The Victorian School Nursing Program

Are you interested in working with children in their first year of primary school? Do you have a passion for health promotion and health education?

An exciting opportunity exists for a highly self-motivated Division 1 Nurse (Registered with AHPRA) to join the Primary School Nursing Program in the Outer East Area, North Eastern Victoria Region. This is an excellent opportunity to use your well-developed skills and progress your career.

Working as part of the School Nursing Team, the primary responsibility of this role is to offer a universal health screening service to children in their first year of primary school in Government, Catholic, Independent schools, and English Language Centres. This includes responding to parent’s concerns and observations collected through the School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ), conducting follow-up health and wellbeing assessments, providing advice to teachers and families and appropriate referral of issues to internal and external agencies.

The Primary School Nurse also provides assessment and support for children in years one to six where a concern is identified. The Nurse will also have a role in health promotion and building the capacity of schools to respond to health, wellbeing and learning concerns in children. This may include the development, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate health education in response to identified health priorities in schools.

The incumbent is required to practice in accordance with Department of Education policy and procedure as well as the various Professional Codes, Guidelines and Registration Standards set by Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority

Responsibilities

Primary School Nurses undertake a variety of roles and responsibilities that may include (but are not limited to):

• Implement nursing interventions including referral as appropriate via the child’s parent or guardian to health professionals/agencies.
• Provide a follow-up service, which ensures children with health-related problems receive appropriate assistance.
• Carry out health promotion/education within program guidelines and act as a health resource to the school community.
• Act as an advocate for children and promote child health as a member of an inter-disciplinary team, liaising effectively with parents, teachers, health, welfare, and education personnel
• Maintain accurate electronic records for assessment, referral, planning and implementation.
• Liaise with the Secondary School Nurse where appropriate, to support the transition of students from primary to secondary school, particularly for those students identified as having special needs, or at risk.
• Observe safe working practices and protect own and others’ health and safety

To be successful in the role you will need to work in a multidisciplinary team, establish and maintain good working relationships with teachers in the school setting, network effectively with health and allied health professionals and youth services in the community.

The Primary School Nurse is employed by the Department of Education and managed by the Regional School Nursing Program Manager.

This is a part time (30.4FTE), fixed term position. 

A current Working with Children Check and a current registration as a Division 1 Registered Nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority are required for this position.