143PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES143.1Authority to employ.Any local board of health, area education agency board, or the school board of any school district may employ public health nurses at periods each year and in numbers as deemed advisable. The council of any city, or the school board of any school district, or any of them acting in cooperation, may contract with any nonprofit nurses’ association for public health nursing service. The compensation and expenses shall be paid out of the general fund of the political subdivision employing nurses.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2362; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, S81, §143.1; 81 Acts, ch 117, §1018]143.2Cooperation.The said boards may cooperate in the employment of public health nurses and may apportion the expenses therefor to the various political subdivisions represented by said authorities.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2363; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §143.2]143.3Duties.The authorities employing any public health nurses shall prescribe their duties which in a general way shall be for the promotion and conservation of the public health.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2364; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §143.3]