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Cole County health department to recruit LPNs, part-time nurses to cover flu clinics and vacancies
Summary
At a Sept. 9 Cole County Commission meeting, health department staff told commissioners they plan to reclassify a vacant position to allow hiring an RN or LPN and to recruit part-time nurses to cover a maternity leave and scheduled school flu clinics to avoid closing clinics.
Cole County Health Department staff told county commissioners on Sept. 9 they will change one vacant maternal-child-health coordinator position to allow hiring either a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and seek two part‑time nurses to cover a pending maternity leave and a scheduled series of school flu clinics.
The change aims to widen the applicant pool amid multiple nurse vacancies. The health department representative said the department currently has six nurses and that converting the MCH coordinator to an RN/LPN classification would reduce salary costs when hiring an LPN and make the position more attractive to more applicants. The department also asked permission to hire one or two part‑time nurses from personnel savings accrued while positions remained vacant.
Department staff described the staffing pressure as a combination of two current vacancies and one planned maternity leave, which will fall during October, the department’s busiest month for immunizations and school clinics. The representative said the department has scheduled flu clinics that start Sept. 24 and run through Nov. 12, and estimated the clinics account for about 115 clinic hours total. The staff member said part‑time RN pay would likely run about $25–$30 an hour, and that converting the MCH coordinator to a dual RN/LPN classification would reduce the department’s salary outlay if an LPN is hired.
Commissioners indicated support for the proposal. The health department representative said the office would provide a modified job description showing the RN/LPN allocation and the reduced salary level if an LPN is hired, and would forward final numbers on part‑time hires to county budget staff. The department also said it had informed the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that it expected to be short‑staffed in October and would need outside assistance if a significant communicable‑disease event occurred.
Staff emphasized that the public‑health nurse who will take maternity leave carries communicable‑disease follow‑up duties in addition to clinic work, and that an outbreak (the representative cited a hypothetical measles event) would demand substantial contact‑tracing resources. The representative said the department hopes student nurses and retired local nurses can help but noted the difficulty of scheduling reliable part‑time coverage and the importance of keeping clinics open for school partnerships.
Commissioners did not take a formal vote on a policy change; they indicated agreement with the staffing approach and requested the department provide final job descriptions and budget numbers for administrative approval. The department will continue recruitment and return to the commission with updated cost figures and formal requests if additional budget authority is needed.
