We Are Nurses: NYC March 2018

(For more information or to register, ask your NYSNA Rep)

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QUEENS INTER-REGIONAL

March 15 WORKSHOP: CHARTING WITH A JURY IN MIND

March 20, NYSNA NYC Office

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BROOKLYN INTER-REGIONAL

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CRITICAL CARE NRSG CERT. REVIEW

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H+H/MAYORALS MEETING

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MEDICAL-SURGICAL CERT. REVIEW

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LOBBY DAY

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MULTI-UNION LOBBY DAY

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SINGLE PAYER LOBBY DAY

March 22 March 22 & 23, NYSNA NYC Office April 4, NYSNA NYC Office April 5 & 6, NYSNA NYC Office April 23, Albany May 8, Albany June 5, Albany

Save the Date: Seminar at Sea May 12 - 19, 2019

NYC H+H & MAYORAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CHAIRS RNS: • Naomi Greene, Administration for Children’s Services • Todd Schultz, Bellevue Hospital Center • Jovana Woodley, Coler Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility • Ray Briggs, Coney Island Hospital • Audrey Morgan, Correctional Health Services • Florence Exinor, Cumberland D & T Center • Keysha Morris, Department of Correction • Theresa Minarik, Department of Sanitation • Patricia Morris, Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehab Ctr • Deborah Gatson, East NY D & T Center • Pauline Williams, Elmhurst Hospital Center • James Ambery, Fire Department • Kittie McGee, Harlem Hospital Center • Grace Lee, Gouverneur Healthcare Services • Peter Pacheco, Henry J. Carter Specialty Hosp. & Nursing Facility • Rivka Elyahu, HHC Health and Home Care • Yelena Levin, Human Resources Administration • Mary Simon, Jacobi Medical Center • Curlean Duncan, Kings County Hospital Center • Marsha Wilson, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center • Charles Mighty, Metropolitan Hospital Center • Nicole Smith Ferguson, Morrisania D & T Center • Lynne Sanderson Burgess, Police Department • Sharon Greenaway, North Central Bronx Hospital • Lindella Artman, Queens Hospital Center • Stephen Nartey, Renaissance Healthcare Network • Kimberly Yeo, Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center & Home • Natalie Solomon, Segundo Ruiz Belvis D&TC • Judith Cutchin, Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center

GET ANSWERS/STAY IN TOUCH Dental benefit questions: www.Aetna.com, 877-238-6200 Prescription benefit questions: www.optumrx.com, 888-691-0130 For all other benefits: www.ASOnet.com, 888-692-7671 NYSNA NYC Office: www.nysna.org, 212 785 0157

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@nynurses

MARCH 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS

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A NEWSLETTER FOR NYSNA RNs AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS

Lincoln Hospital nurses celebrate with local City Council Member, Rafael Salamanca Jr., at a February Lunch & Learn meeting

Winning New Positions and Respect at Lincoln Hospital

and gave testimony and evidence of the need for additional staffing, as well as the disrespect they face all too often.

A couple of years ago, a new administration came to Lincoln Hospital, and the frontline nurses were not happy with all of the decisions they made. “The new leadership reduced staff, including ancillary staff, and eliminated agency nurses,” said Sonia Lawrence, RN, LBU Vice President. “The acute care floors were hit the hardest. The patient census is up and because we’re short-staffed, nurses are trying to fill the gaps by coming in on their days off without a rest period.”

“Nurses went in to have a conversation. If it didn’t go through the way we wanted, we were prepared to take other action,” explained Eva.

Nurses felt that they were not being included in the decisions that affect them and their patients. There was also concern that some managers lacked knowledge and were disrespectful to staff nurses. Retention was increasingly becoming a problem.

Eva Calo, RN, who works in Step-Down, said, “Every administration comes with changes, and this reorganization proved to unit nurses that they need to be more involved. They have a voice. Change can happen—it’s how we go about addressing it.”

Nurses from the 8th and 9th floors took action. They began organizing and gathering evidence to present to management. They scheduled a listening session with management, where dozens of nurses attended

Immediately after the meeting, Lincoln nurses saw the change. The administration filled nine new positions, and is actively recruiting for more new positions. The nurses demanded and won the removal of the Deputy Director of Nursing from managing their units. In addition to reorganizing the nursing leadership, the CNO is sending senior staff to leadership classes.

Nurses are continuing to hold management accountable for their promises. After making their voices heard and winning on this issue, they are now looking towards the shared governance process to make Lincoln an even better place to work and receive care.

“This can be a challenging and dynamic place to work, but the rewards are serving the community,” said Sonia. “Ultimately, we want the administration to prevent harm—work with us, so you see the problems before you need to cure them.”

WE ARE NURSES, WE ARE NYSNA!

that private sector hospitals and other providers are not willing provide.”

Our public hospitals struggle, while private-sector hospitals reap large profits and give their executives multi-million dollar pay packages. These same private hospitals siphon off well-insured patients, avoid providing services with low reimbursement rates such as psychiatric or substance use, avoid operating in low-income communities of color, and receive billions in tax exemptions.

Read more in NYSNA’s report, On Restructuring the NYC Health + Hospitals Corporation: http://bit.ly/restructurehh

Advocating for Our Public Hospitals On February 28, Judith Cutchin, RN, President of the NYC H+H & Mayoral Executive Council, testified at an Oversight Hearing of the New York City Council Committee on Hospitals. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the progress that New York City Health + Hospitals has made in implementing the recommendations of the One New York report, issued nearly two years ago under the leadership of former H+H President and CEO, Dr. Ram Raju.

Judith spoke as the representative of nearly 9,000 NYSNA nurses in the NYC H+H system, as well as a public sector nurse of more than 25 years. While acknowledging the serious financial crisis and projected operating deficits that H+H continues to face, she emphasized that the One New York report was premised on an incorrect understanding of the underlying problems faced by NYC H+H, and that any restructuring that relies on cutting beds, cutting facilities, cutting services, and cutting staff is doomed to fail.

“The public system does not lose money because it is inefficient, has high labor costs or fails to provide needed services,” Judith explained. “NYCHH loses money because it provides essential health services for which it is not compensated or poorly compensated. NYCHH loses money because it assumes burdens and costs of care for services and populations

“What this means is that NYCHH and the people of the City of New York are directly and indirectly paying the price to allow these rich private hospital systems to reap huge profits. We are not subsidizing NYCHH – we are subsidizing the large private hospitals networks through NYCHH.” —Judith Cutchin, RN and President, NYC H+H & Mayorals Executive Council Judith argued in her hearing testimony that there needs to be a fairer distribution of services and revenues between New York City’s public and private hospital systems. To meet community needs and improve quality care, NYC H+H must stop spending money on outside consultants and private contractors and expand the direct care workforce. NYC H+H must increase the availability of services and reduce wait times for patients. She made clear that front line nurses are ready to work with the new leadership at NYC H+H to see this vision through and provide the best care possible to all New Yorkers.

Read Judith’s complete testimony here: http://bit.ly/HHhearing

MARCH 2018

Getting Nurses Their Due at Woodhull Hospital Winning a Certification Differential NYSNA offers members free and low-cost certification review courses in order to support nurses’ education and advancement.

Full-time nurses can use up to $3,500 per year from our Training and Education Fund for trainings, conferences, or other education goals.

Lyudmyla Diaz, RN, an Adult Emergency Department nurse at Woodhull Hospital, has used a lot of NYSNA’s educational resources, and encourages her co-workers to do the same.

After I passed the Emergency Certification test, a lot of nurses were asking me how I did it. I think education and certification should be encouraged for your own advancement. It’s also good for the hospital to have certified nurses on staff.”

—Lyudmyla Diaz, RN The Emergency Nurse Certification comes with a pay differential of a little over a hundred dollars a month.

Although Lyudmyla received her certification and had it signed by the hospital last June, she did not see her pay increase. She patiently followed up with her supervisor, Human Resources, and Payroll to troubleshoot the problem. HR repeatedly told her, “you’ll see it in the next paycheck,” but the pay increase never came.

A Newsletter for NYSNA RNs at NYC Health + Hospitals

Lyudmyla began taking notes on all her follow-up, and then reached out to the union for help in January.

NYSNA Representatives worked with her to enforce the contract, immediately placing a call to the head of HR. Lyudmyla got her pay differential the next pay period.

“It should have been simple: you get your certification, you get paid,” said Lyudmyla. “I use the union a lot for my classes, but I haven’t really used them for an issue before.” She continued, “I know two nurses who are taking the certification test soon, and I told them to give the hospital a couple of paychecks to get it right—then go to the union if you have a problem.”

Winning a Night Shift Differential In January, Labor and Delivery nurse Fareeda Teelucksingh, RN, noticed that she hadn’t received her night shift differential in two of her last paychecks. She followed protocol, following up with her timekeeper and with payroll. After being met by delays and eye rolls, Fareeda said, “When I got the union involved is when they acted. It was a terrible two weeks. If I didn’t get my union involved, they weren’t going to do anything about this!”

When asked what advice she’d give to nurses who notice a problem with their paychecks, Fareeda does not hesitate: “Keep following up. If they owe you money, they have to pay you. Don’t be afraid to get other people involved, even if it’s the man who writes your check!”