Nurse

Why have a Nurse at St. Columba’s?

Nurses are key members of the staff in a school. Their purpose is to ensure that he school is environment supports the medical safety of all stakeholders. She / he is also a first step in response to medical requirements by students and staff while they are in school.

It is hoped that the Counselor at St. Columba’s School be

• Professionally qualified
• Take opportunities to regularly refresh his / her knowledge and skills
• Will be approachable and have good relational skills
• He / she will be expected to be available for medical purposes involving the students and staff outside of class hours also
• She / he will ensure that the sick bay is appropriately furnished and stocked so as to appropriately provide a first stage response to any medical need in the school.
• The nurse is expected to be at the sick bay or the medical centre (in the case of activities being held outside the regular school building). If she / he needs to be away for a significant length of time, she / he needs to take prior permission from the section Head.
• She / he is to immediately attend to the medical needs of the student / staff who comes to her (in case there are a number of persons, her / his assessment of the needs of persons and prioritizing care is essential).
• The nurse will keep a record of all persons to whom she / he gives medical attention to – updating the record as soon as possible after handling the medical situation. This record is to be shown to the Section Head each day. All cases of critical medical attention must also be communicated to the Principal.
• In the case of a person needing critical medical attention, the nurse will, after having given the necessary first-aid, immediately call the school driver to bring the school car to take the student to RML hospital. She / he will then immediately inform the section head / coordinator / secretary / Principal – so that a member of the staff may accompany the person to RML hospital. The nurse will also need to decide if the incident is so critical that it is necessary for her / him to accompany the patient to RML.
• In critical cases – the section secretary / counsellor / head will contact the parents giving them the necessary information and directing the parents to come to RML hospital.
• In medical cases which are not critical and where in her / his judgement the parents need to be informed – the nurse communicates with the parents – the nurse will ensure that she has an updated diary information sheet of all students in the section with her. She can also get the necessary contact details from the school ID the student is wearing.
• A nurse needs to be sensitive to the medical needs especially of students and would need to engage with the counsellor if she / he thinks it appropriate.
• Present in school from 7am to 3pm on all full working days, present on non-full working Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
• Help organize first aid training for all staff once a year.
• Be observant and proactive – sensing where he / she could be of help. Engaging with students and teachers to help them better develop healthy behaviors and relationships.
• Be a team player and willing to go the extra mile.
• As a member of the staff, attend and be informed of all matters taken up at staff orientations, so that she / he works with all the staff as a member of a team.