W. Va. Code R. § 126-25A-9

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 18, May 3, 2024

Section 126-25A-9 - Staffing Requirements

9.1. Certified school RNs must be employed to ensure adequate provision of services to students with complex health care needs. RNs have the authority and the ability to teach and supervise other persons to render selected health services and/or procedures. (W. Va. Code § 18-5-22.)

9.2. The certified school RN must have a current license as a registered professional nurse in the State of West Virginia (W. Va. Code § 30-7-1, et seq.). The school RN must be certified as a school RN, as outlined in Policy 5202. The certified school RN must be employed by the county board or the county health department (W. Va. Code § 18-5-22) which contracts to provide equivalent services to county boards. Performance of professional nursing service means both independent nursing functions and health-related services which require specialized knowledgejudgment, and skills as governed by the West Virginia Nurse Practice Act (W. Va. Code § 30-7-1, et seq.) and the National Association of School Nurses, Inc., Scope and Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice.

9.3. The certified school RN manages medical contacts, referrals, and interpretations of medical data. The certified school RN serves as the manager for health-related problems and decisions. In the role of manager, the certified school RN is responsible for certified school RN practice standards concerning health appraisal and health care planning.

9.4. School personnel, with the approval of the principal and the county board, may elect or in some cases be required to provide approved specialized health care procedures, and such procedures shall be delegated by the certified school RN as deemed appropriate. The certified school RN shall provide for training, retraining, and supervision, and, upon completion, certify the satisfactory level of competence before school personnel performs basic and/or specialized health care procedures. Qualified designated school personnel may be deemed not qualified in the performance of delegated basic and/or specialized health care procedures based on the ongoing monitoring and supervision by the certified school RN.

9.5. The LPN must be currently licensed in the State of West Virginia (W. Va. Code § 30-7A-1, et seq.) and must function under the supervision of the registered professional nurse or licensed physician. W. Va. Code § 18A-4-8 defines licensed practical nurse as a nurse licensed by the West Virginia State Board of Examiners who is employed to work in a public school under the supervision of a certified school RN. The LPN shall not function as a certified school RN or as a school RN. The LPN completes a 12-month career and technical or community college program, obtains a diploma, and holds a valid West Virginia LPN licensure. A certified school RN has completed four to six years of college education, holds a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in nursing, certification in school nursing, and a-valid West Virginia RN licensure.

9.5.a. LPN working under the school RN's supervision shall practice under assigned and/or delegated nursing duties from the certified school RN. County policy may include, but not be limited to, the following:

9.5.a.1. nursing competencies;

9.5.a.2. itinerant status due to the continuous changes in student health care affecting the staffing of county health care providers;

9.5.a.3. ability to receive written, verbal, telephone, faxed, electronic, and/or emailed orders for student care from a licensed health care provider/prescriber with communication to the certified school RN responsible for the overall care of the student;

9.5.a.4. contribution to the nursing assessment by collecting, reporting, and recording objective and subjective data, including health screenings, in an accurate and timely manner to the certified school RN; and

9.5.a.5. ability to provide student and staff education related to health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic diseases.

9.6. A licensed prescriber and/or professional nurse may be held liable for delegating professional responsibilities to individuals not qualified to perform them.

W. Va. Code R. § 126-25A-9