PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to request City Council adoption of a resolution establishing the title, specification, and salary for the classification of EMS Nurse Specialist (CTC No. 0318).

BACKGROUND:

The Burbank Fire Department established the �Nurse Educator� program in 1992.  This program provides an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Nurse Specialist who reviews all EMS calls and recommends changes to field procedures to enhance the delivery of these services.  Over the past several years, the Department has experienced a steady increase in EMS incidents to over 1,400 incidents per year.  Quality assurance and improvement are two key foundations in the delivery of pre-hospital care.  The ever-increasing workload and review required to maintain a safe, quality system has made it necessary to establish this position and hire a full-time permanent employee versus the part-time contract position the department has been utilizing.

An EMS Nurse Specialist is trained and ideally suited to review and recommend field procedural changes to enhance the delivery of Emergency Medical Services.  This position will be responsible for all of the current Emergency Medical Services including the Emergency Medical Technicians, paramedics, and assessment paramedics.  In addition, the position will manage the EMS program budget, quality assurance and improvement programs, evaluation of employee performance, training programs, as well as expansion of the current program services provided by the Fire Department.

The new proposed title and specification accurately describe the duties and requirements for this type of position.  This will also assist the department as they need to recruit in this highly specialized field.

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSION:

The establishment of a new title and specification for the classification of EMS Nurse Specialist will allow the department to have a highly specialized and trained employee on a full-time basis.  This employee will bring the expertise necessary to allow the department  to continue to provide quality pre-hospital care services while minimizing any liability exposure to the City.

This classification will be an unrepresented management (�Z� group) position, exempt from Civil Service and the Fair Labor Standards Act.  This position will be included in the City�s Conflict of Interest Code.  The Fire Chief concurs with the establishment of this classification.  The Civil Service Board approved this establishment at its regular meeting of September 6, 2006. 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The proposed salary range for EMS Nurse Specialist is $6,337 to $7,699.  The salary range was developed by conducting a survey of comparable positions within other cities.  The Fire Department currently budgets $83,200 annually for the cost of the part-time contract position.  The establishment of this classification will have no impact on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006-2007 budget.  The cost of the full-time permanent position for the rest of FY 2006-2007 will be covered by a combination of the remaining dollars set aside for the part-time contract position and salary savings from vacant non-safety Fire Department positions.  Starting in FY 2007-2008, the recurring cost of the permanent full-time EMS Nurse Specialist will be included in the budget in lieu of the funding for the part-time contact position.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed resolution establishing the title, specification, and salary for the classification of EMS Nurse Specialist (CTC No. 0318).

Exhibits

Exhibit A � Specification for the Classification of EMS Nurse Specialist