Special School Nurse

Job overview

The post holder will be required to primarily provide cover for schools within the locality spanning from Shoreham-by-Sea to Chichester.

The post holder will work as a Specialist School Nurse across the Special School Nursing portfolio, as part of each school’s requirement to ensure that arrangements are in place to support children with medical conditions.

The post holder will provide clinical and associated public health nursing of children and young people in the special school setting, in partnership with Community Paediatricians and other health professionals to ensure the provision of high-quality health care. The post holder acts as an advisor within the children’s community nursing team for training in mainstream school. They will liaise with clinical experts for the provision of specialist knowledge, skills and leadership as required

The post holder will protect, safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children in accordance with ‘The Children Act’ (1989 & 2004) and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (2013).

Main duties of the job

• Provide clinical children’s nursing and public health advice within the school setting.
• Develop and implement care plans for children and young people with complex health needs and disability.
• Identifying and providing child specific health care procedures training for school staff, including competency based assessment where required.
• Use professional knowledge to provide evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to single and multiagency safeguarding of disabled children, young people and young adults.
• Make a positive contribution towards the development and implementation of child health improvement programmes
• Demonstrate highly skilled and innovative practice and support new ways of working.
• Demonstrate robust assessment skills and recognise the timely need for appropriate action and onward referral and involvement of other agencies.
• Initiate and provide health promotion packages appropriate for a Special School setting.
• Support education staff in providing health promotion.
• Promote best practice and act as a change agent by motivation and development of staff.
• Contribute to the development and review of clinical policies and guidelines.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection process of new staff as required.
• Provide nursing support to multi-disciplinary clinics e.g. nutrition/enteral feeding

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Contribute to the School Health Care Plans and emergency care plans.
• Advise on and where appropriate implement child specific health education and promotion interventions.
• Facilitate the health care teaching and learning of staff in the school, students and any other staff during community placements.
• Act as a role model to provide health care leadership and support to school staff.
• Deliver and help maintain excellent health care and practice standards within the school setting and children’s community nursing team helping to review where needed
• Contribute to Children’s / Young People’s Community Nursing service and School inspections and/or reviews as appropriate.
• Ensure health records are maintained and compliant with Trust policy and keep accurate, legible, contemporaneous records and written reports as required.
• Assist the Head Teacher, Team Lead, Safeguarding Team and Head of CCN Service in co-ordinating child protection processes in accordance with Trust policy and the Local Safeguarding Board (children and adults) procedures whilst supporting junior staff in understanding and exercising the Trust safeguarding policy and Sussex procedures
• Maintain and assist in analysing relevant service data which will demonstrate activity of the role/team and assist with identifying service needs and possible developments.
• Regularly evaluate the clinical effectiveness of care and in consultation with Team Lead and senior nurses in the wider CCN service and Community Paediatrician, make adjustments where appropriate in order to make the best use of team and SCT resources.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate guidelines/teaching tools for   children/families/colleagues, healthcare professionals for use within the CCN service for care of identified health needs and promotion of well-being.
• Ensure when aware of clinical incidents in practice that these are reported via the correct channels and assist with the implementation of relevant recommendations.
• Initiate and influence the development of health related policies, procedures and guidelines ensuring they are evidenced base, to ensure pupil safety and safe delivery of care in the school setting.
• Work collaboratively with professionals across the health economy in universal and specialist services and other agencies to ensure the needs of children and families are met.
• Implement and maintain the Trust’s quality initiatives and assurance programmes as relevant.
• Actively involved in the orientation, induction, preceptorship and supervision of junior staff.