Public Employee Press

Nurses iced out of summer jobs

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Mayor Bloomberg’s revamping of the public schools took another wrong turn when his administration recently decided to eliminate Public Health Nurses from the system’s summer school program.

The mayor’s plan comes at a time when schools are expected to swell with students. Because Mr. Bloomberg hammered through an end to social promotions, requiring third graders who fail reading and math tests to repeat the grade, summer school attendance rolls could increase by as many as 16,000
students. Last year, some 255,000 children attended summer school.

City Council bill
“Why should parents go to sleep at night wondering if they are going to have a nurse in the school to take care of their child?” asked Gloria Acevedo, president of United Federation of Nurses and Epidemiologists Local 436.

According to the local, some 400 Public Health Nurses worked in the schools during July and August last year. They treated elementary school children for everything from minor cuts and scrapes to more serious illnesses like asthma. Many of the pupils who have to attend summer school are children who have some kind of problem or health issue.

After the Bloomberg administration announced its plans, City Council Speaker Gifford Miller introduced a new bill on Feb. 26 to reverse the mayor’s decision to eliminate Public Health Nurses.

“We will not let the Bloomberg Administration shortchange our children’s health,” said Speaker Miller, as he announced the bill on the steps of City Hall. At his side were Ms. Acevedo, a number of parents, and City Council members, including Staten Island’s Michael McMahon, who sponsored the legislation.

“The bill would remove the issue from the annual budgetary debate by legally mandating the staffing of a nurse in every school that needs one,” explained Speaker Miller. Council Member McMahon’s proposed legislation also mandates the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to provide a nurse for every public and private primary and intermediate school that has at least 200 students.

“Every child should have access to the basic health services provided by school nurses, such as treatment of illness and disease prevention programs,” said Council Member Miguel Martinez. “It is imperative that we make this a commitment by supporting the School Nurse Bill.”

DOE nurses not affected
The budget cuts would not affect any Dept. of Education nurses who are specifically assigned to assist special education students. Local 436’s Public Health Nurses, who work for DOHMH, are responsible for the general population in the schools. Since March, 50 Public Health Nurses III have been responsible for supervising the nurses from the Dept. of Education and will continue to supervise them during the summer.

“The transition has not been orderly,” said Mary Lawson, a Public Health Nurse III. “There hasn’t been an integration of policies and procedures or job descriptions. Of course, the most important thing is how all of this affects our ability to do our job effectively and take care of the children during the summer.”