| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | August 15, 2025 | |  | | | NYSNA Nurses Launch 2025 Private Sector Campaign to Defend Healthcare! On Thursday, Aug. 14, NYSNA nurses from 12 private sector facilities across New York City launched their bargaining platform for their 2025 contract fight! NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, kicked off the bargaining conference by reminding nurses of their power and commitment to win respect and protect healthcare access for patients. Nurses then introduced the five-point platform that will guide this contract fight. New York City Democratic Mayoral Nominee and Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and New York City Central Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer Janella Hinds joined NYSNA members at a rally and press conference in support of their campaign to defend healthcare and protect New Yorkers. Crain’s New York Business, POLITICO, and The City covered the press conference. Nurses then attended powerful breakout sessions to learn about the impact of Medicaid cuts in their facilities, the risks of unregulated artificial intelligence programs, how to include contract language to protect nurses from workplace violence, Organizing 101 for new Contract Action Team members and more. They also met by region to strategize and develop facility-specific platform points. While the political reality of budget cuts and attacks on healthcare seems daunting, nurses reminded each other of what they accomplished under the challenging post-COVID-19 conditions of their last contract fight. The energy and engagement in the conference showed NYSNA nurses are prepared to push back against employers who will take advantage of this political moment to propose givebacks or staff and service cuts. They are ready to unite, organize and fight to defend healthcare, protect their patients and win the contract they deserve! | | | |  | NYSNA Nurses and Allies Hold Town Hall to Demand an End to Bellevue Service Cuts On Wednesday, Aug. 13, NYSNA nurses joined forces with community allies and elected officials to hold a town hall meeting to demand Bellevue Woman’s Center in Schenectady preserve surgical services. Bellevue is the only maternal and child healthcare center in Schenectady county, and cuts to the essential services they provide pose an enormous threat to patient care across the region. Despite previously saying that the cuts would take place in December, Ellis Medicine recently announced that surgical services at Bellevue will close on Aug. 22. Assembly Member Phil Steck, Save Burdett Birth Center Coalition, Save Our Services Schenectady Coalition for Healthcare Access, and many community members spoke out about the critical need to preserve services at the hospital. News10, CBS 6, and NBC News 13 covered the town hall. The proposed cuts would shutter surgical services in the operating room and outpatient settings at Bellevue. While patients will still be able to receive cesarean sections, any other surgical services would likely require travel by ambulance to Ellis’s chronically understaffed main campus. Amidst a broader federal attack on healthcare services, particularly women’s reproductive health services, Medicaid and other healthcare programs that predominantly support vulnerable New Yorkers, nurses are demanding enough staff and services to serve their community. Show your support for their fight to save maternal health care services in Schenectady County by signing this petition. | | | |  | Oneida Nurses Vote to Ratify New Contract! On Thursday, Aug. 14, NYSNA nurses at Oneida Health voted to ratify a new three-year contract! This new contract comes after months of bargaining at Oneida and includes wage increases to recruit and retain nurses, the introduction of float restricting language and—critically—no givebacks to management! Congratulations, Oneida nurses! This contract comes after a long bargaining campaign, a speak-out, an informational picket, a petition, a lawn-sign visibility campaign, an ad campaign and months of demanding that management return to the table and bargain in good faith. Perseverance and tenacity have led to a contract that will keep Oneida nurses caring for the community they love — when we fight, we win! | | | |  | Online Registration Now Open for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity! You can now register for the 2025 NYSNA Convention, where hundreds of NYSNA members will come together to decide our union’s direction. The 2025 convention will take place in Resorts World Catskills and the Kartrite Resort on Oct. 28 and 29. This year’s convention theme is “Strength in Solidarity.” Register online here, or download and complete the registration form here. Check out the NYSNA website for the most up-to-date information on the convention. Deadline to submit resolutions is Aug. 29. Read the guidelines on drafting a resolution here. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for more information! | | | | Calling All Members: Labor Ed Courses and Summer 2025 Trainings Open for Registration NYSNA’s Labor Education Department is ready to come to your facility to train members to become union leaders. Sign up for Labor Education’s Taking Control of Our Meetings with Management, Bargaining Trainings on How to Become a Contract Action Team member, What is a Contract Campaign, Mobilizing Members & Rounding and more, taking place throughout July and August. Check out the comprehensive schedule, and click here to register. Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. | | | | Your Rights to 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. NEW: Our allies at the New York Immigration Coalition developed this toolkit to provide a comprehensive list of resources for community members, partners and allies who work with immigrants. The toolkit covers health, community safety, family resources, financial empowerment and more. Learn your rights and get answers to frequently asked questions here to know what to do if you encounter ICE officers in your facility. NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely. | | | |  | Wynn Hospital Nurses Join Sen. Schumer to Support Reversal of Medicaid Cuts NYSNA nurses from Mohawk Valley Health System’s Wynn Hospital joined Senator and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in support of the efforts to reverse Medicaid Cuts. As the fallout from the devastating Medicaid cuts in the Trump administration’s “Big Ugly Betrayal” begins in the Mohawk Valley and over 1.2 million New Yorkers are projected to lose healthcare, Schumer announced his new legislation — the Protecting Health Care And Lowering Costs Act — to repeal the healthcare cuts and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year. If not extended, this will raise families’ healthcare costs. This legislation is significant for Wynn Hospital nurses because 34% of the population is covered by Medicaid in Oneida County, where the hospital is located. Nurses will continue organizing to prevent these cuts from impacting our patients and our practice. | | | | NEW Webinar! Learn the Impact of Medicaid Cuts and How to Fight Back Join NYSNA, AFSCME, Citizen Action, CWA, Fiscal Policy Institute, Indivisible, Invest in Our NY, NYSNA, Strong Economy for All, NYS AFL-CIO, and the Working Families Party throughout August for a teach-in to learn about the impact of the recent cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, and how we can fight back! Economists and budget experts from the Fiscal Policy Institute will explain how this billionaire handout is coming at the expense of the middle-class and working New Yorkers. We'll also discuss what comes next in the fight for our communities! NYSNA has also created this factsheet as an overview of the impact healthcare cuts will have on our patients. The teach-in will cover: - How cuts to healthcare, SNAP and other public services will impact our communities.
- The timeline for implementation.
- A snapshot of what to expect locally.
- How the tax cut for overtime actually works and what the benefit will be.
- Actions we can take together to hold Congress accountable.
Bring your questions! We want to make this as informative as possible. Tuesday, Aug. 19, 6-7 p.m. — NYC. Sign up here. Thursday, Aug. 21, 6-7 p.m. — Hudson Valley. Sign up here. Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6-7 p.m. — Central NY. Sign up here. | | | |  | Join NYSNA at Upcoming Cultural and Labor Celebrations Show up to celebrate the diverse identities and cultures that make up the NYSNA union family. Register or save the date to attend these upcoming cultural and labor events with NYSNA: | | | | Demand Congress Restore the Union Rights of VA Nurses! On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) terminated the union contract of hard-working VA nurses, along with the contracts of their union siblings. This is an attack on union workers and on those who dedicate their lives to the service of others! The VA claims this move is to comply with an executive order signed on March 27. Additionally, it says this is good news for veterans and caregivers. But VA nurses know this will make it harder — or even impossible — for them and other federal workers to do their jobs safely and will negatively affect veteran care. Members of Congress have a role to play. Right now, there is a discharge petition circulating on the House side to move the Protect America’s Workforce Act, H.R. 2550, to the floor for a vote. While House members are on August recess, nurses and healthcare workers can support their VA colleagues by letting Congress know we support H.R. 2550! Send a letter in support here. | | | | NEW COURSES! Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members NNU is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members throughout the summer. New Fall/Winter 2026 courses have just been added. View the full calendar and register here or click on the links below to learn more and register for the courses you’re interested in. When registering for NNU courses, be sure to check off the first box, "Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member." NEW fall/winter offerings: | | | |  | Practice Issue — Patient Identification
Patient identification is not always performed correctly in clinical settings, and this practice gap leads to medical errors, patient harm and poor health outcomes. The Institute of Medicine’s 2000 report, “To Err is Human,” highlighted the magnitude of the healthcare error problem and its negative impact on the lives of over 100,000 patients in the United States annually. A substantial amount of healthcare harm is linked to failure to properly identify patients (Osler, Brigham, & Kilpatrick, 2024). Patient identification is a crucial part of preventing patient harm such as medication errors, misdiagnosis or incorrect procedures (De Rezende, Melliero, & Barker, 2021). Evidence-Based Practice for Patient Identification
Patient identification is a major part of the nursing care process and, when done correctly, enhances patient safety and reduces the risk of harm to patients. Suggested strategies to improve patient identification include: - Double-Check — Nurses should verify the patient’s full name and date of birth (or at least two identifiers acceptable to their facility) to ensure accuracy.
- Use Technology — If available, use technology such as barcode scanners to facilitate and verify patient identification.
- Involve the Patient — Encourage patient involvement in the identification process. Ask, don’t tell, the patient for their name (for example, ask the patient to state their full name. Do not state the patient’s name and ask them to agree or disagree).
References
De Rezende, H., Melliero, M. M., & Barker, T. H. (2021). Interventions to Reduce Patient Identification Errors in the Hospital Setting: A Systematic Review. The Open Nursing Journal, 15. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874434602115010109 Osler, C., Brigham, G., & Kilpatrick, M. (2024, May 24). Avoiding Preventable Harm. Washington State Nurses Association News. | | | | Med-Ed Continuing Education Discount NYSNA has partnered with Med-Ed Continuing Nursing Education to provide NYSNA members with full access to the complete Med-Ed catalogue at a 50% reduced rate. These are all self-study programs that members can access and complete at their leisure. You can access these course offerings by going to NYSNA’s members-only website here, then clicking on the Med-Ed website link, and entering the Promo Code NYSNAMEMBER at checkout, where the discount will apply. Please do not share this information with any nonmembers. | | | | NEW! Nurse Education and Practice Workshops You asked for it, and NYSNA’s Nurse Education and Practice (NEP) Department is delivering! NEP added the following workshops to our calendar in response to the learning needs assessment survey: | | | | Urgent Health Advisory: Avoid Nonsterile Ultrasound Gel in Percutaneous Procedures On May 23, 2025, the New York State DOH and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued 2025 Health Advisory #10: Non-Sterile Ultrasound Gel Contaminated
with an Environmental Bacterium. According to the health advisory, healthcare providers should avoid nonsterile ultrasound gel in preparation for or during procedures that involve puncturing the skin. Please review the NYSNA Health Advisory in full for more details | | | |  |  | 2026 Seminar at Sea Last year, NYSNA nurses sailed to Spain and Portugal while learning about resilience, emotional intelligence and how they connect to nursing. Next year, join NYSNA on an unforgettable weeklong cruise to China, South Korea and Japan set to sail in April 2026! This is an opportunity to visit beautiful countries while obtaining nursing continuing education credits and learning about the relevant and important topic of artificial intelligence in nursing practice and nursing education. Check out the informational flyer to learn about this unique and informative educational program. | | | | Journal of the New York State Nurses Association The latest volume of The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is out now! You can read it here. 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. 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, and 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! | | | | Calling All Nurse Practitioners The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs). The courses include new, updated, new and required and mandated courses. Learn more and register to these classes for NYSNA NPs. | | | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | NEW Health and Safety Webinar: Preparing for Wildfire Smoke Smoke from wildfires has become a common feature in New York State and the surrounding area. Wildfire smoke is far more dangerous to human health than regular pollution and presents complex problems for medical facilities. Join NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety Representatives to learn more about how healthcare facilities can prepare for wildfire smoke conditions in order to keep their patients and staff safe. This webinar will take place on Aug. 28 and Sept. 3. Register here. | | | | NYSNA Health Alert: Cluster of Legionnaires' Disease in Harlem The New York City Department of Health (NYC DOH) is actively responding to a cluster of individuals with Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem. There are 81 confirmed cases, including 3 deaths, and 24 are currently hospitalized. The NYC DOH is urging residents in ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039 to seek medical attention if they experience flu-like symptoms. Additional cases are pending confirmation. New York City clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for legionellosis among all adults with pneumonia. Identification and diagnostic testing of Legionnaires’ disease is critical for informing treatment decisions and helping the NYC DOH identify and address outbreaks, particularly through matching clinical isolates to environmental isolates. Report legionellosis cases promptly to the local health department (LHD) where the patient resides. Report cases in New York City residents to the NYC DOH by calling the Provider Access Line at 866-692-3641. If you are unable to reach the LHD for cases outside of New York City, contact the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease Control at 518-473-4439. Read NYSNA’s factsheet and resources and the health advisory from the NYC DOH here. | | | | COVID Sick-Leave Ended July 31 As one of the first states heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, New York pioneered a paid benefit to workers impacted by the virus. New York was the last state to sunset this benefit at the end of July. Although New York has ended statewide COVID-specific paid leave requirements, COVID is still with us, and NYSNA members should review their existing sick leave policies in their contracts. Check your contract in the My Membership section of NYSNA’s website here. | | | | Register for Health Watch USA’s 2025 Public Health Webinar Join NYSNA’s Health and Safety team at the 2025 Public Health Webinar on Aug. 29. Attendees will learn to apply evidence-based science to improve public health outcomes relating to viral infections. They will also learn to implement strategies designed to improve treatment and prevention options relating to emerging infections. The conference will discuss the dangers imposed by four infectious pathogens, SARS-CoV-2, measles, H5N1 and antibiotic-resistant bacteria; identify preventative strategies for airborne pathogens; and educate attendees about misinformation surrounding vaccinations to promote patient education. Check out the conference program here. You can register online here. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | 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. | | | | | | The Talkspace Go App Is Mental Health on the Go! The Talkspace Go app is a great resource that provides daily mental health support on the go! Talkspace Go is a clinician-created, self-guided app so you can address mental health challenges and build mental fitness on your own schedule. It empowers couples, individuals and parents to take progress into their own hands in as little as five minutes a day. Access 400-plus self-guided classes and live weekly therapist-led, anonymous classes. Enjoy assessments, meditation exercises, journaling, reminders and more. Talkspace Go app is available at no cost to members and their eligible household members! Click here for the instructions and passcode to access the app. | | | | Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: Union Assistance 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. Check out the August 2025 newsletter here on beating the workplace loneliness epidemic. 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 August classes. Check out SPAN’s Compassion Project. Wellness Wednesdays: As part of its mission to promote a healthy lifestyle, SPAN is also offering a Self-Care Series that includes free Wellness Wednesday courses. Check out the full calendar of Wellness Wednesday offerings here. | | | | | | In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
