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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 7, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />5- C_ <br />Item No. . <br />SUBJECT: Classification Plan Amendment -Add Class of Licensed Practical Nurse <br />DEPARTMENT: Health and Personnel <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Class Specification for LPN (Licensed <br />Practical Nurse) <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Rosemary Summers, Health Director, <br />Extension 2412 <br />Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director <br />Extension 2550 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough <br />Chapel Hill <br />Durham <br />Mebane <br />732-8181 <br />968-4501 <br />688-7331 <br />336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider amending the Orange County Classification and Pay Plan by <br />establishing a new class of Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Salary Grade 12 (Salary Grade <br />12 has a hiring range of $28,935 - $37,596). <br />BACKGROUND: In the past, a Community Health Aide position in the Health Department <br />provided support to the state-wide Hepatitis B Immunization program for 6th graders. This <br />included visiting the Orange County schools and recording immunization dates, checking <br />students in and out, assisting the school nurse with permission/documentation forms and <br />contacting parents as necessary. <br />In 1994, a new State law was adopted that required kindergarteners receive their Hepatitis B <br />immunization shot prior to starting school. In order to facilitate larger numbers of children in <br />school systems with the appropriate immunization, the State authorized counties to immunize <br />6th graders until such time as the population within the school would be fully immunized. Last <br />year was the final year in this transitional phase. All children in the school system should now <br />be fully immunized for Hepatitis B, and there is no longer a need for a school-based <br />immunization program in this area. <br />The Health Director assessed the needs and determined that the health clinics would function <br />more efficiently if the duties and responsibilities of the Community Health Aide position were <br />realigned to provide nursing support duties in the clinical setting that are currently being <br />performed by Public Health Nurses. This nursing support would include interviewing patients <br />and obtaining medical data, taking vital signs and collecting specimens, administering tests and <br />immunizations such as flu shots, skin tests, HIV testing and counseling, and providing support to <br />the communicable disease program, all under the supervision and guidance of a registered