nurse New York
New york state edition | june 2022
Fighting for Change, One Nurse and One Day at a Time NYSNA Lobby Day 2022
jacobi members take action to address gun violence, pg. 8
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New York Nurse june 2022
By Nancy Hagans, RN NYSNA President
Advocating for patients. Advancing the profession.SM Board of Directors President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN nancy.hagans@nysna.org First Vice President Judith Cutchin, RN, MSN judith.cutchin@nysna.org Second Vice President Marion Enright, RN marion.enright@nysna.org Secretary Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC nella.pineda-marcon@nysna.org Treasurer Jayne L. Cammisa, RN, BSN jayne.cammisa@nysna.org Directors at Large Matt Allen, RN, BSN matt.allen@nysna.org Reginalt Atangan, RN reginalt.atangan@nysna.org Marie Boyle, RN, BSN marie.boyle@nysna.org Seth B. Dressekie, RN, MSN, PMHNP, BC seth.dressekie@nysna.org Flandersia Jones, RN, BSN, MPH flandersia.jones@nysna.org Michelle Jones, RN, MSN, ANP-C michelle.jones@nysna.org Sonia M. Lawrence, RN, BSN sonia.lawrence@nysna.org Benny K. Mathew, RN, MS, CCRN, CEN, SCRN benny.mathew@nysna.org Ari Moma, RN, MSA ari.moma@nysna.org Jean Erica Padgett, RN jean.padgett@nysna.org Regional Directors Southeastern
Bruce Lavalle, RN bruce.lavalle@nysna.org
Southern
Aretha Morgan, RN aretha.morgan@nysna.org
Central
Catherine Dawson,RN,CNOR,MSN catherine.dawson@nysna.org
Lower Hudson/NJ Cynthia Caruso, RN cynthia.caruso@nysna.org Western
Steven Bailey, RN steven.bailey@nysna.org
Eastern
Bill Schneider, RN, CCRN bill.schneider@nysna.org
Editor Jennifer R. Farmer Executive Editor Pat Kane, RN, CNOR Executive Director Editorial offices located at: 131 W 33rd St., New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-785-0157 Email: communications@nysna.org Website: www.nysna.org Subscription rate: $33 per year ISSN (Print) 1934-7588/ISSN (Online) 1934-7596 ©2022, All rights reserved
We’re All We’ve Got
On the Importance of Interdependence
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f we have learned anything this year, it is that we are all we have. By we, I mean nurses. By we, I’m referring to our union siblings. Without a voice on the job — which only comes when the workplace is unionized — nurses have little hope for thriving now and in the future. Over the past few years, my belief has been proven time and again. For instance, healthcare professionals have increasingly been asked to do more with less. We’ve also been expected to sidestep common safety protocols to accommodate more and more people. This is bad for nurses and patients. Most shockingly, if we make an error — even in situations where we are understaffed — we can be held criminally liable. As nurses, we must watch our back. But we must also watch our fellow healthcare workers’ backs too. I know America promotes individualism. But nursing requires community, especially given shortstaffing and a deadly pandemic.
Not What We Expected While we enter nursing to serve, the conditions in which we work are such that we are often pushed
to the edge. Worst, we are trained to provide quality care but routinely asked to overlook factors that compromise such care. Things that would have been problematic pre-COVID, are tolerated during the pandemic. For instance, nurseto-patient ratios are dangerously high at facilities across the state. Not only does this place nurses in a position of providing less than optimal care, it increases our legal vulnerability. As we have seen with the RaDonda Vaught case, we cannot count on employers to protect us. The employer’s goal is to protect the institution and the bottom line. Even for employers that are faithbased, their first commitment is to themselves. While health systems’ public-facing marketing materials may denote companies that cares about patients, community, and healthcare professionals, you can tell a lot about a company by how they treat their workforce. As such, the only entity we can count on is ourselves and our union. Employers will not voluntarily stick up for you. That is why the union is so important. Unions serve as a check on employers and can often work with you to push
hospital and health systems to do the right thing.
What Can You Do? Every good organizer can recite Frederick Douglass words, “Power concedes nothing without demand. It never has. It never will.” This means rather than waiting for employers to automatically do the right thing, nurses must demand it. We do this by being active in the union, organizing our workplaces, and maintaining a strong line of communication with our union siblings.
Understand the Tools at Your Disposal Nurses can file Protest of Assignments to document and challenge unsafe or problematic working conditions. This creates a record that can protect nurses and patients alike. While not ideal, you can always stop the line. While this tactic is seldom welcomed, it is better to face momentary hostility than longterm consequences. Nurse with nursing home with 31 patients. She didn’t document properly. This happens. Fill out protest of assignment. Stop the line. It’s here and it’s real.
NEW YORK NURSE june 2022
Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Take an Oath; Politicians Should as Well
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do not need to tell you that the past few weeks have been horrific. Many of us have been completely shattered following the tragedy in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. I realize that the tragedies of the past few weeks compound the personal struggles some may be enduring. My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims, in Buffalo and Uvalde, and the Black and Latino community. The Tops market in Buffalo is close to ECMC, and many employees live in that neighborhood. My thoughts are also with Black and Brown NYSNA members and their loved ones who again must deal with the trauma of
their children at school and secondguess whether they’ll be safe.
We Need Action We have circled the block time and time again. And now we’re at a crossroad. We cannot move forward with confidence by accepting the status quo. Each mass shooting adds to the trauma — not just for survivors but for first responders. Nurses, doctors, law enforcement and everyone who has witnessed what an assault weapon does to flesh will never be able to unsee the horror of a mass shooting. I shutter to think what healthcare professionals as well as victims’ families will need to help them heal and rebuild. One could
While we will each process these tragedies differently, these events change us as individuals and communities. They erode our sense of safety, cause us to question our neighbors and friends, and deplete our mental and physical resources.
based strategies that dramatically reduce gun violence. Community violence intervention (CVI) strategies narrowly target the tiny number of individuals who are at high risk for shooting and address the mental health needs of would-be shooters. CVI strategies have saved thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Polling also demonstrates that the majority of gun owners support government investments in those strategies.
We Are All Connected Many of us intrinsically understand that we are connected and that what impacts one impacts us all. Living in a society where innocent children can be killed shortly after a school awards program or where shoppers can be targeted for doing something as mundane as picking up dinner or where worshippers must look over their shoulder affects us all. While we will each process these tragedies differently, these events change us as individuals and as communities. They erode our sense of safety, cause us to question our neighbors and friends, and deplete our mental and physical energy.
Remembering the Victims being targeted, while systemic racism and white supremacy flourish openly in our society.
What Next? In times such as these, it is understandable to question where go from here. I am not sure we should rush from this moment. Mass shootings are a regular part of life, and it is beyond time to question why. To date, there have been 214 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2022 — including 27 in schools. That some of these atrocities have occurred in schools, which are already under-resourced or in communities that are under-resourced, adds to the trauma. Regardless of our individual political positions, we can all agree that no one deserves to enter a grocery store and contemplate whether they’ll survive. No one deserves to drop
be forgiven for asking whether rebuilding is even possible. Fortunately, or unfortunately, nurses have frequently been on the front lines, helping communities stare down one crisis after another. We are sick of watching people die — from COVID-19 and gun violence. We are sick of sharing thoughts and prayers, understanding that such sentiments will not bring back those we have lost. We are sick of being the only ones reporting to duty, even as some elected leaders perpetually call off. As we ponder next steps, there is a lot that we do not know. But we do know that inaction is not an option. Researchers, gun violence experts and persons who have dedicated their lives to reducing shootings have advocated for years for policymakers to fund and implement proven community-
In this moment, I am holding space for those who lost loved ones as well as the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and surgeons who were at the hospital receiving and caring for those who were mortally wounded. I am especially sensitive to the fact that it seems nurses and healthcare professionals seldom receive breaks. Throughout the pandemic, our members cared for patients, community members and our families with love and devotion. We need change, for the people we love but also for ourselves. Our nation cannot continue asking us to show up even as it refuses to do so. Nurses and other healthcare professionals have an oath and take it seriously. Elected leaders should similarly have oaths and should be forced to live by it and up to it. This moment can ill afford anything else.
By Pat Kane, RN NYSNA Executive Director
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Remembering George Floyd and Countless Others Who Have Died by Police Violence
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n May 25, many in our nation remembered George Floyd, a father, brother, friend, and partner. He was violently killed on May 25, 2020 when former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on and suffocated him. Floyd died in broad daylight as a young Black teen girl filmed and pleaded with police to get off of and help Floyd. Floyd didn’t deserve to die. Neither do the countless Black men, women and youth who die at the hands of police. From Philando Castile to Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson and Tamir Rice, Black people have a higher likelihood of dying by police violence. The
Lancet reported in September 2021 that “The highest rate of deaths from police violence occurred for Black Americans, who were estimated to be 3.5 times more likely to experience fatal police violence than white Americans.” The publication also noted what many people of color privately muse — that “more than 55% of deaths from police violence in the USA from 1980-2018 were misclassified or unreported in official vital statistics reports according to a new study in The Lancet.”
Beyond Thoughts and Prayers As we reflect on Floyd, we must remember that thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. If we aren’t instituting substantive policy changes that ensure that Black people and other people of color are able to live free from statesanctioned violence, we are missing the mark. If we aren’t checking
our internal workplace cultures to ensure they are safe, welcoming and supportive to all people — including Black people — we are falling short. And if we only see Floyd, while neglecting the Black and Brown people who die by police violence in neighborhoods across the country, we are not looking or searching deeply enough. The truth is that in the aftermath of Floyd’s death, there has been a wave of policies restricting what can and cannot be taught in the classrooms about race and America’s racist past. These policies are offered under the guise of Critical Race Theory but are retaliation for the multiracial coalition that formed in the wake of Floyd’s death. If young people can’t see or don’t know about America’s racist past, they are less likely to resist it. As we remember Floyd, I hope we vow to keep working toward a society where all are free and all are safe.
NYSNA Nurses Win New Contract at MVHS St. Elizabeth Medical Center Settlement that Includes Wage Increases to Recruit and Retain More Nurses for Safe Staffing
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ew York State Nurses Association nurses and Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) management at St. Elizabeth Medical Center reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The contract includes no givebacks and significant wage increases that nurses hope will improve staffing and quality care at the facility. Nurses concluded their ratification vote late Friday evening, with 96% voting in favor of the new contract. The new contract will expire in 2024. “This new contract is a win for nurses and patients in Utica,” exclaimed NYSNA Local Bargaining Unit President, Sheila Conley, RN. “By negotiating a fair contract that respects frontline nurses and offers more competitive wages and benefits, we hope to be able to improve staffing to deliver the quality care our community deserves.” “This contract is a result of the NYSNA nurses of St. Elizabeth
Medical Center taking a stand for our community and advocating tirelessly for our patients,” said NYSNA Local Bargaining Unit Vice President, Gary Evans, RN. “I want to congratulate all of my fellow members for being vocal and demanding respect for our colleagues and patients.”
New Protections NYSNA nurses had been working under an expired contract since the 2021 winter COVID-19 surge. Nurse staffing levels throughout the hospital fell to new lows during the pandemic, raising concerns about safe patient care. Nurses spoke out several times for a fair contract to help stem the exodus of experienced nurses from the facility and to recruit new nurses. Highlights of the new contract include: l Wage increases of more than 15% over 3 years, making St. Elizabeth’s wages more competitive with other New York hospitals.
l Personal
time off (PTO) buyback at 100% up to 100 hours to compensate nurses who sacrificed their personal time to care for their community throughout the pandemic. l Preceptor pay at an additional $2 an hour. l Tuition refund of 100% up to $8,000. l Retroactive pay of $150/month for 2020 and 2021 for full-time employees, prorated for parttime and per diem employees. l Increase in night differential to staff more safely on night shift. l No givebacks. NYSNA Executive Committee member, Suzanne Barnes, RN, said: “We are happy that MVHS came to the table and considered our proposals for improving our working conditions and patient care conditions. This contract is a good step towards addressing our main concerns about recruiting and retaining nurses and providing quality care for our friends, family, and neighbors.”
NEW YORK NURSE june 2022
NYSNA Members Participate in Federal Lobby Week Visits With NNU By Michelle Crentsil NYSNA Political Director
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ver 50 members registered for a week of federal lobby visits, in conjunction with National Nurses United (NNU). This was an opportunity to partner with NNU and advocate for resources and infrastructure that would protect and expand access to healthcare. Given that we are stronger together than alone, the joint effort allowed NYSNA a bigger voice in advocating for ourselves, our patients, and our communities. The partnership has not been without effort. Our Political and Community Organizing Department has been cultivating relationships with labor partners such as NNU and the New York State AFL-CIO. We are strengthening these relationships as a tool for advancing our members’ political and policy priorities in New York and beyond.
Key Legislative Meetings During the legislative lobby week, NYSNA and NNU nurses met with Representatives Nydia Velazquez, Adriano Espaillat, Hakeem Jeffries, Jamaal Bowman, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones and more. NYSNA’s executive director Pat Kane met with Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand’s offices. We focused on congressional districts with high NYSNA member density and prioritized our Senate delegation. To ensure that we were as effective as possible, nurses participated in an NNUfacilitated prep session and federal legislative conference on Monday, May 2. Continuing a Good Thing This was not the first time NYSNA and NNU partnered together. During the 2020 presidential election, NYSNA members worked with NNU, strategizing on canvassing and Get Out the Vote efforts. Members also participated
in an NNU-organized GOTV training and campaign. Through this program, NYSNA volunteers contacted over 200,000 voters in battleground states to turn out the vote. While the legislative lobby week is over, our work to secure our policy priorities continues. Our Political and Community Organizing Department participates in a monthly Medicare for All Legislative Working Group convened by NNU. This allows us to remain plugged into the national M4A movement which is important for our statelevel single-payer work. We know that strategic engagement and advocacy at the federal level can bring more resources and support for state-level fights, including but not limited to universal healthcare. We will be sure to keep you updated and in the loop on future advocacy opportunities. We truly are stronger together and more effective when all are engaged.
Strategic engagement and advocacy at the federal level can bring more resources and support for state-level fights.
NYSNA Celebrates Juneteenth and the Continuing Fight for True Freedom
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YSNA celebrates Juneteenth and the continual fight for freedom for Black Americans. While significant, Juneteenth is sometimes misunderstood. Many people incorrectly think Juneteenth marked the end of slavery. But Juneteenth was the date when enslaved people in Texas found out, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that they were free. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, and it freed slaves in states that rebelled against the Union. But the 13th Amendment, which was passed in Dec. 1865, recognized the freedom of formerly enslaved African people in all states, NOT just those in states of rebellion. Juneteenth is indeed a time of celebration, and there is much work to be done to make America all that it has promised to be. Black people are more likely to die by police and gun violence, more
likely to be incarcerated, and more likely to be profiled and searched by police than any other group. Black people also suffer health disparities that impact their quality of life and longevity.
What It Means Further, the 13th Amendment had an exception clause that permitted slavery in the event of a crime. Only Colorado has voted to abolish slavery via the exception clause, and that didn’t happen until 2018, two years after a similar measure failed. Consequently, the exception clause led directly to mass incarceration. When one considers the impact of racial profiling, unjust sentencings laws, unfair policing, disparities in healthcare, and the targeting of Black people, it is easy to surmise that while Juneteenth is on Sunday, June 19, (with the federal holiday observed on Monday, June 20) work to
ensure a more inclusive society continues.
Lessons in Struggle Please join NYSNA and Bill Fletcher, Jr. on Wednesday, June 22 at 7 pm for an interactive session to commemorate Juneteenth. We’ll discuss the importance of historical lessons as we continue to struggle for racial justice and solidarity in our union. Register: bit.ly/laboredjuneteenth
Members participate in the African American Day parade 2019
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NYSNA Members Testify at OSHA Hearing on Creating a Permanent COVID-19 Standard
N If you are working under unsafe conditions that put you and your colleagues at risk for COVID-19 exposure, contact your NYSNA representative and the NYSNA Health & Safety representatives at healthandsafety@nysna.org.
urses have spent the past two years saving the lives of millions of people while, all too often, sacrificing their own. More than one million healthcare workers in the U.S. have become infected with COVID-19 and thousands have died. And nurses will remain at risk until proper workplace hazard controls are required. For 6 months in 2021, healthcare workers had some protection from the OSHA Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). But when the ETS expired at the end of 2021, OSHA did not have a permanent standard ready to replace it. Unions representing healthcare workers have been fighting hard for a permanent COVID-19 standard. That fight has included a lawsuit filed against OSHA by NYSNA, National Nurses United and the AFL-CIO.
Persistence Pays Persistence has paid off. From April 27-May 1 OSHA held hearings to get input from the public regarding the creation of a permanent COVID-19 standard. Like the ETS, the permanent standard would only cover the healthcare industry. NYSNA strongly believes
Nurses at NYC H+H /Jacobi
that all workers should be protected from occupational exposure to COVID-19; however, we are glad that at least healthcare workers will be covered should this permanent standard be adopted.
Persuasive Testimony NYSNA members gave persuasive testimony at the hearing about what it has been like for nurses working during the pandemic. Steven Bailey, RN, NYSNA Board Member, addressed the issues in his long-term-care facility Terrace View, particularly once the state sent sick residents back to their nursing homes while still contagious leading to massive numbers of infections and deaths. Denise D’Avella, RN gave powerful testimony about horribly unsafe conditions at Ellis Hospital that led to OSHA issuing citations against the facility during the time period when the ETS was in place. And Liya Robin, RN from St. John’s Riverside gave heartfelt testimony about the loss of 2 coworkers to COVID-19 and the risks she and her colleagues still face due to a continued lack of respirator fit testing. Union health and safety specialists from around the country who participated in the hearing reached out to NYSNA to praise
the nurses for their compelling testimony. While scientists gave detailed testimony about ventilation and viral particulate transmission, and healthcare industry representatives spoke about “confusion” and why they do not need a COVID-19 regulation, it is the frontline healthcare workers’ testimony that will stay in the minds of all who participated in the hearing. OSHA hearings on potential new standards are rare. OSHA listened carefully to all the testimony and followed up with detailed questions regarding working conditions and safety measures in healthcare facilities. NYSNA and other union participants made clear that the pandemic is far from over and that any new standard must emphasize airborne transmission and require appropriate infection control measures to prevent airborne transmission.
Member Participation Also necessary is real frontline worker participation in identifying COVID-19 hazards and choosing effective infection controls, not just lip service. For too long OSHA has handed over its statutory authority to the CDC when it comes to protecting workers from infectious disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic this has had disastrous consequences. Union participants urged OSHA to take full control of worker protection and protect healthcare workers from infectious disease just as it protects construction workers from falls and manufacturing workers from chemical exposures. Firefighters are pulled out of a burning building when it looks like the roof might collapse, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have been expected to rush into the flames unprotected. While the world commends nurses for their extraordinary service and heroism, the illness and lost lives didn’t have to happen. And we must continue fighting so that no more nurses have to choose between sacrificing themselves to care for their patients.
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Beyond Pride How Nurses Can Be Allies for the LGBTQIA+ Community All Year Long By L. E. Janiece Binns, MSN, RN
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he events of the last two-and-a-half years have sparked a muchneeded fire in the United States. In the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many other Black and indigenous people of color, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting displays of anti-Asian hate, the dark underbelly of the United States has been undeniably exposed: systemic racism and prejudice. Of course, the prejudice not only extends to racial and ethnic minorities but also to the LGBTQIA+ community, the unhoused and persons of lower socioeconomic status. In the wake of these recent atrocities, a movement of anti-racism and decolonization is building. The call to respond is not limited to individuals but is also presented to institutions, governments and professions. The healthcare professions are not exempt from this call. It is deeply important that healthcare professionals have a respect for persons of all races and ethnicities, gender, religion, immigration status and sexual orientation/gender identity.
Healthcare Disparities The LGBTQIA+ community faces a lot of challenges, not the least of which is healthcare disparities and discrimination in the healthcare setting. Disparities include access to gender-affirming care for transgender individuals, access to mental health services, access to preventative sexual health services (such as sexually transmitted infections testing and prophylaxis, Pap smears for lesbian and bisexual women, screenings for rectal cancer for gay and bisexual men), and HIV care for HIV positive patients. LGBTQIA+ couples or singles who want to become parents may face additional challenges based on the state in which they live and how LGBTQIA+-friendly that state is, because they will need access to fertility centers, sperm
donation/artificial insemination for lesbian couples and surrogacy for gay couples. In states that are currently trying to revoke rights for LGBTQIA+ patients, the dream of building a family could be crushed. LGBTQIA+ teens are at higher risk for bullying, homelessness, parental rejection, mental health issues and suicidal thoughts/intentions.
Advocating for LGBTQIA+ Patients So, where do nurses fit in? How can nurses advocate for LGBTQIA+ patients? First, educate yourself. While the health issues that LGBTQIA+ people face are very important, they are often not explored in depth in undergraduate nursing education. One study found that, especially in rural areas, healthcare providers admitted that they had really no education about appropriate care or the LGBTQIA+ patient (Shaver & Stephenson, 2019). Assess your knowledge level regarding the LGBTQIA+ population’s health needs, but realize that there are subpopulations within that group and that each subpopulation has different needs. Your approach to treatment cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. As with all patients, keep your care patientcentered and patient-specific. Second, assess your own internal bias. Examine yourself honestly and work that out, because it has no place in healthcare. Healthcare providers are to do no harm and are to provide care to all patients, regardless of race, age, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. Discrimination causes mistrust in healthcare providers. “Discrimination by health care professionals and a lack of providers with knowledge about transgender health is a major deterrent for transgender persons to access healthcare. Education is likely to be foundational in teaching cultural competence and dispelling sexual stigma” (Dutton, et al, 2022). If you see a fellow hospital employee discriminating against a LGBTQIA+ patient (or coworker), speak up. Do something about it.
Third, get personal. Ask your patients their preferred pronouns. Offer yours. Wear a rainbow pin on your badge reel. It may seem small, but it is an outward, visible sign that you are an ally, and it can make a huge difference to an anxious patient. Speak with your unit manager about putting up posters around your unit regarding it being a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ patients.
Get Involved Finally, get involved. Advocate in your unit, in your hospital, and at the state and national government level for LGBTQIA+ rights. We need allies more than ever, and the more voices that are heard, the better. LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights. Yes, we’re proud. But we’re also fighting a battle for our lives and rights. As a nurse, I know that nurses are the best advocates anyone could ask for — so I am asking you, please be an advocate for your LGBTQIA+ patients. And to my fellow LGBTQIA+ nurses, happy PRIDE!
NYSNA members participate in a Pride parade
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New York Nurse june 2022
In the Wake of January, 2022 Shooting
Jacobi Members Take Action to Win Protections from Violence
E This was a terrifying experience for everyone involved and all of the staff.
mergency Department staff have often warned about the dangers of gun violence, in particular the scenario of shooters coming to “finish the job” when staff are caring for shooting victims. Those warnings became reality at Jacobi Hospital in January when an individual pulled a handgun and started shooting in the ED waiting room. NYSNA members at Jacobi had raised concerns with management on numerous occasions about the many workplace violence risks in the ED. In 2018 they submitted a report to management documenting a host of violence risks, including the potential for someone entering with a gun to chase down a patient.
Unsafe at Work According to news reports, the January 25th shooter was looking for a specific patient, but started shooting in the waiting area at another patient who was waiting to be seen. He then ran through the hospital, past the pediatric ED, to escape through another exit. Staff on duty moved quickly to get other patients out of harms’ way and to treat the victim, but the facility’s response was poor, reflecting a lack of preparedness. Most significantly there was no clear language announcement over the PA system of an active shooter on site. “This was a terrifying experience for everyone involved and all of the staff,” Jacobi NYSNA member Shawn Lawrence said. “It was a threat to all of our safety. So far we have been able to accomplish having NYPD and NYC Health+Hospitals Hospital Police in our waiting room lobby, as well as much-needed weapon screening technology.” When NYC Mayor Adams showed up at the hospital shortly after the shooting, NYSNA members and other frontline staff were prepared to take advantage of this opportunity. Ready with signs and questions, they pressed the mayor about the many hazards revealed by
ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo
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Jacobi nurses speak out for safety on the job.
the incident. As a result the mayor offered to hold several meetings to discuss the measures needed going forward.
Members Took Action Membership action combined with persistence are often the recipe for getting improvements around health and safety. So far, Jacobi members have succeeded in getting the following: l Increased and improved technology to report and communicate emergencies on site l
A pilot project using new generation weapon screening technology
l Increased
trainings and proposals
for drills l Four
meetings directly with the mayor and deputy mayors expanding the issue to discuss the need for additional mental health resources in community
l NYPD
stationed in the adult ED waiting room for the time being
l Locking
doors to the welcome desk area in the adult ED (won in the wake of the 2018 report) Some major issues are still unaddressed, including better staffing of all titles, better protocols for visitor screening, protocols for the searching of patient and visitor belong-
ings, and actual specifics from the mayor and H+H on community and hospital-based resources around mental health care. And of course, Jacobi is just one of many H+H facilities. The city says there are plans to roll out the new weapons screening to other H+H facilities, but this is just one component of what is needed to reduce the risk of violence in our facilities.
Workplace Violence a Growing Problem Jacobi members are not alone when it comes to workplace violence in our hospitals. In recent years there have been shootings at Westchester Medical Center, Bronxcare, Northwell South Shore University Hospital, Erie County Medical Center and other facilities. And, of course, shootings are only the tip of the iceberg; day in and day out healthcare workers are threatened and assaulted, and experience routine violence from patients and visitors who are in turn stressed by a healthcare system that fails on many fronts. To find out more about taking action around workplace violence or other health and safety issues contact NYSNA health and safety at healthandsafety@nysna.org.
Members Speak
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Nurses Mourn Lives Lost in Mass Shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo
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victims, and the entire community,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN. “Across the country, nurses, workers, and parents all feel the pain of loss and the despair of knowing too little has changed since the last tragic mass shooting. We need our political leaders to offer more than empty rhetoric — we need real change. Gun violence is a public health emergency, and we need to use every tool possible to remedy it.” In addition to urging congressional action, on June 11, NYSNA members boarded buses from New York City en route to Washington DC for the national March for Our Lives rally; and for marches in Albany and Buffalo.
the bomb threat at the Erie County Department of Health clinic in Buffalo,” said Murnita Bennett, RN, a NYSNA member at Erie County Medical Center. “Now our schools are tightening security in the event of more copycat gun violence. How can we heal from violence when our communities still feel under siege? As a society, we must prioritize saving lives and creating safe, healthy communities for everyone, regardless of zip code. We need our elected leaders to take action.” Nurses who care for gunshot victims say it is hard for lay people to imagine the damage bullets cause to the human body. Angela Alvarez, a registered nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. noted, “it is especially difficult for nurses and other medical professionals when a gun victim is a child. They haven’t really lived their life yet. It is just pure sadness. I remember standing in a trauma room, everybody just stood there and cried and held each other. It is such a sad and devastating thing to witness.”
Leading Cause of Death Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the United States, the American Public Health Association notes. Guns killed more than 45,000 people in the United States in 2020, a 43 percent increase from 10 years earlier. As of 2020, gun violence became the leading cause of death for children and teens up to the age of 19, according to a study from the University of Michigan. “Our community is still reeling from the racist mass shooting and
Governor Kathy Hochul, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, and New York Attorney General Tish James, gather in Buffalo following the mass shooting there.
We need our political leaders to offer more than empty rhetoric — we need real change.
In Crisis
Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
s we witness one mass shooting after another, with one in May taking the lives of at least 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is deeply disturbed by Congress’ inaction. We are troubled by Congress’ refusal to reduce gun violence and ensure safe schools, workplaces, and public spaces by enacting desperately needed gun control laws. Shamefully, the shooting in Uvalde was the 213th mass shooting in the United States in 2022 according to the Gun Violence Archive, an independent data collection organization. The mass shooting in Uvalde came days after a white supremacist shot and killed 10 Black shoppers in Buffalo; and after a shooting targeting Asian Americans at a church in Laguna Woods, California. But the mayhem has continued unabated. The first weekend in June, 14 people were shot — three killed — in downtown Philadelphia. “The trauma of gun violence and especially the mass shootings we have witnessed in recent weeks deeply impacts the victims, survivors, families, first responders, medical professionals who treat the
The number of firearms in circulation now stands at nearly 400 million, according to news sources, a number that has nearly tripled since 2000 and that has spiked sharply in the past three years. So-called “gun rights” groups spent nearly $16 million lobbying in 2021. While Gov. Greg Abbott has bragged about Texas having some of the most lax gun laws in the United States, Republican lawmakers in Congress have routinely blocked even moderate federal gun control legislation. “Nurses advocate for our patients’ health and for public health,” said Jean Ross, RN and president of NNU. “We will be joining efforts to win the gun control reforms we need to make our society safe. This means confronting the extremist agenda of far-right politicians and their gun lobby backers, and it means holding them accountable for disregarding the health and safety of our communities.”
NYSNA statement on the Buffalo mass shooting bit.ly/buffalo-shooting Joint statement NYSNA and NNU bit.ly/nnu-nysna-statement-texas
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New York Nurse june 2022
NYSNA Urges PESH to Better Investigate Amid Increasing COVID Transmission Rates By Lisa Baum
Our work on this case has been about holding PESH accountable to enforce a reasonable standard.
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very life matters. That is why NYSNA urged PESH to investigate the high incidence of employees who lost their lives due to COVID at NYC H+H. As a result of NYSNA’s persistence, PESH is taking another look at its investigation for 32 H+H employee COVID fatalities. Additionally, H+H was cited by PESH for violations of the respiratory protection standard. Healthcare professionals are dedicated to their patients, but also to overall safety. When nurses go to work, they expect to be able to provide quality care without facing undue personal health challenges. Given the high incidence of healthcare workers contracting and succumbing to COVID-19, we know PESH was not doing all it could to
protect patients, workers and the broader community. Our work on this case has been about holding PESH accountable to enforce a reasonable standard. We have long argued that the agency’s investigation of this case has been atrocious. PESH management willfully misinterpreted OSHA guidance and ignored evidence provided by our members. Management at H+H also offered an incredibly weak justification of its lack of fit testing and providing new N95s when old ones were no longer adequate.
Facilities Cited The facilities cited are Harlem, Coney Island and Kings County. Although we know our members worked under similar conditions at other facilities, these were the facilities where there were fatalities PESH was investigating in this case.
Employees at these facilities also provided evidence of the violations. If the issues cited occur at any H+H facilities (not just these 3), we will expect PESH to issue willful or repeat citations, which are considered far more serious. We are considering meeting with H+H management to determine the systems they have in place to ensure they are prepared to provide fit testing and have an adequate supply of PPE should we face a similar situation in the future, whether with COVID or a different pathogen. Certainly, nothing can bring back those whose lives were cut short. No amount of work can comfort the families of those who lost their loved ones. But we owe it to our institution and our colleagues to relentlessly fight to hold PESH, today and in the future.
CVPH Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Avert Strike More than 90% of CVPH-NYSNA members vote “yes” for strike authorization before reaching agreement with CVPH
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fter two years of deteriorating patient care conditions and difficult contract negotiations, NYSNA healthcare professionals at CVPH authorized a strike. An agree-
ment was reached on May 12 by the CVPH committee for a new contract. Congratulations to the committee and the CVPH workers for an amazing win. The contract must be ratified. Workers won their fight to maintain NYSNA health insurance, and also secured major wage increases and bonuses. NYSNA members said they would strike as a last resort if the University of Vermont Health Network, CVPH’s parent company, refused to use its $1.1 billion in cash reserves to improve patient care. “From draining healthcare resources to cutting essential services, to their failure to bargain in good faith, our employer is risking the health of our community,” said Cynthia Trudo, RN, a nurse at CVPH. “We are fighting for a fair contract that ensures our patients get safe, quality
Vicki Davis-Courson, RN
care — with the essential services and staff needed for the long-term care of our community.” There were also delays in the provision of food, diagnostic tests and medications. In the ER, it is common for 15-20 admitted patients to wait up to 72 hours for beds upstairs. Patients often remain on stretchers in the hallways.
Emergency Room nurses go without a break to try and accommodate the workload and keep patients safe, at times caring for eight or more patients at a time, when three or four is the safe standard. In addition to caring for patients at the bedside, nurses are answering phones, doing clerical work, fixing and searching for needed equipment and supplies, bathing and feeding patients, doing janitorial work, and sitting with patients to keep them safe from falls and other injuries — all of which make it beyond challenging to provide quality care to patients. NYSNA members demanded that their employer stop draining healthcare resources from CVPH and create a real plan to recruit and retain staff for a long-term sustainable workforce, not to backfill with temporary traveling nurses. “None of us wanted to strike. We were at the point where only desperate measures would get them to listen to us. We are asked for them to come in good faith to the table and invest in direct patient care and safe staffing,” Trudo said.
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june 2022
Nurses Hail Protections Against Mandatory Overtime
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urses from the New York State Nurses Association, 1199SEIU, CSEA, NYSUT, CWA District 1 and UFT applauded the state legislature for passing bills to curb the abuse of mandatory overtime The New York State AFL-CIO, NYSNA, 1199SEIU, CSEA, PEF, NYSUT, CWA District One and UFT applauded the New York State Legislature for passing an urgently needed package of bills to protect nurses from mandatory overtime prior to the close of the 2021-22 legislative session. A trio of bills passed Friday, June 3 to reduce nurse burnout and improve patient care now, and are now headed to Gov. Hochul’s desk.
Serving in the Best and Worst of Times At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic nurses worked around the clock, putting themselves and their families at risk, to care for us. During the best of times, nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job that requires long hours, let alone during a public health crisis. This week, the New York State Senate and Assembly showed their gratitude by passing three critical pieces of legislation to protect nurses from unfair mandatory overtime. These common-sense reforms will protect our nurses and the integrity of patient care in our communities. New York’s union movement is grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Heastie, the bill sponsors, which include Senator Ramos, Senator Savino, Senator Jackson, Assembly Member Joyner, and Assembly Member Gunther, and all the legislators who supported these bills. The bills are as follows: S8063A Ramos/A8874B Joyner – The existing law allowed employer exemptions to the mandatory overtime prohibition for certain short-term, unforeseen events with no limits on duration. This bill clarifies the durations of these events so that employers can’t continue to exploit the law to make up for their own inadequate staffing policies.
Lobby Day 2022
S4885A Savino/A181A Gunther – The existing law excluded home care nurses, and this bill rights that wrong. Home care nurses deserve to have the same protections from unethical mandatory overtime policies as all other nurses. A286A Gunther/S1997A Jackson – This bill strengthens the enforcement of our mandatory overtime laws by creating a fine for employers who break them.
Reactions Lisa Kozma, 1199SEIU member and RN at Garnet Health, said: “This is amazing news for New York’s nurses, and I thank all who made this possible. For nurses, it means a light at the end of the tunnel and relief from mandation. Nurses are tired enough at the end of our shifts when all we want is a shower, maybe some food and to hug our families without worrying about another 4-8 hours. This law will protect our patients, who deserve care from staff who are not suffering from burnout and exhaustion.” Mary Sullivan, President of CSEA, said: “New York is facing a nursing crisis, caused in part by the continued abuse of mandatory overtime in health care facilities. The package of legislation passed by the State Senate and Assembly will help better enforce the prohibition on mandatory overtime and allow nurses to do what they do best — care for patients.” Wayne Spence, President of PEF, said: “On behalf of PEF’s 50,000 members, we thank Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Assem-
bly Speaker Carl Heastie and the legislative majorities in each house for their continued strong support of our nurse heroes. For too long, employers have been allowed to abuse the use of mandatory overtime to meet their staffing needs. This practice created a dangerous and unsustainable situation when these already overburdened frontline workers were needed to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This package of bills, coupled with the significant nurse attraction and retention initiatives passed as part of this year’s state budget, is a critical step towards rebuilding our nursing corps and reducing the unfair imposition of mandatory overtime on these critical workers. These sensible reforms are not only good for nurses, they are also good for patients. These initiatives will ensure that our public health system is ready to respond to future emergencies and they will help improve the quality of care for all New Yorkers. We strongly encourage Governor Hochul to enact these bills into law at the earliest possible opportunity.” Anne Goldman Vice President/ Federation of Nurses/ UFT, said: “Thank you for passing vital reforms to protect our home care nurses from abusive mandatory overtime practices by employers. These changes will safeguard our frontline healthcare workers and the patients they have dedicated their lives to care for. With this legislation, sponsors Senator Diane Savino, Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, herself a former nurse, and the legislative majorities in each house are defending our nurses and strengthening our health care system.”
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: “I want to thank New York’s elected leaders who listened to nurses and took action to end abusive mandatory overtime for nurses. After working for more than two years through the COVID-19 pandemic — often understaffed and overworked — nurses are exhausted. Mandatory overtime was pushing us to the breaking point and endangering quality patient care. These new laws show recognition and respect for frontline nurses’ hard work.”
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mission to ghana
New York Nurse june 2022
NYRN Completes Medical Mission Trip to Ghana
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e just successfully concluded Mission No. 42 to Ghana with 13 participants. Healthcare is variable throughout Ghana. Urban centers are well served and are where most hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in the country are found. Rural areas often have no modern healthcare services, and patients in these areas either rely on traditional African medicine or travel great distances for healthcare. With the support of the Health Department of Kumasi, the Ministry of Health and especially the SDA Nurses Training College of Kwa Daso in the suburbs of Kumasi, our group of 13 volunteers and eight local nurses held a medical mission serving 348 patients.
In the most recent study in April 2022, 346,120 Ghanaians have been infected with HIV, with 66% being females while the rest are males, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission. The findings could be attributed to women getting examined more than men.
Seeing Progress
Network group of volunteers provided HIV and COVID-19 tests to all patients during our medical mission, registering several cases of HIV and none of COVID. We also had the opportunity to visit the SDA Nurses Training College in Kumasi, and three of our nurses delivered lectures to over 300 senior nursing students. Seen pictures on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ NYReliefNetwork/. Medical Mission No. 43 is to Peru from May 11-18, 2022.
Concerning COVID-19, according to the Ghana Health Service, the country recorded lower numbers of COVID-19 infections, with 1,445 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Our New York Relief
NYRN team visited the SDA Nurses Training College in Kumasi, and two of the participants delivered lectures to over 300 senior nursing students.
around our union
NEW YORK NURSE june 2022
NYC Health + Hospitals NYSNA Members Celebrate Juneteenth
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n a great victory for freedom, beginning this year, Juneteenth is officially an additional paid holiday for NYC H+H/ Mayorals nurses. Mayor Eric Adams made the announcement in April. An executed agreement with New York City makes it official. Congratulations to NYC H+H/Mayorals members for their determination to get the city to recognize this important holiday. Although Juneteenth is now a federal and state holiday, many employers have not updated their holiday policies accordingly. Shout out to the more than 230 NYSNA members at BronxCare who signed a petition demanding the administration make Juneteenth a holiday. Let’s let freedom ring around the entire state of New York.
NYP Hudson Valley Hospital Members Elect First Executive Committee and Delegates
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ongratulations to the RNs at NYP Hudson Valley Hospital! On April 28, members at Hudson Valley Hospital elected their first NYSNA executive committee, as well as the convention delegates who will represent them at the 2022 and 2023 NYSNA annual conventions. The newly-elected President Renee Mauro, RN, Vice President Elizabeth Scozzafava, RN, Secretary Eileen Wallace, RN, and Lead Stewards, Prisca Drigo, RN, Janet Cuyong, RN, and Denise Brana, RN, are excited to enforce their new collective bargaining agreement and keep building union power at their hospital!
NYSNA Statement on the Leaked Supreme Court Draft Opinion on Roe V. Wade
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YSNA members have historically defended women’s rights. The draft Supreme Court opinion leaked on May 2 would undermine Roe v. Wade and decades of reproductive freedom for women in the U.S. As nurses
and healthcare professionals, we affirm women’s right to healthcare and full reproductive healthcare services, including abortion. At a time when other democratic countries around the world are expanding women’s reproductive rights, the U.S. must not go backwards. NYSNA members are watching the Supreme Court deliberations closely and will continue to be vocal advocates for increasing access to women’s reproductive healthcare services, for reducing maternal mortality and for greater health equity.
The 2022 Secor Scholarship Application Period Is Open
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he Secor Scholarship Fund, established in 2007, was made possible via a generous bequest by longtime NYSNA member Jane Secor, PhD, RN. Secor stipulated that the endowment be used for furthering nursing education. Two scholarships are awarded annually: l $5,000 to an NYSNA member seeking a baccalaureate (or higher) degree in nursing. l $5,000 to a family member of a NYSNA member seeking a first degree in nursing. The degree can be at any level, but it must be the first degree the applicant is seeking in nursing. Complete applications must be submitted no later than Friday, July 1, 2022. For more informa-
tion, including eligibility requirements and the application, visit our website.
Statewide Bargaining Retreat
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ave the Date for the next inperson bargaining retreat on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Sheridan Hotel in New York City. Be on the lookout for registration information.
Free Benefit for NYSNA Members: Union Assistance Program
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he 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 the May 2022 UAP newsletter, which features tips for self-care.
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New York Nurse june 2022
From the halls of health systems to the halls of power, NYSNA nurses never stop advocating for quality care
Top right: Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo Center: Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther Center right: NYS Senator Jamaal Bailey Bottom left: NYS Senator Jessica Ramos
lobby week 2022
NEW YORK NURSE june 2022
Member Dues Rates for 2022-2023
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YSNA membership dues will take effect July 1. Dues rates are based on the average base salary for NYSNA local bargaining unit (LBU) members in various regions of the state. Dues are lower for members who are not represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining, and discounts are applied for members in other special circumstances (see chart below).
NYSNA dues are computed according to a formula approved by the members at the 2001 Voting Body. The formula uses a Regional Base Salary (RBS) to determine the dues for members in six different regions in New York state and one in New Jersey. The RBS is the average of the starting salary paid to staff nurses at all NYSNA-represented facilities
Members Represented by NYSNA for Collective Bargaining
Nurses Not Represented by NYSNA for Collective Bargaining
Full-Time CBU Member Southern Southeastern Lower Hudson New Jersey/South Eastern Central Western
$ 1,529 $ 1,443 $ 1,392 $ 1,147 $ 1,081 $ 998 $ 1,086
Rate is 1.6% of the average starting salary in the region where you work.
Part Time/Per Diem CBU Member Southern $ 1,151 Southeastern $1,087 Lower Hudson $1,049 New Jersey/South $ 864 Eastern $ 815 Central $753 Western $ 819 Rate is 1.2% of the average starting salary in the region where you work.
in each region as of Jan. 1, 2022. A calculation of 1.6 percent of this average determines the dues rate for members in that region who are represented for collective bargaining and work full time; and 1.2 percent for members who are represented for collective bargaining and work less than full time. Dues are not a percentage of each member’s individual salary.
Employed nurses not represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining
Nurses age 62 and over and unemployed, and RNs who are totally or permanently disabled
Southern Southeastern Lower Hudson New Jersey/South Eastern Central Western
(Social Security award letter required) or Lifetime Members** (age 65 or over and paid NYSNA members for 25 years or more)
$ 811 $ 766 $ 739 $ 610 $ 576 $ 532 $ 579
Rate is 70% of 1.2% of the average starting salary in the region where you work.
Southern Southeastern Lower Hudson New Jersey/South Eastern Central Western
$ 301 $ 285 $ 276 $ 230 $ 217 $ 202 $ 218
Unemployed nurses or employed nurses age 62 and over and not earning more than allowed under Social Security
Rate is 25% of 1.2% of the average starting salary in the region where you live.
Southern Southeastern Lower Hudson New Jersey/South Eastern Central Western
Retired category: Nurses not
$ 585 $ 552 $ 533 $ 441 $ 417 $ 385 $ 418
Rate is 50% of 1.2% of the average starting salary in the region where you work or, if you are unemployed, where you live.
represented for collective bargaining, who are 62 years or older and retired and earning not more than what social security allows. Annual dues are $100 for all regions. **Lifetime Members may apply for dues-free honorary status, which entitles them to receive NYSNA publications and a member rate for Convention and other continuing education events. To apply, contact NYSNA Membership at 800-724NYRN(6976), ext. 285.
Dues Regions Western: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates Central: Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Fulton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Tioga Eastern: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Orange, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington Southern: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond Lower Hudson: Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester Southeastern: Nassau, Suffolk New Jersey/South: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem
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NEW YORK NURSE
Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA
june 2022
131 West 33rd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10001
INSIDE NYSNA celebrates
We're All We've Got: On the Importance of Interdependence, p. 2
Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Take an Oath; Politicians Should as Well, p. 3
Asian Pacific Heritage today and every day