| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | December 27, 2024 | |  | | | Happy New Year! This has been a powerful year for the labor movement, and nurses are leading the way by pushing for legislation that protects patients and healthcare workers, holding employers accountable for putting profits over patient safety and fighting for strong union contracts. From Long Island to the capital region, nurses are organizing in every part of the state to ensure our patients get the quality care they need and nurses get the respect they deserve. As we look toward 2025, we know there will be many contract and policy fights ahead and opportunities to continue building on our success. NYSNA nurses will use our collective power to build a healthcare system that NYSNA members, our patients and our communities all deserve. | | | |  | Vassar Brothers Medical Center Nurses March on the Boss Nurses at Vassar Brothers Medical Center are fighting for a strong union contract that will recruit, retain and respect nurses. Earlier this month, nurses showed their support for the bargaining committing and marched on the boss. They held a poster that showed pictures of local bargaining unit members and called on management to deliver a fair contract that will help to recruit and retain qualified nurses, secure safe staffing and keep local services open for care. Nurses will keep making their voices heard to ensure they win a strong contract! | | | |  | RUMC Nurse Educators Join NYSNA Congratulations to nurse educators at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) on becoming the newest members of our NYSNA family! RUMC nurse educators recently voted to join bargaining unit. Nurse educators have been proud to stand side by side with fellow NYSNA nurses and now look forward to being part of the bargaining process in 2025. | | | | Albany Med Nurses Receive Support from over Three Dozen Community and Labor Organizations In spite of Albany Med’s recent anti-union media blitz, NYSNA nurses remain committed to the fight to protect safe, quality patient care in the capital region. Earlier this week, over three dozen labor unions and community organizations penned a letter of solidarity with nurses, urging management at the hospital to listen to their concerns about unsafe staffing and settle a fair contract. The New York State AFL-CIO, the Capital District Area Labor Federation, the Labor-Religion Coalition and 1199SEIU, among others, signed the letter. This solidarity letter also comes on the heels of capital region elected leaders — including New York State Assembly Members Angelo Santabarbara and Phil Steck, Albany Common Council President Corey Ellis and Common Council Member Gabriella Romero — offering statements of support for NYSNA nurses at Albany Med. Check out this coverage from CBS 6 to learn more. NYSNA nurses at Albany Med have been making every effort to bargain with management in good faith and win the contract that both nurses and capital region patients deserve. This solidarity letter and the previous statements of support make it clear that frontline nurses have support from political, labor and community leaders in their community. Nurses will be back at the bargaining table in January and are more determined than ever to fight for and win the fair contract they deserve! | | | | Solidarity With Amazon and Starbucks Workers NYSNA members are in solidarity with the Amazon Teamsters and Starbucks Workers United members who are fighting for their first union contracts. On Dec. 18, Teamsters launched the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history. Amazon refuses to follow the law and bargain with the thousands of Amazon workers who organized with the Teamsters. The next day, workers at Starbucks walked the picket line and launched a nationwide strike. Starbucks workers called on management to deliver a fair contract and resolve outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice charges that workers have filed with the National Labor Relations Board. Both strikes kicked off just days before Christmas and ended after the holiday to protest the retail giants during the busiest shopping season of the year. | | | |  | Save the Date: NYSNA Lobby Day 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! | | | | New Issue! 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. Registration for 2025 courses will open soon. Take a look at the 2025 certification review calendar and learn more information on how to register here, or register for the courses directly here. | | | | 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: | | | | 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. Please check our flyer for more information. To complete this requirement, go to https://learning.nysna.org/topclass; set up your individual account, if you haven’t already done so; 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 and get courses for free: please reach out to membership.. | | | | 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). Here is the new listing of programs that are free to NYSNA NP members in 2024-2025: - 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).
- 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).
- Mandated New York State Infection Control Training for Healthcare Professionals (asynchronous program required to be taken every four (4) years).
- 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.)
- 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).
| | | | | | It's a Wrap for 2024! Nurses Build Union Power at Labor Education Trainings Thousands of NYSNA members from across the state participated in labor education workshops and trainings building solidarity, inspiring each other, sharpening skills to fight for better working conditions and improved patient care. From Western New York to Albany and along the Hudson, Long Island and the five boroughs, NYSNA members in the private and public sectors developed leadership skills and had fun doing it! Nurse leaders gathered for two-day trainings, a full day of workshops and retreats, or dropped in for repeated rolling interactive workshops. From newly-active members to long-time leaders, our members learned from each other's experiences and put those learnings into practice to prepare for a strike, marching on the boss, building a POA campaign or creating a more visible, organized workplace. There will be more opportunities in 2025! Sign up here for trainings in early 2025. A full schedule of 2025 trainings is coming soon. For any questions or to set up a training in your facility, please email NYSNA's Labor Education department at labored@nysna.org. | | | | | | | | 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. As of June 2024, public and private employers must provide a minimum of paid breaks of 30 minutes for employees to pump breast milk. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, New York will become the first state in the U.S. to require paid prenatal care leave, impacting all private employers. Learn more about these rights in our NYSNA fact sheet. | | | | 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 AND COVID-19 RESOURCES | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | No-Cost Life Insurance Benefit From MetLife Are in Effect for NYSNA Members! NYSNA is pleased to announce a new member benefit that became effective on Aug. 1, 2024: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This new coverage is at no-cost to you and 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/policyholder will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This new union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract, or through your employer. Benefits include: - Basic term life insurance.
- AD&D benefits for covered losses that are the result of an accidental injury or loss of life, including line of duty death benefits.
For more information and instructions on designating a beneficiary, visit www.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 NYSNA Membership department at membership@nysna.org. Download and share the flyer. | | | | 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 offered through the UAP here. The December 2024 newsletter shares tips on how to live intentionally in 2025. Read it here. 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. Check out the SPAN newsletter for fall 2024! . Visit the SPAN website for more information. | | | | | | In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
