WESTFIELD- Filling a vacant nurse position in the city’s Health Department is a struggle, said Supervising Public Health Nurse Debra Mulvenna.
Mulvenna said during the Dec. 11 Board of Health meeting that there are some things that are being put by the wayside due to a limited number of staff, and that she would like to see the position filled.
“Things that are not priority are things that I am letting go, like TB [Tuberculosis] testing. Unless someone is exposed to a case, this is not a public health issue, it is mostly for employment purposes,” said Mulvenna, “I am not actively pursuing doing anymore flu clinics or homebound.”
Public Health Director Joseph Rouse said that the department had been actively trying to fill the role, but to no avail thus far.
“It’s not through lack of trying. We did an advertisement, we put out applications, we did interviews,” said Rouse, “We didn’t feel like, after that first round of advertising — not that the candidates weren’t good – but that we didn’t have a big enough pool to choose from.”
Rouse then said that he requested that the city’s Personnel Department put out another advertisement for the position until the job is filled.
Rouse noted that not many people may have applied because the job, by its very nature, is very demanding compared to what the city can offer for the position.
Board member Juanita Carnes theorized that the lack of applicants has been because the salary is much lower than the salary for a private registered nurse.
“But there is also the balance of no weekends and no holidays,” said Carnes.
Rouse suggested that a projected salary range be included in the new series of advertisements, as he believes that at least one candidate may not have applied in the first place had they known the salary.
“For 35 hours a week, it’s not like it’s a pittance. It’s still a living wage,” said Rouse.
Rouse then suggested that if they cannot fill the position due to the relatively low pay, that perhaps they do not fill the position at all.
“If all I hear about all day long is that this is a ridiculous pay for an RN, then maybe we can’t have one,” said Rouse, “Because there is nothing we can do to change it.”
He also suggested that they may remove the position from the nurse’s union and instead give them personal service contracts. Both Carnes and Board Member Margaret Doody were receptive to the idea.
Carnes noted that the average salary for an RN in the private sector breaks down to approximately $40 an hour. She did note that the pay can range depending on if the RN is new or has been in a position for some time.
Health Inspector Thomas Hilbert noted that the pay for a staff nurse in the Health Department is capped out at $35 an hour.
“It’s a job that is specific for a certain type of person in a certain point in their life,” said Rouse, “And it is going to be either right when they get out of school, which means they will eventually go somewhere else which has happened at least twice since I’ve been here, or it is going to be somebody who has been doing this for 30 years, is sick of it and wants a life.”
No vote was taken by the Board of Health on the matter.
