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A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | May 9, 2025 |
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Happy Nurses Week! NYSNA celebrates Nurses Week and the tireless work, dedication and commitment that NYSNA nurses show patients every day. This week, Nurses Week celebrations kicked off throughout New York, where some elected officials visited nurses to congratulate them on their work. Nurses used the opportunity to remind representatives that workers’ rights and healthcare are currently under attack and that all nurses want for Nurses Week is safe staffing and a fully funded healthcare system so our patients can get the care they deserve! Read AM New York’s coverage of Nurses Week and NYSNA nurses’ fight to advocate for better working conditions. Check out some photos from this week’s celebrations, read this lovely tribute to nursing that NYC Mayorals nurse Patty Tyrell, RN, penned, and check out coverage of a NYSNA nurse from Ellis Hospital who was honored at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, May 7, for Nurse Appreciation Night!
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NYSNA Presents at Cornell University on 5 Years Since COVID-19
On Monday, May 5, members of NYSNA’s board of directors attended “The Biopolitics of Global Health After Covid-19: An Interdisciplinary Conference” at Cornell University, where NYSNA First Vice President Judith Cutchin, DNP, RN, was a keynote speaker. Cutchin presented on “COVID-19: A Look Back at the First Five Years from the Frontlines,” reflecting on the immense challenges and groundbreaking victories for nurses in the past five years. She also discussed what nurses, frontline healthcare workers, patients and the community need to defend against COVID-19 and any other emerging public health threat in the current political environment and how nurses are once again on the front lines of fighting against attacks on healthcare and workers’ rights. Esca van Blarikom, Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell and main organizer of the conference said of NYSNA’s participation, "I cannot overstate what an enormous pleasure it was to have Judith and the other NYSNA board members with us this week. Their energy, stories, team spirit and activism were incredibly inspiring, and Judith's keynote provided us exactly those insights into the experiences of frontline workers that we wanted to learn more about. I cannot thank her, you, and the NYSNA board enough for being so engaged with our event!" |
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Calling All New York City Nurses: Labor Ed Courses and Spring 2025 Trainings Open for Registration NYSNA’s Spring Bargaining Trainings continue. Sign up for Labor Education’s New Officer and New Convention Delegate Leadership Training, Staffing Enforcement: Collecting Protest of Assignments and our Know Your Rights: Organizing, Representation and Contract Enforcement trainings taking place throughout May. Check out the comprehensive schedule, and click here to register. Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. |
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Capital Region Legislators Call on NY DOH to Hold Albany Med Accountable for Staffing Crisis
This week, a coalition of capital region legislators sent a letter to the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) demanding that they take action to resolve the staffing and patient care crisis at Albany Medical Center. This past July, nurses' concerns about staffing levels and substandard patient care at the hospital were validated when the DOH released a staffing deficiency report about Albany Med, citing over 500 violations of New York's safe staffing law. Despite this, no action has yet been taken to hold the leadership of Albany Medical Center accountable. In the letter, Assemblymember Gabriella Romero, alongside Assemblymembers Bendett, Santabarbara, and Steck, called for greater transparency and accountability at the hospital, and expressed concerns about the safety and quality of care for both patients and staff. “Albany Medical Center has to do better for its staff and for the people of the Capital Region,” said Romero. “I’ve listened to the nurses’ concerns about understaffing, I’ve seen the DOH reports – this is a deeply worrying situation and it needs to be addressed. We’re coming up on a year since the DOH findings and we don’t have any substantive change. It’s long past time to act.” Watch the video Romero recorded in support of nurses. With this new show of support from elected allies, NYSNA nurses remain hopeful about their fight for the contract both patients and nurses deserve. At their most recent bargaining session, a standing room only crowd of Albany Medical Center nurses peppered management with questions. This show of solidarity from union nurses resulted in management moving off their “last best and final” offer from December. Albany Med nurses are showing that when we fight, we win! |
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Hospice and Palliative Care NYSNA Nurses Ratify New Contract!
NYSNA nurses at Hospice and Palliative Care in Central New York have unanimously voted to ratify a new fair contract! The contract includes significant wage increases and improved staffing. Hospice and Palliative Care nurses do the challenging and rewarding work of caring for patients with serious or end-stage illnesses with the professionalism and compassion they deserve. Congratulations, Hospice and Palliative Care nurses, on ratifying a fair contract! |
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ECMC Nurses Close to Opting in to Paid Family Leave!
Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) nurses are voting to opt in to New York’s Paid Family Leave program! Nurses are voting so they can have access to a critical resource that offers them job protection and paid time off after the birth of a child, when a member of their household is sick, or if a family member is overseas on deployment. NYSNA nurses already successfully pressured ECMC management to agree to provide this essential benefit. After winning management’s support, nurses only need a majority of members to vote to opt in. Nurses recorded a series of videos galvanizing their colleagues to vote yes. Check out one of the videos here. Today is the final day to vote! Stay tuned for voting results. |
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Save the Date for H+H Annual Meeting in the Bronx to Speak Out on Sick Leave Policy On Tuesday, May 20, New York City Health+Hospitals (H+H)/Mayorals nurses plan to continue their efforts to reverse a punitive sick leave change that pressures them to work sick. Last week, they brought their concerns to the H+H Board of Directors and the public at H+H/South Brooklyn Health. Later this month, they will continue their advocacy efforts at the H+H Board of Directors Annual Meeting at H+H/Jacobi. See the flyer for details. H+H/Mayoral nurses are encouraged to attend and speak out on how this policy change has impacted nurses and patients. |
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Save the Date for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity! Mark your calendars 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 on Oct. 28 and 29. This year’s convention theme is “Strength in Solidarity.”
Share our Save the Date flyer, and stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information and a link to register online. |
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Take Action Against Medicaid Cuts: Call/Email Your Member of Congress
In March, Congress passed a budget resolution that would make extreme cuts to Medicaid. Congress continues to negotiate this week before voting on the final budget, and it seems that public outcry over Medicaid cuts is pushing some lawmakers to reconsider the most egregious cuts. Our outreach is working! But we must keep calling to ensure NO cuts to Medicaid make it in the final budget. Take a moment to call and email your representative using this simple online tool and tell your member of Congress to protect Medicaid! You can also sign up to attend a phone bank at NYSNA’s NYC office. Nurses know Medicaid saves lives. Almost half of all children in New York rely on Medicaid, and many hospitals throughout the state receive the majority of their revenue from Medicaid. If we don’t stop the cuts, our patients will lose access to healthcare, and entire hospitals could close. Let’s make our voices heard to protect this essential program. |
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Last chance to support Nurses in Need! Help NYSNA Raise Funds for Nurses House, Inc. Nurses House, Inc. has launched its fifteenth annual “Dolphins for Nurses” campaign to raise funds for registered nurses in need throughout the United States. The fundraising campaign, sponsored by the NYSNA, will run from April 12-May 12, culminating in National Nurses Week. The campaign invites nursing groups and staff at hospitals nationwide to fundraise by offering white, gold, and blue dolphin cards in exchange for $1, $5 or $10 donations. All proceeds will be put towards the Nurses House Service Program to benefit nurses facing serious health issues and other dire circumstances. Help us meet our goal by donating via the NYSNA fundraising link and support fellow nurses in need. |
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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. 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. |
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NYSNA Endorsements in the 2025 Elections
NYSNA and four other major city unions — 32BJ SEIU, Communications Workers of America District 1, District Council 37 and Hotel Trades Council — jointly endorsed candidates who will fight for worker rights, health equity and our city’s future as part of the Labor Strong 2025 Coalition. Check out the 27 Labor Strong-endorsed candidates for New York City Council. NYSNA has also endorsed candidates in other city races, such as Justin Brannan for New York City comptroller, Jumaane Williams for New York City public advocate and Vanessa Gibson for Bronx Borough president. Check out our full list of endorsements here. This is a critical election year, and it’s more vital than ever that we have a pro-worker, pro-union, pro-healthcare justice majority in the New York City Council and in other city or borough-wide roles to support nurses and our fights for patients. Read NYSNA’s full press release about the endorsement here, and check below for key dates for this year’s election! |
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Key Dates for 2025 Primary Election Our ability to strengthen the public health system — our social safety net — and support frontline working people depends on electing candidates who support nurses, healthcare professionals and our communities. For that, we need our members to get out the vote in New York’s primary elections. Review important dates and information about this year’s primary below.
FIND YOUR NEW YORK CITY POLLING SITE
FIND YOUR NEW YORK STATE POLLING SITE
KEY DATES FOR 2025 ELECTIONS
- June 14: Last day to receive an absentee ballot
- June 14-22: Early voting for the primary election
- June 23: Deadline to apply in person for a primary ballot
- June 24: Primary Election Day | Deadline to postmark mail-in ballot
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NEW Courses Added: Sign up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members Starting in May and throughout the summer, National Nurses United (NNU) will offer FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members! 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."
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Nurses for Democracy: Updated Resources to Protect Patients and Navigate Recent Federal Changes The Trump administration is rapidly making sweeping changes that affect nurses and our patients in and out of the hospital. As nurses, our first and most important responsibility is to our patients. Regardless of gender or immigration status, we are committed to providing every patient with high-quality, safe healthcare and treating them with dignity as people. That is why NNU has put together a list of resources to stay informed and fight back against the rollout of several policies attacking and endangering marginalized communities’ health, safety and lives. See our list of resources regarding these policy changes here. |
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Two New Nurse Scholarship Opportunities!
Two scholarship opportunities are now available for registered and licensed practical nurses in New York. The Edna A. Lauterbach Scholarship and the Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship. The Edna A. Lauterbach Scholarship offers up to $6,300 for those pursuing a home and community-based care career path. The scholarship covers tuition, books, specialty training and other educational expenses. The deadline for scholarship applications is June 1, 2025, and winners will be announced at the New York State (NYS) Association of Health Care Providers conference in October 2025. For more information and to apply, visit www.ednascholarship.org or contact NYS Association of Health Care Providers at 518-463-1118 or via email at hcp@nyshcp.org. The Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship is available to registered nurses licensed in New York pursuing a graduate degree that leads to a career in nursing or adjunct clinical faculty. The scholarship provides awardees with up to $20,000 annually. To qualify, students must meet the following requirements: Enroll in a graduate degree program that qualifies you to work as nursing faculty or adjunct clinical faculty in New York, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher if you have already completed a semester in a graduate program, and live in New York and work as nursing faculty or adjunct faculty for four years. The deadline to apply is June 17, 2025. Go to www.hesc.ny.gov for more information about how to apply. |
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NEW: 2026 Seminar at Sea Join NYSNA on a weeklong cruise to China, South Korea and Japan set to set 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. |
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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. |
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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! |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Avian Influenza & Measles Webinar The current avian influenza outbreak in the U.S. has affected almost 200 million birds and almost 1 thousand cattle herds. Many other species, including domestic cats, have been infected. And while the official count of human infections remains under 100, it is estimated that actual cases are far higher. Additionally, the U.S. is currently experiencing escalating rates of measles, pertussis and TB. A new webinar “Avian Influenza & Measles: Preparing for New & Newly Recurring Infectious Diseases” will assist nurses in understanding the current situation of each of these pathogens, preparation for possible effects on the healthcare system, best practices for infection control in the healthcare setting, and protections for both patients and nurses. This webinar is being offered on Wednesday, June 11, from 10 a.m.-noon, and Thursday, June 12, from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Register for either session here. |
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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. |
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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. |
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May Is Mental Health Awareness Month — Mental Health Sessions & Talkspace Go App
The Union Assistance Program (UAP) is offering four live online sessions in May to support union members for Mental Health Awareness Month. Please use the following links to register for the sessions. After registering for a live session, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For more resources, check out this flyer, which recommends specific online webinars, trainings and learning centers in support of Mental Health Awareness Month. The Talkspace Go app, another great resource UAP offers, is great for accessing 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
The May 2025 newsletter focuses on Mental Health Awareness Month.
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SPAN’s NEW Spring Newsletter and Forum on Recovery Ready Workplaces in Nursing 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 May or June classes. Learn more about SPAN’s new Compassion Project here.
Check out SPAN’s NEW spring newsletter celebrating 25 years of SPAN. And check out SPAN’s new Compassion Project, which is hosting an important online forum on Recovery Ready Workplaces in Nursing on May 28. Learn more about the speakers in the flyer and register here.
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. |
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In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director |
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