Lead Nurse in East Hanover, New Jersey at Pillar Care Continuum

Lead Nurse

Location: Livingston, NJ

Job Type: Full Time

ABOUT PILLAR CARE CONTINUUM

Pillar Care Continuum is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and other special needs by supporting personal growth, independence and participation in the community. Founded in 1953 to meet the needs of children with cerebral palsy and their families, Pillar Care has steadily grown and now delivers life-affirming services to infants, children, adults and their families throughout northern New Jersey through 27 program locations. Pillar Care provides specialized programs to meet a wide range of educational, therapeutic, and social needs of people with various disabilities. The agency serves over 1,650 families each year and employs 700 full- and part-time employees.

Position Overview

The organization is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate Lead Nurse to oversee nursing services across both the Elementary and High School programs. This leadership role will serve as a critical clinical liaison between school administration and the Director of Nursing, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, compliant, and student-centered healthcare services.

The Lead Nurse will provide clinical oversight, and strategic direction to all school nursing staff while ensuring adherence to all New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) requirements and healthcare regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead and support all school nursing staff across Elementary and High School programs
• Maintain and implement the annual nursing services plan in compliance with NJDOE requirements
• Serve as the primary clinical bridge between school administration and the Director of Nursing

IEP & Student Health Planning

• Participate as the nursing representative on student IEP teams as needed
• Develop and maintain Individualized Healthcare Plans (IHCPs) and Individualized Emergency Healthcare Plans (IEHCPs)
• Collaborate with Child Study Teams, behaviorists, and therapists on evaluations and service planning
• Ensure all IEP-mandated nursing services are consistently covered to prevent gaps in care and ensure compliance with FAPE requirements

Medically Fragile & Complex Care

• Oversee care for medically fragile students, including those requiring 1:1 nursing support per IEP
• Manage complex medical needs, including but not limited to G-tubes, seizure disorders, respiratory conditions, and behavioral health considerations
• Establish and maintain emergency protocols and individualized crisis response plans

Medication Administration

• Oversee and authorize all medication administration processes
• Conduct routine audits of Medication Administration Records (MARs), physician orders, and clinical documentation

Staff Training & Development

• Train school staff on student-specific healthcare needs (e.g., seizures, diabetes, allergies, CPR/AED)
• Ensure all nursing staff maintain current licensure and required certifications
• Lead onboarding and orientation for new nursing hires
• Assist with medical education training coverage and guidance at new employee orientation

Health Screenings & Compliance

• Coordinate all mandated health screenings, including vision, hearing, growth, and postural assessments
• Ensure full immunization compliance for all enrolled students
• Report on health-related incidents and hospitalizations, collaborating with the Director of Nursing on or DCF-related matters

Family & Community Coordination

• Serve as the primary health liaison between nursing staff, families, and students’ healthcare providers
• Communicate physician orders, coordinate specialist referrals, and ensure follow-up on aftercare documentation

Qualifications

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of New Jersey
• Current Certified School Nurse Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required; Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of nursing experience, with leadership or supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Experience in school nursing, pediatric care, or working with medically complex and/or developmentally disabled populations
• Strong knowledge of IEP processes, NJDOE regulations, and healthcare compliance standards
• Current CPR/AED certification

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary : $ 95,000-105,000 annually

Pillar Care takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s work

experience and qualification as well as the scope of the role,

complexity and external market and internal market value when

determining salary level.

Benefits:

Competitive Insurance Benefits

(Medical, Dental, Vision, EAP, Life Insurance)

Flexible Spending Account/Health Reimbursement Account

Paid Holidays; Generous PTO

401K with Employer Matching

Educational Assistance Program

This job description is a brief listing of the functions and requirements of the position named above. It is not intended to serve as a contract for employment nor to list in specific detail every aspect of the job nor to limit the performance of those duties. Other tasks may be assigned as deemed necessary by agency administration.

Every Pillar Care employee is responsible for the implementation of the Exposure Control Plan (ECP). As specified in our exposure control plan this position is classified as: Category 2

Category 2

Employees who perform tasks that involve no exposure to blood ·or body fluids but may perform unplanned procedures usually performed by Category I employees.