BOH: Save the Town Nurse

The town nurse's value lies in preventative health, steering residents to medical services and informing the public about health emergencies, says the Board of Health.

These are some of the reasons the board's chairman, Martha Dansdill, will propose an amendment at Town Meeting to put $15,234 in the budget to fund Roseanne Bruno's position.

Funding for the 10-hour-a-week nurse was left out of the proposed spending for the next fiscal year, starting July 1.

The budget needs approval by delegates at town meeting, on May 7.

Board member Lawrence Block said it makes no sense to cut the position without warning or an opportunity to prepare for it.

"It's one thing to plan for and say (effective) 2014 but to just cut it out ...," he said. 

Also on Tuesday, Board of Health members said the nurse is an important resource and a value at about $1 per person in town.

Furthermore, they say savings in other areas can pay for the position.

Roseanne Bruno has been the town nurse for four years, said Swampscott Health Director Jeff Vaughan.

The town nurse position was a 20-hour post before being cut to 15 then, four years ago, to 10 hours, he said.

Here are some of the services the nurse provides, according to the board and health director:

• Administers inoculations to town employees and flu vaccines to residents free of charge.
• Reviews the Massachusetts Virtual Epidemiological Network, a web-based disease surveillance system, to see if there are any communicable diseases in Swampscott.
• Acts as an information clearing house. 
• Has health-related relationships with town doctors, school nurses and residents.
• Has extensive knowledge of diabetes.

The town Finance Committee's 2012-13 budget includes $2,500 for nursing services but does not fund the $17,134 that the nurse would receive (no benefits package) for a yearly salary based on working 10 hours a week.

The Finance Committee received a recommended budget from the acting town administrator before making its adjustments.

The committee will propose its budget on May 7 and it will be open to amendments.