BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Bellingham, Washington
Paraeducator Competencies 12 and 14
Checklist
Paraeducator
Competency 12: Knowledge of and
ability to follow health, safety, and emergency procedures of the agency where
they are employed.
a.
Understanding
of district policies and procedures, contract provisions, and state
requirements.
b.
Understanding
of the legal requirements of delegation and supervision.
c.
Understanding
of the legal requirements and strict policies and procedures for chain of
command.
d.
Ability
to perform basic first aid.
e.
Ability
to use infection control and universal precautions.
f.
Ability
to use lifting, carrying, and transferring techniques.
Paraeducator Competency 14: Awareness of personal care and/or health-related support.
a.
Awareness
of district policies and procedures and the legal requirements for delegation,
training and supervision, and the issues of insubordination.
b.
Awareness
of legal requirements for providing health-related care in the schools.
c.
Awareness
of types of personal care and health-related support tasks.
Competencies 12 and 14 address health-related care for students with disabilities. WAC 392-172-055 defines school health services as:
Nursing or other health services provided to a special education student by a qualified school nurse, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse or other persons qualified or appropriately trained to provide the services in the student’s educational setting.
The level of expertise required for competencies 12 and 14 is dependent on the assignment of the paraeducator and the specific needs of the student to whom assigned. The checklist on the following page meets the basic requirement of Competencies 12 and 14. The purpose of this checklist is to verify awareness that medical procedures are performed under the license of the School Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist. Unless specifically trained and designated as a provider by one of these health care professionals, paraeducators are not permitted to provide health-related care to students.
If your assignment includes providing health-related services to students, in addition to completing this checklist you must be trained and designated by a licensed school health care provider prior to performing the specific duties required to meet the needs of the student with whom you work.
1. School health services must be performed by a qualified school nurse or other qualified employee who has been trained and to whom those tasks have been delegated by a licensed school health-care professional. Examples of medical procedures include gastrostomy feeding, oral suctioning, clean intermittent catheterization, and administration of oral medications.
2. The following procedures may only be performed by someone who has received training and has been delegated to perform the specific task:
a. Positioning which involves principles of body alignment, symmetry, and function to assist students in assuming postures they cannot initiate themselves.
b. Lifting to promote the independence, function, and range of motion of the student, assist with activities of daily living (e.g. toileting) and diaper changes. Proper lifting procedures maintain the health and safety of student and staff, maintain back health of staff, conserve energy of student and staff, and maintain/improve student’s muscle tone.
c. Transferring a student to move safely and efficiently from one position to another employing correct body mechanics and principles of safety to protect the student and assistant.
d. Oral feeding to safely meet the health and nutrition needs of the individual student.
3. Paraeducators must be trained and supervised on a regular basis if they perform special health care tasks. Nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language pathologists may provide training. Teachers, parents, administrators, and other paraeducators may not provide training.
4. A nursing procedure may not be taught or delegated to paraeducators by parents unless the supervising nurse is present and certifies in writing that the paraeducator is adequately trained and can perform the procedure under supervision of a registered nurse, occupational therapist, or physical therapist.
5. The nurse or other health professional, such as a licensed physical or occupational therapist, retains responsibility and accountability for health-care tasks or care delegated to a competent individual.
6. Nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists can put their license in jeopardy if special health care services are not performed accurately and safely.
7. Teachers, administrators, paraeducators, or other school personnel who perform health care tasks without legally delegated authority from appropriate health care professionals may face criminal charges and/or be liable for civil damages. Performing a health care procedure without appropriated delegation and training is practicing medicine without a license.
8. A paraeducator must not take orders directly from a physician or other outside health care professional.
9. Use universal precautions as taught in bloodborne pathogen training:
· Avoid direct contact with bodily fluids. Assume that all bodily fluids contain potentially infectious agents.
· Wash your hands often. Hand washing is the single most important practice preventing transmission of infectious organisms.
· Encourage students to do their own care as much as possible.
· Wear gloves to reduce the risk of contact with bodily fluids.
· Ensure that supplies are readily available.
If you are not
sure that you are authorized and trained to perform a heath-related service for
a student, ask your school nurse, occupational therapist, or
physical therapist.
I have read the above guidelines and understand that I am not authorized to perform health-related services unless I have attended the appropriate competency training and have been trained by a school nurse, speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, or physical therapist for the specific procedures as required by the student to whom I have been assigned.
___________ ___________ ___________
Instructional Assistant Date
___________ ___________ ___________
Special Education Teacher Date