A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members   |   January 31, 2025  

Dear NYSNA Member

NYSNA Recognizes Black History Month

February is Black History Month. NYSNA honors the legacy and history of Black nurses and healthcare workers who fought discrimination and broke barriers to practice with excellence, compassion and cultural competency. NYSNA nurses will continue to fight for racial justice and health equity in the face of rollbacks to civil rights and diversity efforts because our lives and our patients’ healthcare depend on it!

 

The Fight for Healthcare and Services for Our Communities

This week’s federal government’s “pause” in funding created chaos and uncertainty among our members, hospitals, and allied unions and elected officials. While the administration reconsidered its approach and “unpaused” some —but not all —federal funding on Wednesday, we will continue to monitor and triage the situation to keep our members informed and prepared to protect our patients and our profession. We will also work on legal, political, and operational solutions, especially in hospitals, institutions, and organizations that rely on Medicaid, grants, and other federal funding.

Read NYSNA’s full statement on the federal government’s “pause" and reach out to your NYSNA Rep to share what is happening in your hospital and how these threats to defund vital services are affecting you and your patients. 

AROUND THE UNION

Albany Med Nurses Hosts Town Hall to Discuss Care Criss in Capital Region

Capital Region nurses held a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, to update elected officials and community allies about the ongoing staffing and patient care crisis at Albany Medical Center.

Despite a record number of Department of Health staffing violations in 2024 — more than 480 — the hospital administration continues to deny the truth about understaffing and the impact it’s having on patient care. The hospital is closing neonatal intensive care unit beds and continuing to understaff the most vulnerable patients. Instead of solving delays in care in the emergency department, the administration is shifting the problem, placing patients in unheated hallways to wait for care. Nurses highlighted the alarming fact that Albany Med has spent over $80 million on travel nurses instead of hiring and retaining local nurses and negotiating a fair contract. See press coverage of the townhall on CBS 6 and Spectrum News 1.

Tuesday’s town hall was representative of a renewed outpouring of community and labor support for Albany Med nurses as they enter 2025 without a new contract. In addition to attending last week’s Labor Roundtable, LBU President Jenn Bejo, RN, appeared on NYS AFL-CIO's Union Strong podcast to talk about the ongoing contract fight at Albany Med. Listen to the episode.

To learn more about the fight for a fair contract at Albany Medical Center, visit albanymedqualitycare.org.  

 

Mount Sinai South Nassau Nurses Return to the Bargaining Table to Demand Fair Contract

On Wednesday, Jan. 29, nurses at Mount Sinai South Nassau showed up to their bargaining meeting to continue fighting for a fair contract. Neonatal intensive care nurses and maternity nurses presented on the negative impacts that short staffing has had on them and their patients. They also shared the negative effect that short staffing has had on the recruitment and retention of new nurses. Management’s “solution” to this has been to constantly move nurses between units to increase coverage, but nurses testified that the practice only makes their jobs harder and is not a replacement for safely staffing all units.

As bargaining heats up, nurses at Mount Sinai South Nassau are organizing their colleagues to speak out and show up at future meetings to ensure Mount Sinai listens to their voices. On this website, they’ve called out Mount Sinai on prioritizing profits before patients and gained community support through their petition.

All NYSNA members are encouraged to add their name in solidarity with Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses!

 

Montefiore Nurses Speak Out at Community Board Meeting Against Bed and Service Closures

Nurses are sounding the alarm about the Bronx being in danger of losing hospital beds and essential services after Montefiore management announced a “restructuring” plan. Montefiore nurses are making the community aware of the plan’s negative impact on patients, which includes the elimination of 16 hospital beds, the elimination of palliative care services, and moving surgical services elsewhere in the Bronx or to its suburban campuses. Meanwhile, Montefiore’s emergency rooms are filled beyond capacity, and patients are waiting in hallways for care. NYSNA nurses are concerned that reducing beds will add longer wait times and more hallway patients to a facility that already struggles to serve a vulnerable population.

On Tuesday, June 28, NYSNA nurses attended Community Board 7’s meeting to make local leaders and the community aware of Montefiore’s plans and were met with support and concern. Nurses are also planning on meeting with elected officials and other allies to stop this so-called “restructuring” plan and ensure Bronx patients don’t suffer any losses in services. 

 

NYSNA and NY State Senate Honor NYC H+H/Queens Hospital Nurse for 28 Years of Dedication

Alison Bhola, RN, began her remarkable 28-year tenure with NYC Health+Hospital (H+H) as a cashier at the NYC H+H/Elmhurst cafeteria. Her passion for service and helping others naturally evolved into a desire to make a larger impact through nursing. While working full time, Alison dedicated herself to nursing school, earning her credentials as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She worked as an LPN for seven years before achieving her dream of becoming a registered nurse at NYC H+H/Queens Hospital.

As a nurse, Bhola was not only skilled but also a fierce advocate for her patients. Her leadership extended beyond the bedside, where she served as NYSNA vice president at NYC H+H/Queens for three years. In this role, she passionately championed crucial causes, speaking with political leaders to advance issues such as safe staffing, COVID-19 protocols and pay parity for nurses. Her influence at NYC H+H/Queens went beyond policy — she was a persistent and tireless advocate for organizational change and consistently met with hospital stakeholders to ensure that they met both nursing staff members’ and patients’ needs.

Bhola’s journey is a testament to the profound impact one individual can have on a community. She has dedicated decades to the nursing profession, leaving behind an enduring legacy of service, leadership and advocacy. Her next chapter is well-earned, and we celebrate all she has achieved and all that she will continue to inspire in the future. Congratulations, Alison, on a well-deserved retirement, and thank you for your extraordinary contributions.

 

NYC H+H/Jacobi Nurses Attend Protest of Assignment Training

Nurses at NYC H+H/Jacobi attended NYSNA’s protest of assignment (POA) training on Monday, Jan. 27. The course is a critical tool for NYSNA members to formally document unsafe working conditions or assignments that jeopardize patient care and staff safety. Jacobi nurses were empowered with the knowledge and skills to effectively utilize the POA process to advocate for safer conditions, improve staffing and holding management accountable.

For more information or assistance with the POA process, contact your NYSNA representative or request a training at your facility from Labor Education by emailing labored@nysna.org.   

 

Huntington Hospital Nurses Begin Bargaining for Their First Contract

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Huntington Hospital nurses held their first bargaining session with Northwell Health since winning their National Labor Relations Board election to join NYSNA in November 2024. Over 40 nurses attended the bargaining session. Nurses presented proposals on core issues important to retaining and recruiting nurses and improving patient care. These included creating and implementing a safe staffing grid and enforcement, improving health and pension benefits, adding the observance of Juneteenth as a paid holiday, clarifying the POA language and procedure, creating monthly labor management and staffing committee meetings, addressing issues of workplace violence and safety, and proposing respectable wages that would place Huntington nurses on par with other NYSNA Northwell facilities.

NYSNA nurses at Huntington Hospital are committed to building on the momentum from this first session to win the contract they and their patients deserve!

SOLIDARITY IN ACTION

Know Your Rights and Advocate for Patients When Encountering ICE

Nurses’ first duty is to care for and advocate for our patients. NYSNA nurses care for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, income or insurance status, race, religion, ability or disability, sexuality, or gender identity or expression — simply regardless. Read our statement regarding the federal policy change on immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations,” including hospitals and schools.

Learn your rights and get answers to frequently asked questions to learn what to do if you encounter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in your facility.

NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely. 

 

Support Afya: Donate Supplies to Help Victims of the Southern California Wildfires

Afya, a Yonkers-based nonprofit that works on disaster relief to ensure access to critical medical supplies, is responding to the devastating wildfires erupting in Southern California. NYSNA members can help victims by donating supplies or funds. The most needed items at this time are personal hygiene products. See this flyer for a full list of needed items. Afya has also put together an Amazon Wishlist for NYSNA members to purchase supplies directly. You can also donate funds through the Afya donation page.

While volunteer opportunities with Afya are currently at capacity due to the generosity of our members, we will update NYSNA members when future opportunities arise. 

 

Celebrate Lunar New Year With NYSNA!  

On Sunday, Feb. 16, join NYSNA in welcoming the Year of the Snake! NYSNA nurses and healthcare professionals will gather with members of the communities we serve to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Join in the parade and celebration in Manhattan’s Chinatown by RSVPing. For more information, and help spread through word, download and share the flyer

BUILDING POLITICAL POWER

NYSNA Calls on U.S. to Rejoin WHO

The U.S. has played a leading role in curing disease and improving public health around the world, including slowing the spread of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Mpox, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, measles, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. But now the U.S. has left the World Health Organization (WHO), the main entity where we coordinate our global public health research, monitoring and rapid response to deadly disease outbreaks. The U.S. has also ended funding for global health research and programs.

With the current ease and speed of international travel, pulling out of the WHO and defunding global health efforts will leave the U.S. more vulnerable to disease and will harm people’s health around the world. Our greatest protection is to respond and assist quickly when disease is identified anywhere. This is a time to prioritize public health by rejoining the World Health Organization.

 

NYSNA Supports Amending the Education Law for CRNAs 

As we continue to celebrate Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetics (CRNAs) Week, NYSNA is proud to support an amendment to the New York education law in relation to creating the profession of nurse anesthetist. The proposed legislation (S357) would create a new CRNA title and establish formal parameters and regulations applicable to CRNA practice. 

NYSNA believes that CRNAs should be allowed to independently practice to the full extent of their training and the scope of practice provided for in this legislation, which is why we strongly support and will lobby to pass this legislation this year. Read NYSNA’s memorandum of support for the proposal, and find out how to actively lobby for its passage by attending our upcoming lobby day.  

 

Save the Date: NYSNA Lobby Day on March 11

Save the date for NYSNA Lobby Day on March 11, 2025. NYSNA members know that our fight for safe staffing, health equity, and more depends on our elected officials investing in healthcare and holding employers accountable. Share the flyer and reserve your seat on the bus today!

NNU NEWS

Take Action: Ask your Senator to Reject RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary

National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses, is calling on the U.S. Senate to reject the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Kennedy would be one of the most dangerous individuals to ever hold the top U.S. healthcare office, given his longtime opposition to lifesaving vaccines and his willingness to spread medical disinformation and unfounded healthcare conspiracy theories.  

Read NNU’s full statement and take action. Ask your senators to reject his nomination by calling and using the script here

 

NNU Medicare for All National Strategy Call

With the U.S. leaving WHO and the Trump administration threatening cuts to vital healthcare and public health services and institutions, there are many dangerous threats to our healthcare on the horizon. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but now is the time to remain focused on fighting for a popular policy that nurses know is the best solution for healing our broken healthcare system: Medicare for All. Join the first Medicare for All National Strategy Call of 2025 on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 8:00 p.m. Register here.

While there’s a lot of uncertainty for what the future holds right now, it is critical that we as nurses come together and commit ourselves to advancing the fight for Medicare for All. The call will get us ready to defend against attempts to degrade, privatize and undermine important public health programs and will prepare us to take concrete action to build the Medicare for All movement and achieve healthcare justice for everyone. 

NURSING PRACTICE

Practice Alert: Required Completion of NYS Reporting Child Abuse Course 

All licensed health practitioners are required to repeat the Identification and Reporting New York State Child Abuse program, even if you have taken the program in the past. This is a one-time requirement that each individual practitioner must complete and send proof of completion to the New York State Education Department by April 1, 2025.

The course is free for NYSNA members. To complete this requirement for free; set up your individual NYSNA account and be signed in; go to the Child Abuse Reporting Course register for and take the program; download your certificates of completion; and mail them to the New York State Education Department. Here is your NYSNA member ID in order to create an account: please reach out to membership.

Please check our flyer for more information.

 

Journal of the New York State Nurses Association 

The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is currently seeking papers. Authors are invited to submit scholarly papers, research studies, brief reports on clinical or educational innovations, and articles of opinion on subjects important to registered nurses. Of particular interest are papers addressing direct care issues. New authors and student authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts for publication. Check out the latest volume of the journal and read the guidelines for submission here

 

2025 Nursing Education & Practice Courses 

NYSNA members can take advantage of FREE e-leaRN courses, including state-mandated offerings, standard of practice and certification review courses, as well as nursing practice workshops. 

Take a look at the complete course offering, learn more information on how to register here or register for the courses directly here. You must create an account and be signed into it to search the full catalog of classes and register for them at no cost! 

 

Upcoming NNU Workshops

As part of National Nurses United, NYSNA members can now access free continuing education courses and workshops online. Learn more about workshops that advance your practice and empower union nurses. Check out these upcoming workshops: 

​​​​​​​January-March 2025, multiple dates and times 

 

Seminar at Sea 2025 

Join NYSNA on a weeklong cruise from Spain to Portugal on May 24-31, 2025. Not only will you get a chance to visit these beautiful countries, but you will also have the opportunity to obtain nursing continuing education credits and connect with colleagues from New York and throughout the country. You can find additional information in the informational flyer to learn about this unique and informative educational program and details on how to register for the cruise. 

 

Calling All Nurse Practitioners 

The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs).

Register and sign in here to access the courses listed below:  

  1. Updated: New York State Mandatory Prescriber Education Guidance – For DEA Registration No. (four-hour online asynchronous program required to be taken every three (3) years).
  2. New and Required: Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and New York State Requirements for All DEA Registered Practitioners: Safe Prescribing of Controlled Substances 8 Hour Training (a one-time eight-hour online asynchronous program. The deadline for satisfying this new training requirement is the date of a practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission—regardless of whether it is an initial registration or a renewal registration—on or after June 27, 2023).
  3. Mandated New York State Infection Control Training for Healthcare Professionals (asynchronous program required to be taken every four (4) years).
  4. New and Required: New York State Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition. (All licensed health practitioners are required to take this new program even if you have taken the New York State Child Abuse program in the past. This is a one-time requirement to be completed by April 1, 2025, with proof to be sent by the practitioner to New York State by April 1, 2025.)
  5. NPs and Midwives: Prescribing Information (Req. for Form 2B) (a one-time online asynchronous program for those NPs and midwives who did not graduate from an in-state NYSED registered NP program, satisfying the required coursework on New York and Federal Laws Governing Prescriptions and Record Keeping).
 

Winter-Spring 2025 Labor Education Trainings Open for Registration

There’s still time to register for the upcoming training Staffing Enforcement: Collecting Protest of Assignments on Monday, Jan. 27, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

Registration for the statewide Spring 2025 Member Leader Training series is also open and will take place on Zoom on Thursdays, April 4, 10, 17 and 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Member Leader Training is a four-part training open to all members who want to deepen their leadership skills, and it covers all the basic skills needed to represent your co-workers, enforce your contracts, organize successful collective actions, plan workplace issue campaigns, and have effective meetings with management. You can take each part individually or the entire series, and each provides three contact hours and 0.3 CEUs. Register here! Please invite your co-workers to attend with you. Here is a flyer with a registration link (it includes other trainings too). 

Other trainings:

Labor Education provides a variety of Zoom trainings on a range of topics. New to NYSNA? Come to the “Welcome to Your Union” training and meet other new members. Want to get more co-workers filling out Protests of Assignments or building mini-campaigns on your unit to resolve workplace issues? Come to the “Staffing Enforcement” workshop, or the brand new “Winning an Issue on Your Unit Through a Campaign of Escalating Actions” workshop. Register here and download this flyer to share with your co-workers! You can read all the workshop descriptions here. All trainings are 90 minutes on Zoom. 

Next trainings:
COMING UP! Welcome to Your Union 
Monday, Feb. 3, 2025 | 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (register

New Officer and New Convention Delegate Leadership Training  
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 | 8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (register

Winning an Issue on Your Unit Through a Campaign of Escalating Actions  
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 | 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (register

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Effective Jan. 1: Prenatal Rights Under New York State Law

Recent changes to New York state employment law help working parents better navigate work and family and require hospitals to better accommodate registered nurses’ medical and family needs. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, New York has become the first state in the U.S. to require paid prenatal care leave, impacting all private employers. This comes not long after the June 2024 change that requires public and private employers to provide a minimum of a 30-minute paid break for employees to pump breast milk. Learn more about these rights in our updated NYSNA fact sheet and the New York State FAQs

 

Nurses’ Rights to Be Whistleblowers and Protest Your Assignments  

NYSNA members should be empowered with the knowledge of laws that have been passed with NYSNA’s input to protect them and empower them to speak up when patient safety is compromised, either due to unsafe staffing or other factors, such as a lack of personal protective equipment, as was the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Take a moment to learn about your rights in this flyer.  

HEALTH & SAFETY

CDC Issues Health Advisory on Influenza Testing  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory through its Health Alert Network regarding testing and subtyping for influenza A. There is currently a high rate of seasonal influenza A (both H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes) in circulation. In addition, the current avian influenza subtype is an influenza A virus (H5N1). By recommending a shorter timeline for testing and subtyping which type of influenza A that patients are presenting with, the CDC hopes to catch any human avian influenza cases as quickly as possible. Read the full advisory here.  

For information on how healthcare facilities should prepare for an avian influenza outbreak, read NYSNA’s Avian Influenza Health and Safety Guidelines here.

If you have questions or concerns regarding infection control at your facility, please contact the NYSNA Occupational Health and Safety Representatives at healthandsafety@nysna.org

 

Health and Safety Alert on Norovirus

Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks worldwide. In the United States, it is estimated that norovirus causes approximately 20 million illnesses each year. Healthcare facilities must be prepared to handle patient surges and staffing shortages during a Norovirus outbreak. Check out NYSNA’s Health and Safety Alert on Norovirus to learn more about prevention, control, and management strategies for healthcare workers.  

 

NEW: Avian Influenza Health and Safety Guidelines 

Avian influenza, or bird flu, has existed for a very long time, and there have been outbreaks among poultry in the U.S. in the past. However, the current outbreak of bird flu in the U.S., which involves influenza A H5N1, has spread the most aggressively so far. It has infected at least 60 people, including one fatally in Louisiana earlier this week. While there have not yet been any reported human cases of avian influenza in New York, it is important that nurses are prepared to safely care for potential patients. Check out NYSNA’s latest Avian Influenza Health & Safety Guidelines to learn more about precautions, protocols and treatment recommendations. 

 

Mpox Health and Safety Alert

The World Health Organization has declared mpox (formally known as monkeypox) a global public health emergency. Check out NYSNA’s mpox health and safety alert and the Pandemic Response Institute’s fact sheet to learn more about the virus, its treatment, and infection controls needed to control the spread in the workplace and our communities. 

 

COVID-19 Leave Fact Sheet

Nurses working in New York have several options for fully paid or partially paid leave to cover work time missed due to COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 quarantine. Check out this fact sheet updated by NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety team to learn more about your rights under New York state law.

 

Long COVID Guide

Read NYSNA’s Long COVID Guide to help you stay informed on the diagnosis, treatment options, benefits and rights for workers with long COVID.  

MEMBER BENEFITS

NYSNA Life Insurance– It's Time to Designate Your Beneficiary

NYSNA already provides members with a great benefit at no cost: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This coverage provides $20,000 of Basic Life Insurance and $20,000 of Basic Personal Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. All active members in good standing represented for collective bargaining through the union will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract, or through your employer.

But for your loved ones to receive this benefit, you must designate them as a beneficiary! To enroll and receive instructions on designating a beneficiary for your new Basic Personal AD&D Insurance, go to nysnawinstonbenefits.com or call 1-866-483-1124. 

Sign up with your NYSNA Member ID to set up and access your account and benefits. If you need your Member ID, please contact the NYSNA Membership department at membership@nysna.org. Download the flyer for additional details.

 

NEW: Talkspace Go Classes Through Union UAP

NYSNA is excited to introduce a new resource available to all members and eligible family members from our Union Assistance Program (UAP): Talkspace Go classes to learn valuable skills and resources to support your health. February’s topics are designed to improve your mental health and well-being. These live, online group classes are therapist-led, anonymous and free. 

Check out the calendar of Talkspace Go classes for February 2025. There are new classes every month covering a broad range of topics related to work, family, relationships and mental health. You can download the Talkspace Go app for free from the Apple App store or Google Play  to review and register for classes. After you download the app, sign up and create an account, and then enter our organization's code: ESIAP.

 

NYSNA Will-Writing Benefits From MetLife 

The NYSNA Benefits Fund gives NYSNA members who are covered by the NYSNA Benefits Fund access to personal will preparation services that MetLife Legal Plans offer — at no additional cost.  

Having a will prevents unnecessary stress and ensures final wishes are clear. The Benefits Fund offers valuable legal resources through MetLife Legal Plans to assist with creating or updating a will with a member’s Basic Life coverage. As part of this benefit, members get legal guidance and unlimited consultations with network attorneys. Learn more here.  

 

NYSNA Members Are Eligible for AFL-CIO’s Union Plus Benefits!

The benefits of being a NYSNA member extend beyond your NYSNA benefits. As an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, NYSNA members are also eligible for Union Plus benefits to help current and retired labor union members and their families save money and support them through major milestones, celebrations and hardships. These benefits include discounts on wireless plans, credit card deals, mortgage deals, discounts on insurance plans and more! Find out more on the AFL-CIO Union Plus website

 

Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: UAP Program and SPAN Program

The Union Assistance Program (UAP) is a confidential self-help program, independent from NYSNA, that is available to NYSNA members and their families as a membership benefit. When an employee or family member (18 or older) faces a significant personal problem, they can call UAP’s experienced counselors at 800-252-4555 for assistance at any time. Read more information on phone counseling services here.

Learn about the benefits and resources that the UAP offers here. The February 2025 newsletter focuses on the importance of our own cardiovascular health and the heart health of those we love.

Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) is a confidential education, support and advocacy program for all nurses licensed in New York state who are dealing with substance abuse problems. Visit the SPAN website for more information, or to sign up for one of its January classes on intention setting. Learn more about SPAN’s new Compassion Project here.

 
 

In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director

 

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