| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | November 15, 2024 | |  | | | Albany Med Nurses Win Arbitration While management at Albany Med Center continues to drag its feet in delivering a fair contract, nurses are taking action to hold the hospital accountable. This week, nurses won an arbitration case! NYSNA nurses were able to settle a long-standing dispute with management and enforce the existing contract. As part of the contract, Albany Med was supposed to provide uniforms to all nurses. When this didn’t happen, union nurses took action to enforce our contract.
The highlights include: - Albany Med will pay all nurses who did not receive uniforms.
- Each nurse will receive a payment of either $250 or $150 based on full-time-equivalent status before Christmas.
- Albany Med will provide new uniforms to employees.
- And all employees will be able to obtain additional uniforms in July 2025.
Congratulations are also in order for Albany Med nurses who continue to speak out for safe staffing and a fair contract in the face of boss intimidation. Albany Med’s unlawful behavior and nurses’ brave fight was featured in several press outlets over the weekend, including in the Albany Times Union, CBS 6, and WNYT. | | | |  | NYP Nurses and Doctors Rally to Keep Rehab Open On Wednesday, NYSNA nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Columbia joined with occupational therapists, doctors, patients and community members to rally and spoke out against the proposed closure of NYP’s acute rehab facility. NYP has been pushing forward with a plan to close the rehab unit and permanently convert its 16 beds to medical-surgical unit beds to relieve pressure on the Emergency Department (ED). Healthcare professionals and patients know that relieving pressure at the ED shouldn’t be on the backs of Washington Heights and Inwood rehab patients. State Senator Robert Jackson and Assembly Member Al Taylor spoke out in solidarity, saying, “Community over closures.” | | | |  | St. Catherine’s Agrees to Hire Additional Nurses After Mediation Win On Wednesday, Nov. 13, mediation was held for the understaffing in the ED at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center. Nurses spoke about the unsafe staffing issues they’re experiencing, and as a result, the hospital agreed to hire 12 more nurses to fill the staggered shifts in the staffing grid.
Management also agreed to additional language that includes monthly updates on recruitment efforts, release of ED staff to attend these meeting, use of travel nurses, agency and current staff to fill vacancies until proper staff is hired, and agreement on the total number of full-time nurses to staff the ED as per the contract grid. Congratulations, St. Catherine’s ED nurses! | | | |  | Canvas Institute Honors President Hagans The Canvas Institute in Staten Island held its annual Youth Empowerment Gala on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The gala supports the institute’s mission of fostering meaningful art engagements and building a supportive network of artists, leaders and community members. This year, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, CCRN, BSN, was a distinguished awardee honored for her contributions to the community. Congratulations, Nancy! | | | |  | Build Nurse Union Power at Labor Education Trainings! The statewide Fall Member Leader Training series has kicked off! The next Zoom trainings will take place on Wednesday: Nov. 20, Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 — all trainings are 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Registration is still open. The Member Leader Training is a four-part training open to all members who want to deepen their leadership skills and 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. Invite your co-workers to attend with you. Register today! Also next week is a 90-minute Know Your Rights training. This training is an overview of bedrock workplace rights for new and longtime union members alike, covering organizing, health and safety, member representation, just cause and other essential protections. Register here! List of Upcoming Trainings (90 minutes on Zoom) — Register Here
Know Your Rights: Organizing, Representation and Contract Enforcement
Saturday, Nov. 16 | 10:00-11:30 a.m. Staffing Enforcement: Collecting Protests of Assignments
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 10:00-11:30 a.m. New Officer Training
Tuesday, Dec. 10 | 9:30-11:00 a.m. Check out more trainings in 2025! If you are interested in setting up an educational session in your hospital, please contact NYSNA Labor Education at labored@nysna.org. | | | | Nurses Speak Out Against Top Hospital Executive Pay and Bonuses The Lower Hudson Journal News and other USA Today network newspapers throughout New York state featured NYSNA nurses Margaret Franks, RN, of Vassar Brothers Medical Center; Melissa Balogh-Perez, RN, of NYP-Hudson Valley Hospital; and Anna Marie Perkins of Montefiore Nyack Hospital speaking out on their fight for safe staffing and safe quality care.
The article exposes the outrageous pay disparities between healthcare executives and the nurses and healthcare professionals who care for patients. The investigation found that 289 executives received $72 million in bonuses in 2022 alone — making an average bonus of $272,000. Meanwhile, nurses have been understaffed, under-resourced and underpaid. Read the full story. | | | | PAGNY Bronx Midwives to Speak Out for Safe Staffing and Pay Equity Midwives and nurses of Physician Affiliate Group of New York, P.C. (PAGNY) at NYC Health+Hospitals (H+H) Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital will hold a speak-out on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 3:00 p.m. outside the Jacobi Medical Center building to take action for safe staffing and pay equity. The fight for maternal health equality at NYC Health+Hospitals is a fight for racial and economic justice that affects the ability of all New Yorkers to safely access maternal healthcare. Join NYSNA midwives as they call on the PAGNY and NYC H+H to maintain these services for mothers and babies in the Bronx. Check out the latest news coverage in the Amsterdam News. | | | | | | | |  | RNRN Volunteers Deployed to Asheville to Support Hurricane Recovery Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), in partnership with International Medical Corps, deployed two teams of nurse volunteers to Asheville, North Carolina, to support the Hurricane Helene recovery. The 14 nurses who volunteered on the Asheville RNRN deployment cared for residents who had arrived at shelters and clinics in the immediate aftermath of the unprecedented storm. | | | | Sign up to Attend NYSNA’s Worker’s Compensation Town Hall on Dec. 3 NYSNA has been fighting to protect the right to medical care and wage replacement for frontline nurses through New York’s workers’ compensation system. If you have filed for workers’ compensation and need help navigating the system or simply want to know what your rights are under the law, join us Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 8:00 p.m. for NYSNA’s latest Workers’ Compensation Webinar. Robert Grey, an attorney who specializes in workers’ compensation, will present and answer your questions. Register for this Workers’ Compensation Webinar, which is free to NYSNA members.
Also, check out the latest guide from NYSNA’s Health and Safety to learn what workers’ compensation covers, how to file a claim and your rights. | | | | Prenatal and Lactation 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 | | Avian Flu Safety Alert for Healthcare Workers In early September 2024, the Missouri Department of Health reported that a patient with no known exposure to animals that may carry avian influenza (H5N1) was infected with the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and further investigation later identified as many as 94 healthcare staff who had come in contact with the patient and several developed respiratory symptoms. Although there are no reported cases of avian flu in New York, check out NYSNA’s Health and Safety guide to protect healthcare workers exposed to H5N1. | | | | | | | | 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 November 2024 newsletter shares tips for the upcoming holiday season on forgiveness. 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. The SPAN newsletter for fall 2024 is here! The newsletter covers art therapy as part of recovery and highlights the SPAN story of Rob Simpson, eastern regional coordinator for SPAN. Visit the SPAN website for more information. Join SPAN for its next Wellness Wednesday session on Nov. 29 at noon. The session called, “Gratitude — A How to Guide” will focus on the importance of healthy relationships and how strengthening effective communication, fostering self-esteem and more can improve well-being. Sign up today! | | | | | | 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: | | | | Call for Papers in the 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. | | | | 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 must be completed by April 1, 2025, with proof to be sent by each individual practitioner to New York State by April 1, 2025. Please check our flyer for more information. | | | | Full Nursing Education & Practice Virtual Course List Now Available! 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 information on how to register here, or register for the courses directly here. | | | | 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: - New: Charting with a Jury in Mind for Nurse Practitioners (Full day, live online): Learn more and register for the Nov. 19 workshop.
- 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).
| | | | | | In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
