How much autonomy do you have?

Specialties School

Published

Hi, how much autonomy do you have in your school? Do you have someone you answer to other than administration? Do you have a medical director or nurse manager? If not, who do you go to for medical related questions?

Thanks in advance.

grammy1

420 Posts

We answer to our school administration, but other than for days off, duties, etc., we are pretty much on our own here. For medical issues we are overseen by the Department of Health, School Health division. There are 5 nurses there and they each have set schools that they are over. They set up the inservices, do our clinic inspections, etc. We might only see our health department nurse twice a year, but they are always available for questions, comments, and just plain venting to! All of our monthly reports are turned in to them also.

Eleven011

1,250 Posts

Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

I report to my superintendent and my two principals, depending on my issue/questions. There is no other medical person in my school or district. For questions I can ask our county health nurse, or I have also consulted with our local physician on things like his opinion on policies/procedures. I also look at the NASN site and forums, and of course use this board :)

Farawyn

12,646 Posts

Too much.

No one has a clue what I do all day. I report to my Principal for parental issues. He trusts me and does not micromanage, but when I need help with, like, cell phone stuff, he will not back me.

There is a senior nurse in my district who knows all the Ins and outs of the job, but she is not my boss as we are both RNs.

We have a doc as a medical admin. But he is hands off and not on campus.

Sometimes I have to work with the AD head or the SE head, and they think they are my bosses, but they ain't. :)

RN-DC, BSN

42 Posts

We answer to our school administration, but other than for days off, duties, etc., we are pretty much on our own here. For medical issues we are overseen by the Department of Health, School Health division. There are 5 nurses there and they each have set schools that they are over. They set up the inservices, do our clinic inspections, etc. We might only see our health department nurse twice a year, but they are always available for questions, comments, and just plain venting to! All of our monthly reports are turned in to them also.

Thanks for the info! What is all included in your monthly reports that you turn in?

grammy1

420 Posts

We have to send in a spreadsheet with just about everything we do in the clinic. We have to list how many of each of the following we do or see/month: number of students, were they sent home or back to class, health problem, first aid administered, medications dispensed, complex medical procedures done, phone calls made/rec'd, care plans, IEP's, vision/hearing;scoliosis screenings, record reviews, immi follow-ups, referrals made, classes taught.

We have a log that we fill out daily, just put the student's name then check the boxes for what we did for them. Count up all the checkmarks at the end of the day. We turn it in to the county health dept. at the end of the month, then they do one for the whole county and send it to the state dept. of health.

Farawyn

12,646 Posts

Oh yea DOH reports.

I log as well, but no one ever checks them.

Eleven011

1,250 Posts

Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

Hmm...I don't do any reports. I wonder if I am supposed to? Probably find out at the end of they year. That shows you the orientation I got :sarcastic:

grammy1

420 Posts

Oh Geez, if ours aren't emailed to the health dept on time, we get nastygrams. :grumpy:

RN-DC, BSN

42 Posts

So I am the school nurse for a daycare/preschool. I answer to administration, but don't have a medical point of contact. I do keep documentation on kids I see (not for every temp I take or diaper rash I look at, but for more major medical issues) and am wondering if I will need to do that. I am contracted for only 15 hours per week. Should I contact DOH so that I can have a point of contact?

RN-DC, BSN

42 Posts

I should add, I keep a copy of my state's Nurse practice act, and have gone through it thoroughly to make sure I'm within my scope of practice for interventions I do, however the NPA is pretty vague for early intervention/preschool.

RN-DC, BSN

42 Posts

We have to send in a spreadsheet with just about everything we do in the clinic. We have to list how many of each of the following we do or see/month: number of students, were they sent home or back to class, health problem, first aid administered, medications dispensed, complex medical procedures done, phone calls made/rec'd, care plans, IEP's, vision/hearing;scoliosis screenings, record reviews, immi follow-ups, referrals made, classes taught.

We have a log that we fill out daily, just put the student's name then check the boxes for what we did for them. Count up all the checkmarks at the end of the day. We turn it in to the county health dept. at the end of the month, then they do one for the whole county and send it to the state dept. of health.

Is there any chance you can send me a blank form of your check off list?

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