NY Nurse: February 2022

nurse New York

New york state edition | february 2022

School Nurses Help Keep Children Healthy, Happy and Safe, pp. 5, 10-11 (Left to right) Lindenhurst School District nurses Yvonne Frangella, RN and Nataliya Peichev, RN

Celebrating Those Who Came Before Us, p. 7

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New York Nurse february 2022

The Way to Address the Staffing Shortage Is to Better Support Healthcare Workers

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

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t is a new year, but nurses continue to experience the same challenges that have plagued the profession for years. One of the biggest threats to the nursing profession is understaffing. Although nurses were hailed as heroes at the start of the pandemic, today, many are not treated as such.

In fact, some nurses are leaving the profession due to chronic understaffing, opting instead to retire or find work in other industries rather than jeopardizing patients or themselves. Some are moving from state to state in search of higher pay and improved conditions. Others are suffering from health conditions that compromise long-term sustainability.

Admittedly, COVID-19 didn’t cause the understaffing crisis, but it exposed longstanding challenges.

For decades, nurses have lamented hospitals hiring too few healthcare workers to manage the caseload and acuity of persons who are ill.

To add insult to injury, nurses’ requests for pandemic pay is not being consistently honored. And many healthcare professionals still lack a sufficient supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Others are furiously completing POAs to document the dangerous conditions in which patients and nurses find themselves.

What Is the Solution?

When nurses advocated for a safe staffing law in 2019 and 2020, we expected relief that would force hospital systems to provide ensure better working conditions. But employers, determined to avoid implementing the law, used the COVID-19 pandemic to lobby for delays. They argued that the measure would impose a hardship on employers without documenting or fully detailing the consequences of short staffing on patients, community members and healthcare professionals. Consequently, the implementation of the two nursing home staffing laws has been delayed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

While the hospital industry sought to delay implementation of the hospital staffing law, NYSNA suc-

cessfully lobbied Gov. Hochul and demonstrated that the hospital staffing law would not decrease health systems’ capacity during the pandemic. In some facilities, NYSNA has begun rolling out the staffing committee process that was a key part of the law.

It is critical that these laws are fully implemented to stave off healthcare professionals leaving the industry.

This Much is Clear It should be clear that today, nurses find ourselves in a crisis of epic proportions. From health and hospital systems to government agencies, it feels like we are being let down. The Department of Health (DOH) has been slow in promulgating the staffing standard for critical care which is also in the law. As there was no executive order to delay, the DOH is technically in violation of that part of the law. NYSNA has been actively engaged in pushing the DOH, even testifying at the Public Health and Health Planning Council in January, engaging the new DOH Commissioner, Dr. Mary T. Bassett, and creating opportunities for NYSNA members to detail their experience. We have been advised that the regulation for critical care is imminent, but our work will continue until the law is in place.

Nurses are also questioning and condemning government entities (such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) for negotiating isolation rules in ways that put patients and caregiv-

ers at risk. For instance, reducing the quarantine time from 10 to five days doesn’t allow caregivers enough time to heal from COVID19, or isolate after exposure, nor does it prevent nurses from transferring the illness to patients.

Nurses and other healthcare professionals fought for the safe staffing laws because we care about the people we serve. We understand that health outcomes improve when nurses focus on fewer patients. But the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with softening CDC isolation rules, has led to a revolving door of caregivers. That trend cannot continue forever.

The CDC and DOH must prioritize workers’ safety over corporations’ comfort. Society can no longer adjust to situations where health systems put profits before human beings.

Everyone is Concerned There is no part of the NYSNA union where our colleagues are not concerned about understaffing. This demonstrates that understaffing is a statewide problem deserving of a statewide solution. Employers must cooperate with nurses, provide proper PPE, adequate time for quarantine with pay, and better working conditions. Government agencies must be relentless about holding corporations accountable. In sum, they must respect a profession that has respected the nation.

The best way to address the staffing shortage is to better support healthcare workers.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans at SIUH Rally on 12/2/21

NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

We Are Stronger Together Than We Are Apart

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t is not an overstatement to say that the past couple of years has been filled with trauma upon trauma. We have lost loved ones and friends. We have worked in less-than-ideal circumstances.

We have experienced gaslighting by employers. We have held the sorrow of colleagues as well as patients, their families and communities.

And yet we are still here.

While it would have been easy to do, we have not resigned in acceptance of what is but rather found strength to fight for what should be. We have sought courage to redeem our dreams, even when they seemed unlikely. Despite the challenges we face, we continue to envision a future of which we can be proud. That alone is cause for appreciation and celebration.

But where do we go from here?

Over the next few months, NYSNA does so determined to continue advocating for what healthcare workers need, what their patients need and what their communities need. In this moment, that is safe staffing, working conditions that enable nurses and their patients to thrive, supports such as retention/ recognition pay and access to better mental healthcare services.

A Strain on Healthcare COVID-19 has ravaged the nation on every level. It has strained the healthcare system, separated loved ones, led to the loss of life and increased feelings of hopelessness in caregivers and communities alike.

For instance, the Centers for Disease Control reported that “symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April-June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.” The Mayo Clinic similarly noted that, “Surveys show a major increase in the number of U.S. adults who report symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia during the pandemic, compared with surveys before the pandemic. Some people have increased their use of alcohol or drugs, thinking that can help them cope with their fears about the pandemic.”

laws until the end of January. There have now been subsequent delays, even as we vow to keep pushing.

While employers sought to delay implementation of the hospital staffing law, NYSNA pushed back and won. The hospital staffing law is in place, although the Department of Health must issue the staffing regulation for critical care. As NYSNA continues this work, we have been telling state leaders, and anyone who will listen, that patient safety isn’t optional for healthcare professionals and therefore shouldn’t be optional for employers.

Retention/Recognition Pay The death of former Miss USA, “Extra” TV news correspondent and attorney Charlie Kryst has shaken many to their core. We mourn for her and vow not one more.

Certainly, nurses are not immune to depression and anxiety. Not only can the normal aspects of life lead to feelings of despair but providing care in poor working environments can exacerbate mental health challenges. Those with the capacity to do so must continue advocating for safer working environments that enable nurses to care for themselves and the patients they love. Those who are struggling in this moment must never be afraid to seek support.

NYSNA knows that getting nurses what they need is far greater than a union responsibility; it is a matter of life and death. The nation cannot keep asking healthcare workers to care for everyone but ourselves.

Leaders cannot expect us to sustain, when they’re tying things around us that cause us to sink.

NYSNA’s Approach One of the ways the union is supporting nurses is by continuing to engage the administration over implementation of safe staffing laws. NYSNA wants safe staffing laws because they can save lives and make providing care during a pandemic a little easier.

Unfortunately, on Dec. 31, 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order delaying the implementation of the nursing home staffing

The other thing we’re doing to support nurses during this time is continuing to fight for retention/ recognition pay at the local unit, city, state and federal levels. We raise the need for remuneration in every interaction. We are cautiously optimistic after announcements made by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Hochul and Sen. Schumer. They are responsive, but we will maintain pressure until our requests are fully realized.

Additionally, as Hochul’s budget process ensues, we will pursue every opportunity for nurses to testify on working conditions, the need for retention/recognition pay, the challenge of travel nurses and other items that impact worker morale and patient care.

Finally, we know that 80 contracts are expiring in 2022.

Although we have a lot on our plates, we are making space to support our union colleagues who will soon bargain for new collective bargaining agreements. NYSNA will continue to organize regional and union-wide town halls to map strategies for this moment and beyond. We hope you will join as many town halls as possible in a show of solidarity for members whose contracts are expiring or members seeking a platform to highlight working conditions.

There is indeed no shortage of issues competing for everyone’s time and attention. But we all are stronger together than we are apart.

By Pat Kane, RN NYSNA Executive Director

One of the ways the union is supporting nurses is by continuing to engage the administration over implementation of safe staffing laws

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New York Nurse february 2022

Meet Your Board Members For the next several editions of New York Nurse Magazine, we will highlight NYSNA board members.

In this installment, meet Aretha Morgan and Bruce Lavalle. Morgan is an RN and works at New YorkPresbyterian (Southern Region) and Lavalle, RN, works at Peconic Bay Medical Center/ Northwell Health System (South Eastern Region).

Aretha Morgan, RN, (Southern Region) received a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing from the College of Mount Saint Vincent. She recently obtained a Masters in Nursing Education and is seeking a degree in Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a clinical instructor.

Bruce Lavalle, RN, AD BS, MS, CCRN (South Eastern Region). Bruce worked in the ICU, ER and Recovery Room for over 35 years. He is on the LBU Vice President at Peconic Bay Medical Center/Northwell Health System.

Omicron Crisis Demands COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing and our healthcare system is once again coming under enormous strain due to the newly emergent, extraordinarily transmissible Omicron variant.

Rather than meeting the challenge by staffing safely and protecting frontline healthcare workers from infection, hospital administrators and policymakers are cutting corners on staffing levels and health and safety measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new recommendations that shorten the COVID-19 isolation period from 10 days to 5 days, based on little evidence, and without testing requirements to limit the spread of the virus in our workplaces. The New York State Department of Health has decided to follow this guidance, and we are already seeing facilities around the state drop their isolation time.

Nurses and healthcare professionals are already exhausted and understaffed without the added pressure of returning to work before they feel healthy and ready to return safely. Far from being a solution to the healthcare worker staffing crisis, limiting the amount of sick time workers can use and bringing back potentially infectious employees prematurely is likely to increase the number of COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers, exacerbating staffing shortages.

Once again, official guidance seems to be based not on science, but on supplies and economic considerations. NYSNA is demanding a shift in pandemic response – and in healthcare

– where patients and the public health are prioritized, instead of the short-term profits of healthcare providers and other corporations.

NYSNA calls on all employers, the New York State Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Public Employee Safety & Health Bureau to step up to the challenge by making sure the following infection control measures are in place:

PPE/Source Controls l Personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpiles: There must be a 90-day supply of PPE in each healthcare facility. This amount must take into consideration the likely peak patient census, as well as the ability to replace disposable PPE, such as isolation gowns, N95 respirators and gloves, after every patient care session – the standard for infection control practice for decades. PPE must be immediately accessible at the point of care in all patient care areas – not under lock and key or in a distant supply room. l Supply chain issues have improved, but shortages of PPE continue to be a possibility when surges occur. We are already receiving reports of rationing and inaccessibility of supplies at healthcare facilities. Disposable PPE should be replaced with reusable PPE whenever possible. That includes the switch from disposable N95 respirators to reusable elastomeric respirators.

To view the rest of the demands, click here: https://www.nysna.org/omicron-demands

Member Features

NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

School Nurses

On the Frontlines, Fighting for Children

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hen most people think of the strain of the COVID-19 health crisis on healthcare workers, they think of people who work in hospitals or health systems. The plight of school nurses is often overlooked or misunderstood. But school nurses find themselves in a vicious fight of being underfunded in state budgets, being poorly resourced, meaning they are often doing administrative as well as the technical aspects of their jobs. Equally important, school nurses have been forced to cope with a pandemic that has at turns shuttered schools and overwhelmed school officials.

In addition to monitoring for the common cold or flu, school nurses are now tasked with contract tracing in buildings over-flowing with young people.

Even before the pandemic, there was a need to hire more school nurses. The best way to create safe schools is to ensure strong bonds

with students and adults in the building, including school nurses.

Unfortunately, not every school building had, or presently has, a nurse. To better meet the needs of students, each school building should have at least one nurse or healthcare professional. One can imagine how the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated matters for nurses. In addition to the default of not enough nurses, COVID-19 increased the strain on the nurses who were assigned to schools. It also meant that nurses were expected to do more with fewer resources.

A Nurse for Every School

Lindenhurst School nurses celebrate nurse's week with NYSNA

NYSNA knows that this is a long-standing issue. The union organized a back-to-school town hall with school nurses in Aug. 2021. The event was designed surface challenges and support healthcare workers in accessing what they need to provide consistent and compassionate care. NYSNA under-

stands that while the challenges have not abated, the best way to meet the needs of healthcare workers is through collective bargaining and unwavering solidarity. The crisis is not over, but union members have the resources to withstand even the toughest of times.

A Day in the Life of a School Nurse

Present and Accounted For School nurses are on the front lines, but when one thinks about the nursing profession, many people do not see or understand these nurses’ plight.

That’s why NYSNA sat down with several nurses who work in school settings to learn more about their day-to-day work and what they need to thrive.

Below is a lightly edited interview with Valerie Deacon, RN, at the Alleghany Health Office with the Lindenhurst School District.

Can you tell our readers about your background and work?

I have been a registered nurse for close to 30 years and have worked in the school setting for just as long.

I have worked two jobs at the same time for many years especially in the beginning of my career when I was seeking to supplement my school nursing salary. I have worked in

Valerie Deacon, RN

other facilities as a nursing coordinator and a nursing supervisor.

How long have you been with your current employer?

I have been working in the Lindenhurst School District for over 20 years.

Please describe an average day?

Every day, school nurses deal with

the added workload brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each morning, we respond to new email and phone messages from parents and staff regarding COVID-19 test results. This includes discussing who is able to return to school and who must quarantine. We respond to a number of messages that begin with some variation of “I just have a question, if you can call me.”

Each school day, school nurses care for students and staff. We never know who will walk in the door or what is just down the hallway. It could be a teacher passed out on the floor, a student who may be having an allergic reaction or one who is exhibiting new COVID19-like symptoms. It is so different from working in other facilities or in a hospital where you have other nursing support to help make immediate decisions on emergent Continued on page 10

“It is so different from working in other facilities or in a hospital where you have other nursing support to help make immediate decisions.”

Valerie Deacon, RN

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New York Nurse february 2022

Nurses Issue Reminder

All Patients Deserve Quality Care

N Public hospitals, and other safety net facilities in NYC, are the backbone of care for lowincome families.

YSNA nurses at Jacobi Medical Center are speaking out about the dangers of short-staffing at the public facility. They organized a press conference on Jan. 13, and noted that overcrowding, delays, and lack of resources are so extreme that patients are now in jeopardy. The nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, were joined by fellow nurses of the NYC Health + Hospitals system as well as elected officials, to underscore the threat to the public’s health at Jacobi and other city hospitals.

“What’s worse about this current wave is that patients are now suf-

fering and risking death from conditions we know how to treat but we simply cannot get to everyone on time,” said Kelley Cabrera, RN, Emergency Department, Jacobi Medical Center. “We know how to do our jobs but lack the space, capacity and resources to do so. We must not accept these conditions as a ‘new normal.’”

admitting floors are unavailable in the facility. These delays compromise patients’. Too numerous to keep separate, COVID patients are existing in an atmosphere of what some nurses say is “mass confusion.” They note that patients testing positive for the virus are not effectively isolated, raising the risk of infection for others.

Waiting in Hallways

Among the Infected

Patients sick from the Coronavirus and the Omicron variant, as well as other serious illnesses requiring hospitalization, are spilling out of the ER into hallways.

Nurses note that patients routinely spend days in cots because beds on

Additionally, nurses are among the infected and recover at home, heightening the severe RN understaffing that permeates both public and private hospitals in NYC. Contacted to return to work at Jacobi before testing negative, a vicious cycle of virus transmission worsens a public health crisis of vast dimensions.

“Jacobi Medical Center suffers from terribly inadequate resources in a system of gross inequality,” said Judith Cutchin, RN, NYSNA Board Member and President, NYSNA NYC H+H/Mayorals Executive Council. “Public hospitals, and other safety net facilities in NYC, are the backbone of care for low-income families, in particular communities of color. The need for resources for safety net hospitals could hardly be greater and we join with elected officials and community advocates calling for an immediate infusion of assistance on par with a public health crisis of this magnitude.”

(Left to right) Karen Lam, RN and Kelley Cabrera, RN

Meet Your Staff Teams

Nursing Education and Practice

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YSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice department exists to strengthen the nursing practice and support healthcare professionals. NEP offers continuing education courses, workshops to promote health and safety, and practice resources. It also issues practice alerts and position statements, and guidance for nurses completing Protest of Assignment forms.

Like so many, NEP understands that for years the nursing practice has been under attack. Short staff-

ing, de-skilling, unit restructuring, and the technological arms race can each limit nurses’ time at the bedside and harm patient care.

Healthcare professionals only hope is in educating ourselves, remaining in solidarity with one another, and never hesitating to advocate for what nurses and patients need. The team includes: l CarolLynn Esposito, RN (Director) l Lucille Contreras Sollazzo, RN (Associate Director)

l Lisa Baum (Health and Safety

Officer) l David Pratt (Health and Safety Officer) l Catherine Murphy (Provider Unit Representative) l Heather Brehm (Provider Unit Representative) l David Gray (Confidential Assistant to the Director) l Christina DeGaray, RN (Per Diem) For more information, contact education@nysna.org

black history month

NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

Honoring Those Who Came Before Us

By Jennifer R. Farmer

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lack History Month is one of my favorite times of the year. “It is an opportunity to honor the luminaries who came before us and celebrate the justice seekers still among us,” said Judith Cutchins, RN. It’s a time to learn about the important moments in this nation’s history — moments shaped or influenced by Black Americans and Black people from across the diaspora. I think about Harlem Renaissance writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Nella Larsen. I am comforted by the memory of writers such as Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Maya Angelou and more.

I am inspired by the work of freedom fighters such as Diane Nash, Fannie Lou Hamer, Dorothy Height, Marcus Garvey, Kwame Ture, Fred Shuttlesworth, Medgar Evers and more. I also celebrate Black people who made history in healthcare — people like Mary Eliza Mahoney who holds the distinction of being the first Black nurse in history to earn a professional nursing license. Although Black people frequently served in nursing capacities, Mahoney was the first to obtain a nursing license. She fought for increased access to nursing education and challenged discrimination at a time when the faintest hint of dissent could be deadly.

She was not alone Many in the nation may know her as a brave and determined conductor of the Underground Railroad, but Harriet Tubman served as a nurse during the Civil War. She tended to Black soldiers and newly freed slaves. Certainly, Black people have often tapped into indigenous practices and wisdom to care for the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of one another. This was a necessity as many hospitals and health facilities refused Black patients or offered substandard care when Black people did receive service. Black people also faced severe

exploitation which planted seeds of mistrust that continue to sprout today. For instance, the Tuskegee Experiment, which secretly injected Black patients with Syphilis, still inspires fear and suspicion. The forced sterilization of Black people (as well as Latino, Native and poor people) also created fear.

These crimes against humanity created a mistrust in government and healthcare providers. They also inspired many in the community to go to school to become therapists, nurses, and physicians.

Defying the Odds In 1864, Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler defied the odds by becoming the first Black woman doctor of medicine. To put that in perspective, that was only a couple years after the Emancipation Proclamation, which then-President Abraham Lincoln issued. Shortly after the Civil War’s end, Crumpler, a freeborn woman, went to Richmond, Virginia, to provide medical care for formerly enslaved people. She often faced discrimination from her colleagues and pharmacies but kept her focus on helping women and children. She later moved back to Boston and treated patients with little focus on their ability to pay. In 2019, Virginia governor Ralph Northam made March 30 Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day.

Black History Across the Diaspora We know that Black history stretches across the diaspora. That is why NYSNA is proud to honor Mary Seacole who was a BritishJamaican nurse who established the “British Hotel” to care for soldiers

Harriet Tubman

NYSNA Celebrates Black History Mary Eliza Mahoney

during the Crimean War. From a child, many of us have heard about the heroism of Florence Nightingale.

But Seacole had an impact as well.

She traveled the world caring for cholera patients, before establishing a hotel to care for sick and wounded soldiers. At the beginning of the 21st century, in 2004, Seacole was voted as the Greatest Black Briton, and her statue was unveiled in London in 2016.

Honoring All the Heroes During Black History Month, one could be forgiven for solely focusing on the Black leaders whose accomplishments have drawn recognition and praise. However, I am also moved by the people society is less likely to recognize. Whether because they weren’t as well known, they were women or they had imperfect lives, there are many Black figures who influenced history who have been overlooked. And as it was in the past, so it is in the present.

Therefore, when I think about Black history, I think about the people securing Black futures. It is people like you. I think about Black nurses across New York state and beyond.

I think about Black doulas who enter the profession to support the parent, child and community. It is the grassroots organizers working to address air pollution and the climate crisis. The activists working to ensure all children have opportunities to learn bring me hope. It is the healthcare workers who must simultaneously be nurse, friend, family member and advocate. It is you.

This Black History Month, I hope we take time to sit with history. “Black history is not just reserved for Black people; it is all our history,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN. We should also intentionally celebrate the leaders who walk among us and are having an impact today.

For every Black historical figure, there are contemporary leaders making an impact. Let’s see and honor them. That is why NYSNA is hosting a series of events to celebrate Black History. lO n February 10, NYSNA’s Social Justice and Civil Rights Committee hosted a film screening and discussion of Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed film, “The 13th.” lO n February 15, from 7:458:30 p.m., New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie will host a teach-in on his voting rights bill, the John R. Lewis New York State Voting Rights Bill. lO n February 16, from 6:007:15 p.m., there will be a New York Labor History Association panel discussion, “Organizing the Black Medical Community: Past, Present, and Future.” lT here will also be a full-day Racial Justice Training on February 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The goal of the training is to offer members a common framework on the historical context that has produced deep inequities and racial disparities in health outcomes for patients and communities. l F inally, on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m., NYSNA will host a panel discussion with Healthcare Advocates on Health Equity. We will discuss the current challenges we are facing and what role healthcare workers can play to advocate for healthcare justice and equity.

To participate or register for any of these events, please go to bit.ly/NYSNABHM22 Regardless of your identity, this is a month meant for all. I hope you know that because they fought and won, you can too. We may never be able to throw our hands up and say, “Our fight is over,” but we can say that progress is within reach.

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New York Nurse february 2022

NYSNA Mourns the Children and Families Killed in the Bronx Fire

Memorial Bench Honoring Aleyamma John NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens’ Nursing Dept. fundraised for a memorial bench in honor of Aleyamma John, an RN who was tragically lost during the pandemic’s surge. Aleyamma’s family joined her colleagues at the unveiling.

moment to invest in upgrades that might further protect persons living in affordable housing units.”

“I cannot imagine the unspeakable horror that the residents of the apartment building, many of them immigrants from Gambia, must have experienced,” Hagans said. “The city of New York must promptly make available every financial, mental health and physical resource that survivors and their families desperately need.

But it must also work harder at

ensuring affordable housing on the heels of one of the most grueling pandemics where millions have lost homes and jobs.”

After a separate, yet equally devastating apartment fire killed 12 people, including eight children, in Philadelphia on Jan. 5, The New York Times reported that “a safe and affordable place to live is still out of reach for tens of thousands of the city’s residents.” In that situation, 18 people were living in a four-bedroom rowhouse.

Marc A. Hermann / MTA

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he New York State Nurses Association joins with the people across the city and country in mourning the terrible apartment fire in the Bronx that killed 19 people — almost half of whom were children — and injured dozens more. It was the deadliest apartment fire in over 30 years, and began from a space heater.

Many of the persons killed and injured were immigrants.

As a union of healthcare professionals, including many of whom who come from immigrant families, we can only imagine the unspeakable trauma that survivors and victims’ families are enduring.

We also hold space for nurses who worked at several NYSNA facilities where the injured were taken for treatment.

No Words “There are few words that can comfort the bereaved though we hope they know that our entire city mourns with them,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN. “We also hope that housing developers and city officials will use this as a

MTA provides a bus from the West Farms Depot on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 to ferry donated goods collected at the Angelo Patri school to a distribution point on Webster Ave. for the residents affected by the fire at 333 East 181st St.

Ransomware Attack May Impact NYSNA Employers

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any NYSNA employers have implemented a workforce management system called Kronos.

Kronos provides cloud-based solutions for managing timekeeping, payroll, employee benefits, analytics, and more. This could adversely impact facilities that have adopted the Kronos system such as Maimonides Medical, NYP Brooklyn, some Northwell systems and others. In addition to hospitals and health systems, Kronos is also used by Tesla, Temple University, San Francisco Municipal Transit System and more.

Unfortunately, Kronos was subject to a ransomware attack that may disrupt their cloud-based solutions for weeks. This could impact payroll, time off and other essentials. NYSNA has directed area directors and field representatives to be in touch with the employers who use Kronos. Here are the questions they will be asking of employers who utilize Kronos: 1. What is your organization’s business continuity plan to pay employees if the Kronos Private Cloud application remains unavailable? Kronos’s advisory states: “Given that it may take

up to several weeks to restore system availability, we strongly recommend that you evaluate and implement alternative business continuity protocols related to the affected UKG solutions.”

2. In addition to payroll, does the Kronos Private Cloud breach affect any other hospital operations? If so, what is your continuity plan to address the outage.

3. Reports indicate that the attackers had access to Kronos’s data.

Was any employee information leaked, and if so, what information and for whom?

4. What is your plan to communicate any impacts of this breach to affected employees?

We know this is cause for concern. NYSNA staff will communicate with you as they learn more.

Members’ speak

NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

Aging and Admitted to a Nursing Facility

By Sheldon Ornstein, Ed.D, RN, LNHA and retired NYSNA member

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he early days after admission to a skilled nursing facility are often critical to a newcomer.

The anxiety surrounding the older person’s separation from their home and personal possessions and the dread of what may await them may eventually intensify.

It is during that time when a facility’s team members should be expressing its concern for this individual’s state of mind and how the facility plans to deal with it.

Without a well-thought-out care plan, there can be an unintentional disruption to the newcomer’s previous life that may leave the individual no opportunity of moving forward and settling into a new environment.

Radical Change This is a radical change from where the elderly person first lived. Therefore, it is vital that a concerned relative, confidant or caregiver carefully selects a suitable “home.” Daily facility prac-

Celebrating Those Who Came Before Us NYSNA is proud to celebrate Black History Month. This is an excellent opportunity for all of us to learn about the contributions, aspirations, and challenges of the Black community. As healthcare workers, we also celebrate the Black luminaries in our field — Charles Richard Drew, MD, who was the first African American surgeon and organizer of America's first large-scale blood bank; Alexa Irene Canady, MD, the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the U.S.; and Patricia E. Bath, MD, who invented laser cataract surgery — who gave their life to help others live more fully. We applaud those who came before us, and the incredible leaders still among us.

tices may not always be clear at the start. For the newly admitted resident, it may appear that there is very little the individual is expected to do following admission.

Facility life can be marked by confusion and excessive caution (e.g., “What if I do something wrong and make staff angry?”) and by little incidents that unfairly establish an early reputation that sticks (e.g., “The individual is a stubborn one or appears confused.”).

Ensuring a Positive Transition However, family members can support a positive transition to a nursing facility in other ways.

For example, family members and friends should encourage the prospective resident to bring several personal possessions, which can alleviate anxiety and heighten a sense of continuity.

Another important issue worth discussing is excessive familiarity between the resident and staff. Staff members are not always aware of the crisis of identity that exists between them and the resident who already is experiencing a loss of residence. That can be explained

Sheldon Ornstein, Ed.D, RN

when a perfect stranger may bypass the resident’s proper name and proceed to a first name greeting without the resident’s permission.

“Mrs. Jones” is transformed into “Elizabeth” or more likely into “Beth” or even “Betsy.” The individual may further be reduced to an all-purpose “dear,” “honey,” “luv” or “grandma.”

Although all the above are issues and problems that beset even the best-rated facilities, they are problems that are surmountable when families and facilities alike be mindful of ensuring dignity, compassion and concern. I commend those family members, administrators, nurses and staff who are constantly evaluating and resolving issues that arise during the transition to nursing homes. This intentionality supports those entrusted in their care.

I applaud them for their efforts and professionalism.

I commend those family members, administrators, nurses and staff who are constantly evaluating and resolving issues that arise during the transition to nursing homes.

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Member Features

New York Nurse february 2022

A Day in the Life of a School Nurse

We Help Keep Kids Healthy, Happy and Safe School nurses are on the front lines, but when one thinks about the nursing profession, many people do not see or understand these nurses’ plight. That’s why NYSNA sat down with several nurses who work in school settings to learn more about their day-today work and what they need to thrive. Below is a lightly edited interview with Yvonne Frangella, RN, who works in the Lindenhurst Senior Health Office.

Yvonne Frangella, RN

Can you describe your average day?

Prior to March 2020, my average day looked a lot different. Working during a pandemic has been one of the most challenging times in my career. Navigating uncharted territories has been difficult. I spend my days trying to calm anxiety in parents and students; offering credible resources; and sharing information with families, students and staff. I initiate health investigations for students showing signs and symptoms of illness and exposure to COVID-19. I refer those who are symptomatic for follow up with their medical provider or COVID19 testing. I also care for students with diabetes and chronic illnesses.

I review state mandated immunizations and physicals and make multiple phone calls to health care providers, parents and guardians to follow up on immunizations that have not been administered. While these are essential tasks, I must

“We provide a safe place for students to come, and we bridge the gap between home and school. As important as we are, we are not justly compensated.”

Yvonne Frangella, RN also remain flexible and respond to emergencies should they arise.

What do you want the world to know about school nurses?

I would like the world to know that school nurses are the only health care professional in the school. We provide input and weigh in on many variables. I would also like the world to know that to keep children healthy and happy, school nurses need to be present. We provide a safe place for students to come, and we bridge the gap between home and school. As important as we are, we are not justly compensated. To protect school nurses, there must be a greater appreciation of our role, and there must be mandates to ensure school nurses are in every school building.

What has been your experience working during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Most days are spent assisting with contact tracing, communicating with students and parents, and helping them understand the everchanging COVID-19 guidelines.

Present and accounted for Continued from page 5

situations. Our days and our work are unique and unpredictable.

What is unique about school nursing?

School nursing is a specialized practice that requires a comprehensive understanding of health conditions, nursing care and public health and a working knowledge of the education system and laws. I love school nursing. School nurses are a resource people tap to find answers according to the ever-changing guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and the local Department of Health; the two agencies’ guid-

ance does not always align. Most people in school buildings seek out the school nurse for answers. After all, for 20 years, nursing has been the most trusted profession.

What are you hearing from other school nurses?

I am a member of several national and statewide nursing forums. The common theme is that school health nursing is a challenge. Many nurses in these forums note that they need better pay, proper staffing and a secretary. Many are burning the candle at both ends. Some districts have given their nurses stipends

COVID-19 has added another layer of responsibility; it has been very challenging. We are working on the front lines taking care of students who are sick, showing symptoms of COVID-19 or experiencing fear of the unknown, especially in the first stages of COVID-19. One thing is clear: Every day is daunting and stressful.

In the early stages of the pandemic, I worried that I would contract the virus and bring it home to my family. I am not the only person who dealt with fear and worry. I have seen a huge increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety in students.

What would make your work better?

If school nurses were included in the decision-making process for school health and safety, my work would improve. As health care professionals, we bring unique knowledge and perspective to the table, and we can assist with planning and responding to public health queries.

or even raises based on added COVID-19 duties, but many have not. They are told they are “valuable and necessary,” but it’s hard to believe this when nurses learn that stipends were given to other disciplines but not to the frontline school nurse. Last year, the New York State Education Department suspended all screenings in the health office due to COVID-19. This year, despite larger COVID-19 cases, it has resumed all screenings (vision, hearing, scoliosis) for the 20212022 school year. I would ask why is the NYSED not requiring physicians to do the screenings? This is part of the required NYS health examination for grades K, 1, 3 and

legal matters

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february 2022

NYSNA Joins Lawsuit Against OSHA

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n January 5, NYSNA joined the AFLCIO and several national and state unions representing healthcare workers petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to order the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a permanent standard that requires employers to protect health care workers against COVID-19. Filed in defense of healthcare workers, the lawsuit urges OSHA to 1.) issue a permanent COVID-19 standard for health care workers and 2.) keep the current healthcare ETS in place until such a permanent standard is issued.

Taking Action The petitioners include National Nurses United (NNU); AFL-CIO; American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); as well as some of the nation’s other major nursing unions, including the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and Pennsylvania Association of Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP).

The unions took this legal action after the Department of Labor failed to make permanent the emergency temporary standard (ETS) on COVID-19 that took effect on June 21, 2021. Without

5? NYSED requires a physical exam for these years already, and many times the physician does not do the screening, thereby putting it on the school nurse to complete.

Do you feel heard?

I must say that here in Lindenhurst, we are blessed to have an administrator who hears us. We have been given substitute nursing help when it is available, secretaries/aides, a supply of personal protective equipment, and recently, the school district hired separate contact tracers. Our treatment underscores the fact that it is imperative to have an administrator who is solution-oriented and committed to the nursing practice.

the protections of a permanent standard, the health and well-being of nurses and healthcare professionals, patients and community members will be jeopardized.

The petitioners note that failure to retain the existing ETS and to adopt a permanent rule protecting health care workers violates the unambiguous command of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. According to the petition, “when OSHA determines an emergency situation exists (as it did here) and issues an emergency standard, that emergency standard must stay in effect until a final rule is issued, which must be done within six months of publication of the emergency standard.”

New Averages for COVID-19 Nurses note that the grave danger that led to issuance of the emergency temporary standard not only remains, but has dramatically increased with the Omicron variant and current surge in infections and hospitalizations. On Dec. 28, just one day after OSHA announced its plans to rescind the ETS, the sevenday average for new COVID-19

What can our union do?

NYSNA can do what they’re doing here: advocate and educate the public, governing bodies and administrators about the role of the school nurse. NYSNA school nurse members need a larger voice, and NYSNA can be a large uniting force for all school nurses across the state.

You recently worked with your colleagues to author a resolution at NYSNA’s 2021 Convention to support school nurses’ in their fight for working conditions. What was the essence of the resolution?

Among other things, the resolution urged NYSNA to petition the

cases broke all previous records when it reached 267,000 cases.

When OSHA issued the ETS in June, the agency noted that as of May 24, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had reported 491,816 health care workers had contracted COVID-19 and 1,611 had died from it. By December 30, 2021, the CDC reported that those numbers had almost doubled: 803,454 health care workers had contracted COVID-19 and 3,063 had died from the disease.

Consequently, OSHA’s refusal to issue a national, permanent, enforceable standard requiring employers to protect workers in health care settings is constitutes a dangerous breach of duties.

“The executive branch directed OSHA to issue an airborne infectious disease standard to protect workers during a pandemic that has overwhelmed the nation,” said Pat Kane, RN, NYSNA executive director. “With infections and hospitalizations on the rise, frontline hospital nurses and health care workers desperately need enforceable standards for personal protective equipment, exposure notification, ventilation systems, and other lifesaving measures. In failing to follow their own mandate to create a permanent standard, OSHA has put nurses, health care workers, and the public’s health at risk of even greater harm. The Department of Labor has left nurses and their patients in serious jeopardy.”

appropriate governing body to set regulations requiring school districts provide a minimum of one (1) registered professional nurses in every school building, continue fighting for fair contracts that inspire other nurses to seek work in school districts and remain in the profession, and educate the public on and the importance of registered professional nurses in school districts. The resolution also asked NYSNA to continue creating platforms for nurses to provide first person accounts of staffing deficiencies in New York’s schools and provide expertise on the need for guaranteed minimum registered nurse staffing standards in schools.

Nurses note that the grave danger that led to issuance of the emergency temporary standard not only remains, but has dramatically increased with the Omicron variant and current surge in infections and hospitalizations.

SOURCE www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ afl-cio-and-nursing-unions-urgefederal-court-to-order-permanentosha-standard

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around our union

New York Nurse february 2022

Nurses Named the Most Trusted Remembering Nurses Who Have Professionals in the U.S. ou show up and do the were asked to rate various profesPassed Away

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he death of healthcare professionals is a sad and sobering reminder that COVID-19 is still an existential threat impacting frontline healthcare workers. We were so moved when we saw a portrait of recently departed St. John’s Riverside nurse Maria Carreira, RN (at right), from artist Steve Derrick.

Derrick’s series, 365 “Healing Portraits of the Pandemic,” features portraits of frontline nurses and healthcare professionals.

OSHA opened an investigation of St. John’s Riverside regarding Carreira’s recent COVID-19 death, and NYSNA will monitor the case closely. In response to the CDC’s guidance on reduced isolation and quarantine guidelines and the rising number of members contracting COVID-19, NYSNA recently requested OSHA COVID-19 logs from all our facilities which show healthcare worker exposures and deaths due to COVID-19.

NYSNA will eventually release data from these reports. The union will also be in touch on impending OSHA complaints we plan to file against employers who have failed to provide this crucial data. For more information on members we’ve lost, visit NYSNA’s memorial page.

Bryan Dubois, RN It is with heavy heart and deep sorrow that we share the passing of our fellow NYSNA nurse, Bryan Dubois, on December 22, 2021. Bryan was a longtime Yonkers resident and 2018 graduate of the St. John’s Riverside Hospital’s Cochran School of Nursing. He began his nursing career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison, NY. He came to Westchester Medical Center as a Staff Nurse on B-2, and was promoted to his current role of ASNC on B-3 (the Medical/Psych unit).

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impossible, day after day, week after week and month after month. And the American people see you and appreciate you. A Gallup poll recently found that in 2020 nurses were the most trusted professionals in the United States. The standing rose by 4 percentage points over a 2019 poll.

Gallup noted, “According to the December 1-17 poll, Americans

sions with regard to honesty and ethical standards. Respondents gave nurses an 89% “high or very high” trust rating, securing the position of nursing at the top of the list. Doctors took second place, at 77%.”

It is no secret that you are committed and caring at the bedside and beyond. Congratulations on being seen, loved, and appreciated by patients nationwide.

Support NYSNA CVPH Members in their Fight for Mount Sinai Nurses Hold Speak Outs a Fair Contract

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Nicole Kolvenbach, RN, MSW

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ost-COVID, staffing has been a challenge across the Mount Sinai Health System. There are major staffing issues at Mt. Sinai Main in oncology (related to rapid increase of program and poor retention), Maternal Child Health (due to unpredictability of births), and a stepdown unit (poor recruiting).

Nurses are pressing the hospital while doing their part to formulate short and long-term plans to care for themselves and patients.

Noting that conditions are worse than they have ever been, Mount Sinai nurses and community leaders held speak outs on Dec. 6 and Dec. 15, 2021. The speak outs were part of a broader series of rolling actions at facilities downstate. Staffing is an issue across the Mount Sinai system, but nurses all

over the state are suffering.

“In the last three months, we’ve only had 26 full-time nurses, versus the allotted 56 required for the recommended 2:1 nurse-to-patient ratio,” said Philipp Lee Carabuena, RN, and an NSICU nurse at Mount Sinai. “Nine travel nurses have been hired to fill the gap, which still leaves us 40% under capacity. Daily, we are taking on three to four patients due to the shortage. Nurses are often staying 24 hours to fill the gap. This is unsafe for our patients and a moral injury for hard-working nurses.”

The staffing shortage comes as Mount Sinai oversees $1.7 billion in cash and liquid assets, and invests millions in advertising.

Meanwhile, more than 300 nursing positions are vacant.

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NYSNA Labor Education Offering Accredited Staffing Law Training

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YSNA’s Labor Education department hosted a series of accredited staffing law trainings in 2021, titled The Staffing Law: New Rights and Opportunities and Implementing the Staffing Law: How Nurse Leaders Can Use Data of Kate Mullany, an Irish immigrant and Collective Action. The courses who formed and led the nation’s first prepared nurses with the skills needed to organize with coworkers all-female union, the Troy Collar Union in 1864. Congratulations are while staying abreast of the contents of the staffing laws. The 120-minute in order to the NYSNA nurses at sessions come with 2CH/.2 CEUs. Albany Medical Center.

American Labor Studies Center Honors Albany Med Nurses YSNA nurses from Albany Medical Center were awarded the Kate Mullany Medal by the American Labor Studies Center. The medal is given annually to leaders who exemplify the spirit

n 2020, University of VermontChamplain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) restructured the company, leading to massive change for healthcare workers. Since the restructuring, NYSNA health care professionals have experienced forced shift changes, reduced working hours, and for some, job loss.

Although healthcare professionals were hailed as heroes at the start of the pandemic, the treatment of CVPH nurses is disturbing.

NYSNA members at CVPH took their campaign for a fair contract to the community, by distributing hundreds of lawn signs and store signs. They also launched a petition calling on CVPH President Michelle LeBeau to provide a fair contract — one that ensures safe and proper care for the community.

Nearly 500 community supporters, patients and their families have signed the petition. You can support nurses at Champlain Valley by signing and sharing the petition.

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february 2022

OSHA Citations at Montefiore and RUMC

By David Pratt

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NYSNA Members Take on Workplace Violence

n December 22, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) sent Montefiore Moses Hospital administration a holiday present: $17,555 in fines and multiple citations, including one regarding serious workplace violence hazards in the pediatric emergency department (PEDS ED). Roughly one month earlier, OSHA also cited and fined Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) a total of $13,655 for a range of hazards and directed the Assemblymember Karines Reyes, RN, Montefiore Medical Center at speakout medical center to address workplace violence issues.

And when OSHA cites over an issue, OSHA has regulations about Getting action out of agencies it expects the entire facility to come lots of issues, like exit doors and responsible for safety in healthcare into compliance, which means we water on the floor, but no specific can be a difficult, and sometimes should be seeing enhanced workregulations on workplace violence. impossible, task. It can be especial- place violence prevention measures That forces the agency to use a ly tough to get action around work- house-wide. Now is the time for general clause in the regulations place violence issues. Yet in these Montefiore to do the right thing and stating that employers must procases, NYSNA members were able comply with the OSHA requirevide a workplace free of recognized to make some important advances. ments in all departments.” hazards. Montefiore and RUMC Pressured to create a separate zone NYSNA members were still able to Workplace Hazards for behavioral health patients in the get some results despite that, largeWhile violence in healthcare can, wake of this incident, the Montefiore ly because they organized to gather and does, take place in any setting, administration chose to carve it evidence and present testimony emergency departments and behavior- out of existing PEDS ED space and to the OSHA investigators. At al health units experience both high refused to consult with frontline staff Montefiore, they were able to get rates of violence and specific hazards. on making it workable and safe. some media coverage of the issues Tragically, those hazards impact staff Additionally, the administration con- and even got the OSHA investigaand patients alike. Montefiore and tinued a practice of holding violent tor replaced when management RUMC are cases in point. or potentially violent patients in a crowed about being buddies with Conditions in the Montefiore small room not designed for proper the initial one.

Moses PEDS ED have been dire for care in a corner of the ED. While fines may or may not be a many years. In addition to its condeterrent (or motivator) to hospital Vulnerable at Work stant press of many other patients, administrations, specific OSHA recAt RUMC, staff in the adult this ED sees lots of children with a ommendations for reducing violence behavioral health unit had been range of mental health and develhazards are a tool that NYSNA opmental challenges. Despite warn- experiencing increasing numbers members can continue to use going of assaults going into 2021. As is ings from staff for many years, forward. In the Montefiore case, often the case with violence hazmanagement refused to provide OSHA spelled out three pages of ards, staff were also dealing with the space, staffing and resources recommendations for improvelots of near misses, mostly centered ments. At RUMC, management has to properly care for those kids. around an open nurses station, Many incidents followed, includset in motion plans for enclosing the ing a teenager sexually assaulting a with patients routinely entering nurses’ station. In both cases, memand acting out. In November 2021, bers have won other improvements younger patient. an NYSNA member was attacked “It is sad that federal OSHA has along the way. in the charting room just inside the had to cite and fine Montefiore We need real regulations on nurses’ station. Despite long-stand- violence in healthcare and better to get its attention over the longstanding workplace violence hazards ing staff requests, the administraenforcement. Meanwhile, NYSNA tion was refusing to enclose or add in the PEDS ED,” said NYSNA’s members are showing that they can locking doors to the work area and challenge hazards and win some former president Judy SheridanGonzalez, RN. “Hats off to NYSNA did little to address security’s poor improvements by organizing and response to the situation. members who helped win this case. not letting up.

While fines may or may not be a deterrent (or motivator) to hospital administrations, specific OSHA recommendations for reducing violence hazards are a tool that NYSNA members can continue to use going forward.

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New York Nurse february 2022

It’s a Hot Mess

During Town Hall, Nurses Detail What Working Short-Staffed Amid a Pandemic is Like

O Bassett sat attentively while NYSNA nurses detailed what it is like working shortstaffed and during a global pandemic.

n January 18, NYSNA organized an Omicron Town Hall with New York state’s Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. More than 240 nurses and NYSNA staff participated in the online discussion, which NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane, RN, moderated. The town hall was a unique opportunity for NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, and NYSNA members to share firstperson accounts of what it is like to work in poor conditions during the pandemic. In addition to member stories, NYSNA attorney Claire Tuck reminded nurses that they do not have to work sick and that they should be in touch with their NYSNA rep if they need support. CarolLynn Esposito from NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice presented on nurses’ rights, and NYSNA’s Health and Safety Representative David Pratt provided an update on health and safety issues.

Difficult to Witness Bassett began the conversation by acknowledging, “It has been very difficult to witness this unexpected and massive impact [of COVID-19] on the health of our people … No one knows better the pain of this pandemic than healthcare workers,” Bassett said.

NYSNA members echoed the sentiment and offered detailed accounts of their experiences.

Judith Cutchins, RN, president of NYSNA’s Executive Council at H+H and Mayorals, told the health commissioner that it was critical to address the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reduction of quarantine time from 10 to five days: “I know that it’s being said that if people are asymptomatic, they can continue working, but a lot of patients and staff have been asymptomatic [and still had COVID-19]. The five-day return to work is not beneficial, especially to the patients we take care of who have so many other comorbidities.

NYSNA nurses at the NYS DOH Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) on January 27.

We are watching a revolving door of staff coming in and out.”

Richmond University Medical Center member Michelle Protsky, RN, told the health commissioner that nurses need help: “I’m on a med-surge floor that was combined with a vent unit that was never properly staffed, and for the past two years, we have never had a safe patient-nurse ratio. We are struggling, and it’s a revolving door of sick people coming back to work. We have three nurses and 10 patients each. We have three vents, six med-surge patients and no aides. Many times, we’re left without a clerk, and we’re now doing clerk duty instead of nursing care and getting yelled at by management for not answering phones. The EDs are trying to send admissions when we can’t manage our caseloads as it is. Other floors come to us because they can’t take care of vent patients because they’re not vent capable. We are being pulled in every direction, and it is scary for us and for patients.”

Speaking Our Truth Bassett sat attentively while NYSNA nurses detailed what it is like working short-staffed and during a global pandemic. She urged members to remain in touch with her office and vowed to follow up with Kane.

Chris Weiss, RN at Champlain Valley Family Center, offered

his perspective: “It’s a hot mess.

Nurses are beleaguered. COVID didn’t cause short-staffing; it exposed the problem of short-staffing in our hospitals.”

Deeply Disturbed Bassett concluded by noting that she was deeply disturbed by what she heard: “Listening to this conversation, I am reminded of how important the conditions of work are. Both the conditions of service — package of protections including salary and benefits — and the conditions of work, that is troubling. Part of the reason it’s good to have a union is so that you have a unified voice to speak with the employer. To the extent I can learn more about the ways in which our guidance is followed, I will reach back out to your president to see how we can take this conversation further. No one who has been hospitalized needs to have anyone explain to them how important nursing is.”

For more information, please see Omicron crisis resources on the NYSNA website. Resources include an Omicron Action Plan, Omicron crisis demands, the NYSNA COVID Daily Diary and more. If you’ve not already done so, please complete a COVID Daily Diary to document health and safety concerns.

NYSNA resources

NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

You Do Not Have to Suffer in Solitude: SPAN Can Help

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veryone is entitled to compassionate care.

Nurses are no exception.

Unfortunately, when nurses find themselves coping with or supporting someone who is coping with substance abuse or related issues, there are few spaces where they can go for healing and restoration. The New York State Nurses Association’s (NYSNA) Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) Program aims to be one such place. SPAN’s mission is to be the resource for New York state nurses affected by substance use disorders while fostering public safety through outreach and education.

The transformative program assists nurses who are affected by alcohol- or drug-related challenges.

The program offers expertise and outreach in the areas of education, identification, ongoing support and advocacy, and linkages with resources. SPAN educates nurses, employers, nursing school faculties and students, treatment providers and others about prevention, early intervention and workplace options.

Prevention SPAN operates in accordance with Chapter 290 of the laws of 2000, which took effect in April 2001. The program uses the

strategies of direct education and literature distribution aimed at prevention and early identification and intervention of alcohol and other drug-related problems in nurses.

SPAN offers individual needs assessments, referrals to professional resources and troubleshooting for immediate concerns. SPAN offers participating nurses access to ongoing recovery support through individual mentoring and focused peer support groups. Nurses may receive advocacy with regulatory or other agencies, depending on their recovery efforts and progress.

Restorative Help

drug-related concerns for nurses and the healthcare community.

Program leaders act on the belief that every nurse deserves access to treatment, help in preserving their license and employment status, and ongoing support throughout the recovery process. SPAN staff members work to create a balance between nurses’ needs and those of the nurses’ patients, who are entitled to skilled and compassionate care.

There should be places where nurses can be honest and receive restorative help. Thanks to NYSNA, that is not just a lofty idea but a goal daily put into practice.

From the enacting legislation, work plans are developed. The work plan is part of the contract between NYSNA and the New York State Department of Education. SPAN is currently in the middle of a five-year (April 1, 2018-March 31, 2023) contract.

The program includes peer support groups, outreach and educational efforts to individuals, groups, organizations, schools of nursing and institutions involved in identification and referral of potential NYSNA SPAN and PAP participants.

SPAN staff members are committed to ensuring heightened awareness and understanding of

Did You Know NYSNA Has a Library?

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YSNA aims to support you every step of the way.

In addition to bargaining contracts, supporting nurses’ growth and development, and advancing policies that improve the profession, the union offers a fully functional library. The Strategic Resource Center, as the library is called, has a physical space in NYSNA’s Albany, New York, office at 155 Washington Ave. NYSNA’s Strategic Resource Center is connected to a wider network of libraries and nursing libraries across the country. It provides NYSNA members with up-todate information and resources on

the clinical and educational aspects of professional nursing via periodicals, journals and online databases.

Institutional Memory The Strategic Resource Center, which has one fulltime librarian and research associates, also facilitates the union’s work. For instance, the library houses the organization’s institutional memory via an internally curated archive and contains materials to help members and staff understand employers, policies, and practices.

That insight helps union members develop stronger campaigns.

NYSNA’s library offers access to many of the relevant journals pub-

lished on healthcare, medicine and the nursing practice. Members can obtain other resources via interlibrary loan. We also have a full legal library and access to publications and databases that speak to health policy and public policy.

The library has supported NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice department by helping members with research projects necessary for attaining higher degrees or developing content for workshops.

For more information or to request access to Strategic Resource Center materials, contact us at library@nysna.org.

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NEW YORK NURSE february 2022

131 West 33rd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10001

INSIDE

The Way to Address Staffing Shortage..., p. 2

We Are Stronger Together Than We Are Apart, p. 3

Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA