School Nurse 'Emergency' Prompts WeHa Council To Add Position

WEST HARTFORD, CT — An increased need in private school nurses has prompted the Town of West Hartford to add a nursing position to its rolls for private, non-profit schools in town.

Following an emergency request from town officials, the West Hartford Town Council voted 7-0 last week to add a full-time, non-public school nursing position to its ranks.

West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith said this a product of increased demand for nurse services for such schools and a difficulty in filling part-time openings that did the job prior.

West Hartford, as a result, will now employ nine private, non-profit school nurses instead of the current eight.

It its expected to cost the town $97,991 in salary/benefits.

It will be paid for via multiple savings and revenue increases from the existing West Hartford budget and no additional tax dollars will be sought.

Ledwith said state statutes mandate towns that employ school nurses for public schools must also provide nurses for private, nonprofit schools within the town's borders.

This, he said, is mandatory as long as most of the kids attending such schools are Connecticut residents.

With the openings coming up recently and concerns of nursing services for children in the new school year, which began this week, town officials had to act quickly.

"This is a bit of an emergency request, so this has not come before the council at the committee level," Ledwith said.

West Hartford Deputy Mayor Liam Sweeney panned the statute and urged action from legislators on it, hinting towns like West Hartford, with several nonprofit private schools, are being unfairly hit in the purse strings.

"I just want to extend how silly this statute is," Sweeney said during brief deliberations Aug. 22.

Ledwith said West Hartford has 10 private, nonprofit schools in town that are receiving town-funded nurses, adding they've been served by eight full-time nurses and a few part-time nurses.

But, he said, since the end of last school year, two full-time nurses and three part-time nurses have resigned to other jobs.

"Last year was a challenge for both the district and the town," Ledwith said.

The hope is the added full-time position would compensate for the vacant part-time positions that are harder to fill, he said.

For the minutes of the Aug. 22 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For a narrative on the additional nursing position plan, click on this link.