SENDCO as required.
• To co-ordinate the immunisation/vaccination programmes involving the School population.
• Request and maintain records and confidential medical files from parents and/or external agencies.
• To arrange and meet with individual pupils and staff (by appointment and drop-in).
• Provide training and support to relevant staff with regard to the care of the students with identified medical or health needs.
• Maintain appropriate medical resources at Prep and Seniors including regular checks/replenishments of first aid equipment, defibrillators, emergency asthma kits, EpiPens and first aid kits.
• Ensure the smooth and efficient running of the medical room ensuring processes are in place that can be followed by any member of staff trained as a First Aider.
• Maintain medical room, hygiene and tidiness.
• Lead and co-ordinate the training of the First Aid team and ensure all their training all is up to date.
• Notify the Compliance Manager and HR when first aid training renewals are due.
• Responsible for the coordination and release of medication for students involved in external activities/trips and dispensing and recording of medication given in School.
• Follow stringent procedures for the recommended safe storage, usage and disposal of medical supplies and drugs.
• Recording and maintaining of all medical forms and consent registers.
• Arranging with external health agencies the programme of student immunisation and coordinating the arrangements on the day of vaccination.
• Assessing a student’s mobility on return to school following an injury and creating/reviewing a risk assessment.
• To liaise with outside agencies when required (e.g. GPs/CAMHS when appropriate);

Health and Wellbeing

• Know the current legal requirements, national policies and guidance on the safeguarding and promotion of the well-being of children and young people.
• Prepare and deliver resources for students on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Know how to identify and support children and young people whose progress, development or well-being is affected by changes of difficulties in their personal circumstances, and when to refer them to colleagues for specialist support.

Health Education

• Have a sufficient depth of knowledge to be able to give advice to students on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle – for example eating, drinking, exercise and non-smoking/vaping.

 The School Nurse will be expected to:

• Liaise with staff in the organisation and delivery of parts of the PSHE programme. Topics may include growing up, birth control, STDs, smoking, drugs, healthy diets, stress, puberty, relationships, etc;
• Deliver first aid training to students and staff;
• Update and advise teaching staff on basic medical information, new rules/regulations/ procedures;
• To provide staff INSET sessions as required.

Health and Safety

• Ensure emergency medical lists are up to date and available.
• To accurately record all required information on the School’s information logging systems.
• To liaise with all support staff with responsibility for attendance/MIS as required.
• Amend and update as necessary Westholme’s First Aid Policy and ensure its implementation.

The School Nurse liaises with the School Health and Safety officers and is required to:

• Report accidents involving hospital visits to HSE (RIDDOR) and inform the Compliance Manager.
• Use the internal compliance system to complete and record weekly, monthly and annual checks.
• Maintain the records of all accidents involving any persons on the Westholme sites;
• Be an active member of the school’s accident committee by monitoring accidents and looking at prevention strategies;
• Assist in writing and reviewing risk assessments as required for pupils and staff (e.g. pupils on crutches/ pregnancy).

This list is not exhaustive but rather an indication of the main requirements of the role

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

• Nursing Qualification and on the current nursing register
• First Aid at Work

Essential Experience/Knowledge/skills/abilities

• Experience of dealing with minor injuries/sports injuries (current First Aid at Work Certificate).
• Be aware of and have experience of working with mental health issues linked with young people.
• An appreciation of the range of difficulties and issues children and young people can experience, physically and mentally
• Experience of working with children and young people (all ages), preferably in a school environment
• An ability to work with a high level of autonomy and collaboratively as part of a strong, cohesive team
• An ability to refer and signpost pupils and staff to relevant organisations and sources of support
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
• Flexible and adaptable
• A high level of professionalism that respects the importance of confidentiality and is committed to ensuring the best practice in and development of the school nursing service

Desirable Experience/Knowledge/skills/abilities

• Experience of delivering training to staff and pupils

Other Essential Requirements

• Commitment to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and young people
• Commitment to equality and diversity
• Commitment to health and safety
• Willingness to work occasionally outside of contracted hours

Westholme School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and all staff must share this commitment – please refer to our Safer Recruitment and Safeguarding policies on the website.

Westholme School is committed to equality of opportunity in all areas of its work. All individuals will be treated in a fair and equal manner and in accordance with the law regardless of gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation.