Preschool Nurse

Summary: Provides quality medical treatment and training and participates as part of multidisciplinary team to ensure that medical care services are provided according to Medicaid and Child Care licensing standards and in congruence with the nurse practice act.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following: other duties may be assigned.

Care of Children

• Collects admission data to determine nursing care needs. Provides nursing care to children. 
• Contacts parents and other medical providers regarding the medical care and/or condition of child as necessary.  
• Develops/Implements a nursing care plan, documents nursing services provided per established policies and/or procedures and bills for nursing services provided for children who are medically fragile or have complex medical needs or both where nursing services are prescribed by the child’s primary care physician in accordance with the Arkansas Medicaid Early Intervention Day Treatment (EIDT) regulations. Nursing services are defined as the following, or similar, activities: 
• Assisting ventilator-dependent beneficiaries 
• Tracheostomy: suctioning and care 
• Feeding tube: feeding, care and maintenance 
• Catheterizations 
• Breathing treatments 
• Monitoring of vital statistics, including diabetes sugar checks, insulin, blood draws, and pulse ox 
• Administration of medication when combined with another nursing service above or similar activity.
• Ensures current (in the last 12 months) action plans are in place for children with a history of allergies, seizures, or asthma. Ensures classroom staff are knowledgeable of action plans for each child, as applicable, and are trained on appropriate measures of response. Ensures rescue medications are available and current. 
• Performs and documents completion of technical nursing tasks and interventions, including medication administration, according to Easterseals Arkansas (ESA) policy or procedure and Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ARSBN) guidelines.
• Assesses and documents response of the child to nursing interventions.  
• Trains preschool staff on various topics and tasks including, but not limited to signs and symptoms of distress, seizure management, allergies, use of thickening agents, and other delegable tasks including, but not limited to tube feeding, colostomy, ileostomy management, trach management, etc. Documents training and ensures a copy of documentation is sent to Human Resources for inclusion in the employee file.  
• Delegates tasks within scope of nursing license with regular and documented monitoring to ensure strict adherence to policies and procedures.  
• Follows Easterseals emergency procedures including, but not limited to a medical emergency, fire, tornado, earthquake, power outage and evacuation.
• Ensures emergency medical equipment (suction, pulse ox, vital signs monitor, thermometer, AED where applicable, etc.) is available and in good working order daily.

Records and Files

• Prepares and maintains a file for each child. Records weight and height measures and medical history.
• Reviews and maintains immunization history and alerts preschool director if immunizations are delinquent.
• Counts and records daily the number and type of controlled drugs present. Ensures expired medications are returned to the parent or disposed of following ESA policy or procedure. Ensures as children are discharged from preschool that medications are returned to the parent or disposed of following ESA policy or procedure.
• Requests authorization for nursing services from payer sources as needed and ensures no lapse in approval time frame.
• Maintains inventory of supplies. Notifies preschool director or preschool administrative assistant when additional supplies are needed.  
• Attends training as requested by the preschool director. Completes initial and annual training required by Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Disability Services (DDS) or Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance (DPSQA), Child Care Licensing and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Completes initial and annual training required by Easterseals Arkansas.
• Organizes the workload or assignments to ensure completion.

Nursing Program

• Identifies any medical needs of new children prior to enrollment to ensure staff are trained and equipment is available to meet the medical care needs of the child.
• Attends team meetings as needed for enrollment decision-making and for the development and review of the Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP).
• Reviews policies and procedures and makes recommendations for revision or for new procedures where clear documentation does not exist or a new process is implemented.

Quality Assurance

• Assists in any audit or investigation by a regulatory, licensing, or accrediting body (DDS, DPSQA, CARF, etc.) or by law enforcement.
• Assists in formal or informal health and safety audits in preschool as requested.

Multidisciplinary Team

• Participates in the development and review of the initial Individual Treatment Plan (ITP) and attends multidisciplinary team meetings as needed.
• Ensures consistent communication with parents and/or advocates of children relative to medical care including obtaining needed consultations, discussing recommendations with parents/guardians/advocates, and developing and evaluation/treatment plans as indicated.
• Discusses program expectations and program changes with Preschool Director. Communicates medical care expectations and/or changes for a child to team members for consistency and reinforcement throughout disciplines.
• Completes paperwork and other documentation required by ESA or preschool policy and procedure, licensing agencies, and funding sources, e.g. progress notes, medication administration records, assessments, flow sheets, etc.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None.

Compliance/HIPAA:

While performing the duties of this job, employee will comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to Easterseals Arkansas.

Employee has access to all children’s protected health information within his/her program. Employee will not attempt to access any other protected health information unless otherwise approved by Supervisor or Privacy Officer.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:                 

Must be a licensed nurse (LPN or RN) in the state of Arkansas. Registered nurse preferred.  

Language Skills:                    

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills:                  

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability:             

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills:

Moderate work process, database, and spreadsheet skills required.

Basic Internet and email skills 

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Licensed as a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse in the state of Arkansas

Other Skills and Abilities:

• CPR Certification
• First Aid Certification

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EEO Statement:

Easterseals Arkansas is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate in employment opportunities and practices on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, creed, physical or mental disability, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

Easterseals Arkansas has designated this position as a “safety sensitive” position under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.