NY Nurse: September 2021 by New York State Nurses Association

nurse New York

New york state edition | september 2021

CONTRACT NURSES: OVERPAID AND UNTRAINED pp. 6-7

national hispanic heritage month: the voices of our nurses, pp. 4-5

New York Nurse september 2021

Staffing Shortages Are a Serious Challenge that Must be Addressed

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 Catherine Dawson,RN,CNOR,MSN Central 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 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 ©2021, All rights reserved

hen the COVID19 pandemic began, many in the nation developed a deeper appreciation for healthcare workers, including nurses. Even those who long held healthcare workers in high regard became more effusive with praise. Despite years of laboring in a host of difficult circumstances, healthcare workers were suddenly superheroes with capes. In New York City, some people even took to their balconies to clap for those who sacrificed their health to help others. But what nurses truly needed was action from their employers to address staffing shortages.

Understaffing across the board Nurses at Columbia Presbyterian say staffing ratios have gotten as high as 15 to 1. Nurses in critical care units detail having as many as three and four patients when they should have two. Healthcare workers at Montefiore and other health systems in New York City are sharing similar accounts. The hospital I work for, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, is down 150 nurses. These shortages are occurring at a time when COVID-19 cases are spiking, which is creating added anxiety. When ratios are high, nurses struggle to meet the individual needs of unique patients, but they also risk physical and emotional harm. When hospitals fail to staff properly, yet proclaim nurses heroes, they engage in a form of manipulation. While nurses were being publicly praised at the height of the pandemic, they also lacked access to basic Personal Protection Equipment. New York Times columnist Farhad Manjoo agreed: “A few months ago, it was nurses, doctors and other essential workers who were hailed as heroes — a perfectly accurate and heartwarming sentiment, but also one meant to obscure the sorry reality that the world’s richest country was asking health care workers to treat coronavirus patients without providing adequate protective gear.”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, at Speak Out for Safe Staffing, NY-P Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, February 23, 2021

Inaccessible protective equipment coupled with staffing shortages is troublesome mix. Staffing shortages mean co-horting or grouping of patients with similar illnesses, is not happening. Staffing shortages also mean nurses are caring for too many patients of varying acuity levels. Worrisome still, caring for too many patients or working long shifts mean workers are not getting the breaks they need to maintain their own health and wellbeing. While praise is welcome, it is insufficient to ameliorate what nurses are experiencing. Certainly, there were nursing shortages before the pandemic began, but the pressures of COVID-19 has compounded the situation. Some nurses have left the workforce, others left hospitals for different healthcare settings and others retired early.

“Just in time” means unprepared As the pandemic has raged on, several lessons are coming into clearer focus. First, in designating health care workers heroes, the lived experience of these workers was masked. In reality, too many healthcare workers were not, and many still are not, receiving the supports they need to do their job. Consequently, many are quitting or refusing to work in hospital settings. This is fueling additional staffing shortages. For those nurses who remain in hospitals, news of the Delta variant is causing many to exclaim, “I can’t go through this again.”

Next, the “just in time” approach adopted by many hospitals promised that healthcare workers would have what they needed “just in time.” But “just in time” creates added strain for already fatigued workers. People on the frontlines should be able to access what they need as soon as they need it. Further, “just in time” models for staffing means institutions are not prepared for emergencies when they do arise.

We must push the line Finally, although unions like ours helped pass New York State Safe Staffing legislation, the law doesn’t go into effect until 2023. It is also a floor and not ceiling for addressing shortages. We must continue to push the line and ensure that workers have what they need to care for themselves, their families and the communities they serve. This means organizing in support of passage of federal legislation, like H.R. 3165 which is pending in Congress. Among other safety precautions, the measure sets minimum nurse-to-patient staffing requirements. We know that COVID-19 cases are rising. We also know that the DELTA variant poses additional challenges. It is time to address all loopholes that compromise patient care, by jeopardizing the wellbeing of nurses and other healthcare workers. Lip service can only get us so far, and it has yet to save lives.

NEW YORK NURSE

september 2021

Nurses Need More than Vaccines

n August 18, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) issued a mandate requiring all healthcare workers in the state, including staff at hospitals, nursing homes, and other related facilities, to be vaccinated by Monday, September 27. We know that mandates create an incredible amount of stress and we do not take lightly the anxiety this is causing. For these reasons, we immediately sent Requests to Bargain to all local bargaining units to ensure that we protect all union members. NYSNA is also fighting to amplify the voice of all workers to get the protections they need. While we organized and helped get the Health and Essential Rights Act (HERO Act) implemented, we are clear about what this measure does and does not do. First, the HERO Act spells out health and safety measures to protect employees from exposure to airborne infectious diseases in all workplaces. It requires all employers to implement workplace safety plans to prevent on-the-job infections. Under the law, all employers are required to adopt a workplace safety plan, and implement it for all airborne infectious diseases designated by the New York State Department of Health. Employers can adopt a model safety plan as crafted by the New York State Department of Labor, or develop their own safety plan in compliance with HERO Act standards.

Broader guidance is needed This is a step in the right direction, but additional guidance on broader measures that will impact and improve patient and caregiver safety are needed. For instance, the public still needs better information on aerosol transmission of respiratory viruses. But to date, the conversation has focused on vaccines without a full accounting of other measures that influence transmission rates. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has not provided enough information on the three phases of the virus; generation and inhalation (phase I), and transport (phase II), and inhalation,

deposition and infection (phase III). Healthcare workers can’t be expected to keep people safe with limited information. Additionally, this virus has shown that the nation must get better about listening to those on the frontlines. While the voices of hospital executives has been publicized, the voices and perspectives of nurses and other healthcare professionals must be equally amplified. Health care facilities of all types were hardest hit by the virus, leaving healthcare professionals to work amid understaffing, insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), and flawed guidance from the CDC on how to limit transmission. These workers have unique insight that must be heeded.

Pay attention to airborne infection control In April 2020, NYSNA sought an injunction against the NYS Department of Health over bad regulations around the health and safety measures. We didn’t have access to appropriate PPE or testing, we were told we didn’t need to quarantine and isolate as long as others. We took them to court and the judge said he couldn’t overrule the DOH on a health matter. While the Health Commissioner’s recent designation of COVID-19 as a highly communicable airborne disease, nurses need full airborne infection control measures to stop COVID transmission in the healthcare environment. We need to ensure patients are co-horted properly. Facilities must have proper ventilation and more negative pressure rooms. Healthcare workers must have access to fit-tested N95 or better respiratory protection whenever

they want them, whether they’re on a so-called COVID unit or not. No healthcare worker should be reusing a disposable N95 and more reusable respiratory PPE should be available at this point. Visitation policies need more stringent mitigation measures. These are things we’ve been asking for all long.

By Pat Kane, RN NYSNA Executive Director

Vaccines are not enough The bottom line is that vaccination is an important step but it is not enough to stop the surge in transmission of the COVID variants. There are other measures that must be taken to truly protect the public, healthcare workers, and all those at high risk. We will continue pressing the CDC and the NYS DOH to follow all of the scienceto mandate full airborne infection control measures in healthcare facilities, to mandate health and safety measures to protect all workers and to provide the public with more information on better masking and clearer guidance. At the end of the day, we have an obligation to protect the public, and an obligation to care for and support those on the frontlines. We are reminding our employers of these obligations as we engage in impact bargaining over the implementation of the vaccine mandate. Our demands will sound familiar to them. They are built around the same health and safety protections and safe staffing principles we have been fighting for throughout the pandemic. They are built around respecting the knowledge and experience of healthcare professionals that have gone above and beyond to save so many lives. It’s past time for healthcare employers and policy makers to listen to those on the frontline.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has not provided enough information on the three phases of the virus; generation and inhalation (phase I), and transport (phase II), and inhalation, deposition and infection (phase III).

hispanic heritage

New York Nurse september 2021

Honoring the Contributions of NYSNA’s Latina Nurses

Through the Eyes of Our Members rom Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, NYSNA is lifting the accomplishments of its Latino members as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month. First established in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month commemorates the history and contributions of people whose families come from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Today, more than 62 million Latinos live in the United States, approaching 19 percent of the nation’s total population. According to the latest census, Latinos account for more than half the country’s population growth. The contributions of Latino nurses are of even greater importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a disproportionate number of Latinos have been impacted by the virus. However, according to the Center for Disease Control, 4 percent of all registered U.S. nurses identify as Latino. In the next two issues, NYSNA will amplify the insights of several Hispanic members. This month, we’ll feature Kelley Cabrera, RN, of the Jacobi Medical Center, Victoria Diaz, RN of St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, and Rosangel Pichardo, RN, of the Albany Medical Center.

Kelley Cabrera, RN, Jacobi Medical Center – Ecuador

Kelley Cabrera, RN

patients and for them to understand me. I’ve seen firsthand how language barriers only add more chaos and distress in the most emergent situations. What has been made abundantly clear during this pandemic is that our most marginalized and vulnerable communities would pay the highest price. During the first wave of COVID, I immediately thought of workers like my parents. They immigrated here from Ecuador in search of a better life. My mother is a housekeeper, and my father is a school bus driver. They were out of work for months and were faced with the reality of returning before

fter a childhood full of translating for my family in hospitals and clinics, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. It was crazy how few nurses looked or spoke like me. By age 16, I knew I wanted to care for patients like my parents. As a fluent Spanish speaker, I could help my patients navigate the complicated avenues of our broken healthcare system. As an ER nurse, I know how vital it is to understand my

things were truly safe. Their work, like that of so many immigrants, was deemed “essential” though not always treated as such. The unfortunate truth is that Latino death rates due to COVID are 2.3 times higher than whites in N.Y. Many come from immigrant families like mine. Health disparities are rampant due to lack of funding for our healthcare systems, lack of health insurance and even fear of seeking any care at all. I hope that in my lifetime there will be more nurses like me, who come from immigrant families and who truly understand the dynamics of these disparities. I hope we can dismantle this system and create one that provides safe and quality healthcare for all.

Rosangel Pichardo, RN, Albany Medical Center – Dominican Republic

came to Washington Heights as a teenager. I met so many wonderful teachers and mentors in high school who took the time to teach me English after school. I will forever be grateful to the teachers at George Washington High School. I am the first one in my family to get a college degree. I am very proud of my heritage, especially when it comes to my profession. I find it helpful to connect with patients on a personal level because of our shared cultural similarities. I can honestly say I am very proud of being a Hispanic frontline worker who has persevered through these unprecedented and challenging times. In my 20 years of experience, I have never experienced anything like this, but I wouldn’t change my profession for the world.

Victoria Diaz, RN, St. Catherine of Siena Hospital – Puerto Rico

Rosangel Pichardo, RN

was born and raised in Chicago. My father came from Puerto Rico when he was 21 years old.

NEW YORK NURSE september 2021

When my two children were toddlers, ages two and four, we made the decision to move to Puerto Rico. I wanted them to know Puerto Rico as only someone raised there can. That meant having Spanish as their first language. We lived there and recognized our bond with the island. We learned a lot there: some of the living conditions were hard compared to Chicago, but our tie to fellow puertorriquenos was very strong. Puerto Rico is treated like a secondclass citizen by the United States. That must change. It was very important that our children knew that firsthand. I remember our first Christmas there: It would start with carolling (parrandas) Roxanna Garcia, RN from house-to-house and each night at a menu: it was a tradition of our different home the food that would people. What I bring away from be served was arroz con gandules, my culture the most is the sense of pernil, pasteles, arroz con dulce, family and pride associated with flan and tembleque. This was the being Puerto Rican. traditional food served on the holiday until Tres Reyes (Three Kings Roxanna Garcia, RN, Day). It was more than a holiday

Montefiore Medical Center – Honduras

Victorial Diaz, RN

he question that I get asked the most is, “Where are you from?” As a child when I first arrived in the United States, all through my schooling years and even now as an adult, this question was never far away. I usually settle by responding, “I’m from Honduras,” but inevitably the question is followed by, “Where is that?” Depending on how much time I have and how interested in knowing the person asking is to me will determine how much I want to elaborate on that question. My truth is, I am American. I am Honduran. I am Afro-Caribbean. I am Hispanic — this is my inheritance; this is my heritage. Moving to the United States from Honduras

when I was four years old, I had no idea all these aspects of how I am would give me the strength to succeed. My summers, after the school year concluded, were spent on my grandparents’ farm in Honduras. It’s those summers spent helping on the farm, some days without all the comforts and distractions I had back in New York, that helped mold my nuanced and multifaceted perspective on life. Hispanic heritage is our shared language, our foods, our cultures, our resilience and perseverance. I realized when I was older that my unique experience of growing up with many cultures, the American, Latino, Caribbean and Indigenous — these are many roots of my Hispanic heritage. Despite being part of one of the fastest growing demographics in the country and in New York state, in my profession as a Registered Nurse I am still in the minority. I see my bilingual, bicultural background as assets in my career. I want our leaders, professional and political, to see us, to value us as more than just a homogenous demographic. I would hope that more Hispanics would see themselves as vital to the success of our society and not as outsiders, that we would hold up and embrace our heritage as the inheritance that’s given us the tools to succeed. When I get asked where I’m from, the immediate response is “I am American, I am Honduran, I am Afro-Caribbean. I am Hispanic and I am proud.” National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, additional statements by Latina nurses will be included in October’s New York Nurse.

cover story

New York Nurse september 2021

Contract Nurses: Earning Much More for Less Work By Pat Kane, RN, NYSNA Executive Director

I The gap between what staff nurses earn and what agency nurses earn is great.

n the 21st century, it is commonly understood that everyone deserves equal pay for equal work. But nurses working for some of the nation’s largest hospital systems are not earning their fair share. Staff workers are often paid significantly less than agency nurses, which are travel nurses employed by private agencies. As of December 2020, there were more than 25,000 travel nurses working during the pandemic. The gap between what staff nurses earn and what agency nurses earn is great. Hospitals often offer major incentives to the latter. For instance, days after Northwell Health in Staten Island settled a new collective bargaining agreement with nurses employed with them, the hospital began offering agency nurses $150 per hour. In some New York City hospitals, agency nurses were offered to be paid 12 hours for eight hours worked and 16 hours for 12 hours worked.

“Just in time” is too late Administrators cannot hail nurses as heroes one moment and then underpay some of them in another moment. Sonia Lawrence, a registered nurse, NYSNA board member and critical care nurse at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, explained it this way: “Travel nurses are a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. Travel nurses are not held to the same standards as H+H nurses. Yet they earn much more for less work. At the end of the day, accountability rests with us; H+H nurses. Travel nurses are not obligated to understand our patients and the communities we serve. We are.” While administrators may point to a nursing shortage or the COVID-19 pandemic as the rationale for relying on contract nurses, this only tells part of the story. With an aging workforce, hospital systems could have forecasted and addressed shortages. But too many of them rely on a “just in time”

Sonia Lawrence, RN, and NYSNA Board Member, Lincoln Hospital

ethos, promising to provide what is needed just in time. But “just in time” is too late during times of crisis. Separately, many hospitals didn’t fill vacancies when their census was down, leaving them ill-prepared for COVID-19 related spikes. Hospital administrators claimed not to have as many patients without considering the acuity of the patients and how that might influence the need for more nurses. Against this backdrop, it becomes clear that the staffing shortage is really a function of improper management of our healthcare system.

Nursing shortages Additionally, it is important to note that the reliance on travel nurses was surging before the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York state, places like the Center for Health Workforce Studies monitor RN graduations, and note that a lot

of RNs that enter programs in places upstate do not stay in their home region professionally and will try to work in markets that they deem to be more lucrative. As of November 16, 2020, the states with the greatest month-overmonth growth in ICU travel nurse jobs were: 1. Hawaii: 445.45 percent 2. Minnesota: 222.22 percent 3. New Jersey: 203.33 percent 4. Delaware: 200 percent 5. Illinois: 191.44 percent If hospital systems want to address nursing shortages, they should start by hiring more staff, paying them a fair wage, investing in mental healthcare for employees, and addressing COVID-19 related trauma. It goes without saying that working alongside someone who is doing the same job as you, but making much more, is unjust.

NEW YORK NURSE september 2021

The Nursing Shortage

Our Health System’s Frankenstein By Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN

s the Delta variant continues to rage in the United States, maxing out many of the nation’s Intensive Care Units, we face a severe deficit in direct care nurses and caregivers in our hospitals. Since 2016, hospitals have turned over an average of 90.8 percent of their staff, including registered nurses (RNs). Some hospitals have annual RN vacancy rates hovering well beyond 20 percent. But the number actually needed to provide safe care is often double or even triple the number of budgeted vacant positions. Meanwhile, there’s been no shortage of students wishing to study to become nurses, but nursing programs across the country are closing even as demand for nurses continues to rise. In New York State alone, over 170 nursing programs closed over the past 50 years, with only 65 accredited nursing schools remaining. What are the conditions driving RN turnover and vacancy rates, and what can we do to bring on and keep more qualified nurses in the field?

Salary and pay While salaries and benefits in “union-dense” regions of New York State have improved, they’ve still remained substandard in other areas. In non-union and even some unionized hospitals in these areas, the cost of health benefits outweighs salaries, and nurses must resort to the taxpayer-funded state government system for their dependents. Ironically, these hospitals, which receive state subsidies, are relieved of the cost of insuring their employees, while additional state funds are expended for this purpose. Defined benefit pensions have been discarded by many hospitals and replaced with defined contribution plans that are dependent upon the stock market and offer far less protection to retirees. Travel nurses, on the other hand, can earn over $5,000 per week plus housing, transportation and food. So hospitals, when they run out

Our For-Profit Health System Is Worsening a Nursing Shortage Amid Delta’s Surge of enough nurses to keep patients alive, resort to paying these costs as well as travel nurses’ lucrative agency fees. Nurses often choose to leave hospital staff and opt for these assignments in various locations in order to make more money, travel and avoid the torments of staff nurse positions in uncaring facilities. In our nation’s hospitals, 23.9 percent of all new RNs leave within a year. Each percent change in RN turnover costs the average hospital an additional $270,800 each year.

Working conditions Importantly, the main reason new nurses leave the bedside, senior nurses retire early, and others “shop around,” — or leave the profession entirely — is due to chronic understaffing and unacceptable working conditions. Nurses have been saying for years that we must have a standard of care that includes minimum nurseto-patient ratios in order to deliver “the kind of care I would want for my mom.” When, in our professional judgment, we know that we can safely care for two, three or four patients (depending upon severity and complexity of illness), yet are told we’re instead responsible for double, triple and even quadruple that number of human beings, we decompensate. There is a mantra in the medical community: “Do no harm.” Forcing us to accept an assignment far beyond our capabilities, in volume or in competency (hospitals often demand we treat patients we’re untrained to care for) places us in a dizzy state of cognitive dissonance. We undoubtedly become accomplices in potentially harming the patients in our charge. Yet, if we refuse to take on such an assignment, we’re threatened with termination. Adding to the stress, employers harass us with nitpicking details related to repetitive documentation via the electronic charting systems (EMR). Thus hospitals relegate care of the

patient secondary to documentation. Why? The tedious checklists in the EMR generate billing, paying the hospital. This focus on documentation is the final straw in the pain nurses endure as we try to do our jobs. We have far less direct contact with our patients as a result and are forced to engage in rote, factory-like activities and “speed up,” rather than being able to develop meaningful relationships with our patients and their families, and utilize the critical thinking skills we cherish. Nurses are key in detecting and preventing complications and in creating a framework that most benefits our patients. That world is disappearing as we are dangerously understaffed and challenged without supports and resources.

COVID The SARS CoV-2 pandemic didn’t initiate the nursing shortage — it exacerbated it and made the public painfully aware of its seriousness. This “shortage” is manufactured by an inflated, top-heavy health care system built on profitmaking rather than enhancing care. Dollars in hospitals are spent on consultants; marketers; information technology “streamliners”; and top-heavy, overpaid managers whose job it is to cut staff and work us beyond human capacity. That doesn’t even touch the money lining the pockets of insurers, Big Pharma, and other predators of the health care system — money that could otherwise be spent on staff, training and preventative care for our patients. In addition, the frenzied competition and breakneck efforts of hospitals to make a buck results in overtreating the well-insured and undertreating the under and uninContinued on page 12

rescue & relief

New York Nurse september 2021

Medical Missions Provide an Opportunity to Help People in Need By Rony Curvelo

Heather McCartney, RN, right, with a patient

o one should be denied quality health care based on where they live or how much money they have in the bank. That’s why the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is proud to partner with the New York Relief Network (NYRN) Medical Missions program. In NYSNA’s first mission trip since March 2020, the Medical Missions team traveled to Matamoros, Mexico (Brownsville, Texas). The group had not been to the area since 2019. The Aug. 11-16 mission, which included one nurse practitioner, two registered nurses, one health educator (who was also a translator), and a local doctor, provided medical care to 235 migrants from Central America and Haiti. The team visited three shelters and attended to people who were experiencing pain, sleeplessness, depression, lack of vitamins, etc.

”A chance to touch lives“ NYSNA’s medical missions team recounted its experience this way: “I was doing what I do at home; helping people who need it,” said Shila Pandya, a registered nurse. “We went to a migrant shelter. We

NYSNA nurses on a rescue and relief mission in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Nurses in Matamoros, Mexico, where hundreds are held in poor conditions awaiting entrance to the U.S. New York Recovery Network is planning another two missions this year to Mexico. One is to the Mexico Border—Tijuana—and another to Chiapas, in southern Mexico.

set up our office and just started helping people. We had a chance to touch lives and let them know we were there for them, even in a pandemic. It is such a good reason to give for free and expect nothing.” “All migrants were tested before our arrival,” said Rony Curvelo, coordinator for NYRN Medical Missions. “Just one person tested positive and was seen by local authorities. Our team followed protocol the entire time, and we consider the mission a complete success.” “This was one of my best volunteer experiences ever,” said Estella Natal, a health educator. “I loved working with migrants from different countries, including Mexico, in Haiti, El Salvador. It was a beautiful to work as a health educator. The Medical Missions program is something everyone can participate in.” “In 2019 when we visited Matamoros, the migrants were staying in tents near the crossing bridge,” Curvelo said. “They can no longer occupy public

space; therefore, all migrants were in at least 30 shelters across the city.” NYSNA’s disaster relief work began after Hurricane Sandy devastated New York and New Jersey. Since then, the program has deployed Medical Missions teams to the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan and to Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Since 2012, more than 600 nurses and health care professionals have joined a Medical Mission with NYRN.

Different types of healthcare “Trips like these are a wonderful way of broadening our members’ horizons and exposing them to different types of countries and different types of healthcare delivery systems. I love that our union is more than a grievance or a contract,” Karine Raymond, a registered nurse and NYSNA member. For more information, or to see pictures and video from recent missions trips, visit the New York Relief Network Facebook page. If you are interested in supporting the program, you may join the Facebook page. Persons who are financially able should also consider making a donation.

climate justice

NEW YORK NURSE september 2021

NYSNA Members Participate in Seal the Deal Action

n April 19, New York State Nurses Association members joined hundreds of climate and environmental justice activists at the #SealTheDeal action in Battery Park. The Seal the Deal event was part of a broader initiative urging Congress and the White House to pass meaningful federal climate legislation. The Seal the Deal event comes days after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report, noting in part that the world was hotter now than it has been in modern history. The report further noted that the climate crisis is caused in large part by human action, or inaction, particularly reluctance to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Once in a generation lifeline It was amid this backdrop that NYSNA members participated in the action, which was one of 75 rallies that took place around the country. NYSNA members held signs with messages such as “Climate Justice Saves Lives” and “Climate Change is a Health Crisis.” Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC, and NYSNA board secretary, delivered a powerful speech on the importance of passing the federal $3.5 trillion budget bill with specific provisions to protect our environment.

Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, NYSNA Secretary and Gina Amparo, RN

“The opportunity before us is a once-in-a-generation lifeline to drastically right what has been so wrong for way too long,” PinedaMarcon said. “We have a chance to radically change our economy, to sustainably modernize our country’s infrastructure and to build out a social safety net that dramatically changes the lives of working-class people and their families.”

Disparities are breathtaking Nurses on the frontlines of patient care have seen the horrors of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 54,000 people have died in New York and countless others have been impacted. Frontline workers have also witnessed the deep

impact the pandemic has had on low-income communities of color, which are more likely to die from COVID-19. The disparities are breathtaking. But, we know that this is just a preview of what is ahead if we do not take climate change seriously. Because marginalized communities are more likely to experience environmental racism, they bear a disproportionate impact of the climate crisis. In passing the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation act, Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to spur the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy and to do so with an equity lens. NYSNA nurses are all in. They hope their elected leaders are too.

[M]arginalized communities are more likely to experience environmental racism...[T]hey bear a disproportionate impact of the climate crisis.

health & safety

New York Nurse september 2021

Safe Workplaces and Mental Health Services Go Hand in Hand

A sign to remind everyone in the healthcare environment that assaulting a nurse is a crime.

combination of unsafe understaffing, increasing stress and substance misuse due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shrinking mental healthcare services, have all contributed to a rise in violence at several facilities throughout the state. Nurses are continuing to demand a voice in creating safer workplaces and urging hospitals to reopen the mental health services their patients and communities need. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers already have the highest threat of workplace violence and accounted for 73 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence in 2018. “Very little has changed with security, [and] they haven’t hired more staff,” said Fred Durocher, RN, a nurse at Ellis Medicine, where a year ago, a tech was assaulted and a nurse was stabbed at the hospital.

"Violence is frequent" A nurse who works in the adult Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program at RUMC explained: “One of the biggest things is the nurses station. I’ve had patients come behind the station and punch me in the back of the head. I’ve had bodily fluids thrown on me and computers thrown at me.” “Violence is frequent — on an everyday basis,” said Constance Clark, RN, who works at Rikers jail in NYC.

(right) HealthAlliance Hudson Valley nurses have been speaking out against staffing and mental health service cuts that put patients at risk.

Being assaulted is never “just part of the job,” though healthcare administrators sometimes discourage employees from reporting an assault and make survivors feel like they should have been able to single-handedly prevent an attack. “The administration makes it seem like it’s our fault when someone gets hurt,” said one nurse who works in Montefiore Children’s Hospital. Instead, hospital administrators must listen to nurses about workplace violence prevention, especially as we see an increase in attacks against frontline healthcare workers.

Inpatient units closed During the pandemic, several private-sector hospitals closed lessprofitable inpatient mental health and detox units — bypassing the usual community needs assessment process. They have not yet reopened services. NY-Presbyterian Allen and Brooklyn Methodist, Northwell Syosset and Staten Island University Hospital; and WMC HealthAlliance Hudson Valley all eliminated these much needed services. Hospitals such as Ellis reduced inpatient psychiatric beds, which has led to patients holding for days in the ER. Nurses report that many behavioral health patients they are familiar with have decompensated during the pandemic, with more limited access to other social services and supports. NYSNA members, in conjunction with NYSNA’s Health + Safety department, have used several tac-

On August 16, Constance Clark, RN, joined nurses, doctors and other caregivers to protest workplace violence in the healthcare facilities at Rikers.

tics to reduce workplace violence. They have successfully advocated for safe staffing, including nurses, security, and behavioral health staff; and improved training. They have documented hazards and organized workplace violence assessments with NYSNA, even escalating issues to OSHA and , the Public Employee Safety and Health division of the NYS Department of Labor. They have raised issues at labor-management meetings and filed grievances. And they have used sticker days and rallies to draw attention to the problem of workplace violence. If you have been assaulted at work, know that you are not alone, and the issue of workplace violence in healthcare cannot be solved alone. Do not hesitate to contact healthandsafety@nysna.org for advice, and visit our website for more resources to protect yourself and your colleagues: www.nysna. org/workplace-violence.

NEW YORK NURSE september 2021

We Will Never Forget

Remembering the Lives Lost Due to the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

t the time, I was working for former Ohio State Sen. Mark Mallory, who later went on to become the mayor of Cincinnati. I’d just walked into Mallory’s legislative office at the Ohio Statehouse, sat down in one of two oversized leather chairs and turned on the television — a routine I’d done for months. I flipped on the power switch just as the second hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 175, smashed into the World Trade Center south tower. Minutes before, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. From the Ohio Statehouse, the images were terrifying. From New York City, the experience had to be hell on earth. I watched as New Yorkers scrambled to get to safety, likely without an immediate understanding of what was happening. It quickly became apparent that hijackers were carrying out a terrorist attack, a deadly one at that.

Widespread terror Meanwhile, in Washington, the third hijacked plane, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the side of the Pentagon, killing 125 people. Another hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought their attackers, potentially diverting the planes intended target of the White House or the U.S. Capitol. At least 39 people died in that crash. In total, 2,977 people died as a result of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. It remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. history. More than 20 years after the attacks, the nation still shudders to think of that day. The destruction of the twin towers and adjacent communities exposed hundreds of thousands of survivors to dust and fumes from collapsing buildings to the combustion of jet fuel and its

lingering fires, as well as to extreme psychological trauma. Exposures to environmental hazards and psychological stressors continued during the months of recovery work that followed. Tens of thousands of workers at Ground Zero reported ensuing asthma and lung disease. Illnesses continue to be traced to the towers’ collapse. No one will forget that day. As courageous nurses battle the COVID-19 pandemic on the frontlines today, we honor those nurses whose selflessness and bravery were beacons of hope on 9/11. NYSNA members expressed similar sentiments below:

Their legacy lives on “We will never forget the families who lost their loved ones on 9/11 — one of the most tragic and sorrowful days in our nation’s history. As nurses and healers, we recognize the overwhelming challenge this loss represents to those families. We extend ourselves to help in any way possible, to heal these terrible wounds,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans. “The nurses of New York City’s public hospitals extend our deepest and most profound sympathies to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11. No doubt this day brings back very painful memories. For those still suffering physical harm or psychological trauma, care must be extended or continued, as illness and hardship persist. We are here to help with the healing in any way we can,” said Judith Cutchin, RN, an NYSNA board member and president of NYSNA’s NYC H+H/Mayorals Executive Council. “I’m keenly aware of the 20th anniversary of September 11th because my son turned 19 in April. I was pregnant when I responded to Ground Zero to offer medical care to our first responders. I will never forget the devastation I witnessed and am so grateful my son was born healthy. I remember those who lost their

Tara Molle/DHS Official Photographer

By Jennifer R. Farmer

lives that tragic day, and I pray for their families and friends who are still grieving. I hope they are comforted knowing that others share their pain,” said Patricia Tyrrell, a Mayoral RN.

Sources: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/ us-news/2-people-killed-worldtrade-center-9-11-identified-dnan1278723 https://news.yahoo. com/911-anniversary-worldtrade-center-attacks-how-manypeople-died-085535584.html

New York Nurse september 2021

NYSNA Issues Demand to Bargain Following Statewide Vaccine Mandate By Eric Smith, NYSNA Field Director

Vaccine Mandate link: https://tinyurl.com/NYSVaccine-Mandate

n August 18, 2021, the New York State Department of Health issued an order mandating that all healthcare workers get their first vaccination by September 27, 2021. On August 26, 2021, the NYS Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) adopted the order as written with some added language. Please read the full order here below and watch the full hearing here https://tinyurl.com/ NYS-PHHPC-Mandate-Hearing. Many members have asked about taking legal action against the NYS DOH. Members may recall that in April of 2020, NYSNA filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the Dept of Health over polices which put healthcare workers at increased risk- inadequate PPE and testing, relaxation of quarantine and isolation guidelines, etc. The Manhattan Supreme Court ruled against NYSNA stating the court couldn’t “substitute its judgement for that of an administrative agency, such as the respondent DOH.” In response to this, NYSNA mobilized and issued statewide

NYS Dept of Health Public Health and Health Planning Council meeting

demands to bargain and requests for information. Members across the state are now formulating common demands that will include: l Vaccine mandates must be a part of a comprehensive health and safety program to combat COVID-19. Vaccine-only approaches will fail. l No N95s will be rationed. N95s will be available for all nurses after each patient encounter

with COVID+/PUI patients, with proper fit testing l The 90-day PPE stockpile must be maintained at all times, with NYSNA access l PPE should never be reused unless designed to do so. Elastomerics, PAPRs or other reusable PPE need to be purchased to supplement single-use N95s. l All patients and visitors must be tested l There needs to be severe limits on all visitors or outright bans in communities with high rates of transmission l HVAC and filtration systems must be expanded/retrofitted immediately l Real contact tracing protocols must be in place for all nurseswe have a right to know l Reinstitute all CBA staffing levels and ratios now. Massive hiring plans are needed statewide l Ban all unsafe floats out of cluster/area of expertise. l Remain connected with your local bargaining unit representatives to learn of local updates, including dates and times for impact bargaining. We know you will come to the table to make sure all nurses’ voices are heard.

Our Health System’s Frankenstein Continued from page 7

sured, resulting in complications and negative outcomes. Nurses are pressured to reduce “length of stay” and often have to take on hospitals and insurance “police” to advocate for patients staying an extra day to recuperate. As the pandemic continues to rage amid the Delta variant’s spread, patients in already overcrowded, understaffed, poorly prepared environments are still dying by the thousands when, maybe, even in the face of a horrific medical nightmare, we might have saved so many more. The death toll and the conditions New York nurses faced in March and April 2020 left us numb, with an almost collective amnesia about what occurred — just so we could

continue on. Post-traumatic stress disorder is rampant, and now, with numbers rising in intensive care units once again, it’s almost too much to bear. What’s worse, the flip-flopping and crass abandonment of safety for caregivers on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our employers at the start of the pandemic resulted in a form of “trauma betrayal,” that left caregivers skeptical about believing anything else the government promoted, including vaccines.

The cure? Without fundamentally altering the focus of the health care system away from the business model of profiteering and back to the social

model of care which could be facilitated by a Medicare for All system, our society will fail again to develop a reliable public health infrastructure. Without mandating standards for patient loads, without affording us respect as competent, thinking professionals, we will continue to “burn out” and abandon our beloved profession. Without making nursing accessible and affordable to all the idealistic youths that wish to give from their hearts, hands and minds to our society, the nursing shortage will escalate and there may not be anyone to care for you when you are most in need. This article originally appeared on Truthout.org

around our union

NEW YORK NURSE september 2021

August 24: Long-term Care Virtual Town Hall

hanks to nurses and health care professionals’ advocacy, New York long-term care facilities and hospitals have stronger staffing laws to protect patients and healthcare workers’ safety. As NYSNA long-term care workers prepare for the staffing bills to take effect in January, NYSNA held a Long-Term Care Town Hall on August 24 to review

the impact and changes that workers can expect to see. NYSNA discussed the complexity of the law, because stand-alone long-term care units will be covered by the new nursing home staffing law, while other units that are housed at Article 28 hospitals will be governed by the hospital staffing law. After the heartbreaking year that nursing homes and long-term

care units have endured, everyone recognized the need to provide a greater level of nursing to their very ill, high-acuity patients. NYSNA members were empowered by the information provided at the town hall and are ready do everything they can to ensure facilities follow the laws and establish strong nurse staffing levels.

Nurses Across NYC Ratify Strong Contracts

YSNA nurses celebrated victory after victory as several local bargaining units won strong contracts. Mount Sinai/ NYC H+H Elmhurst midwives, Bronxcare midwives and Fresenius NY Dialysis Center nurses all ratified new contracts that improve the wages, benefits and bargaining rights of nurses. For Mount Sinai midwives and Fresenius nurses, those victories come after a two-year fight for respect and dignity at their workplaces. Earlier this summer, Mount Sinai midwives brought the pressure to Mount Sinai and H+H/ Elmhurst leadership through a letter campaign and an info picket attended by community members and elected officials, where midwives gave impassioned speeches. When Fresenius nurses voted on the winning contract, bargaining committee member Teresa Schloth said, “We finally secured a retiree health benefit for our members who have worked hard caring for

NYSNA Midwives of Mount Sinai at Elmhurst Hospital Rachel O’Hearn and Sarah Morelli at speak out, August 16, 2021

patients over the years, as well as a brand-new float team to help with staffing.” Those victories are just the beginning as bargaining units

Olean NYSNA Nurses Send Letter to Hospital Board of Directors

urses at Olean General Hospital are demanding the hospital hire more nurses and develop sustainable plans to retain nurses to provide safe, quality care. In response, Olean has temporarily reduced the number of patient rooms this

month. Nurses have sent a letter to the Olean Hospital board of directors to fully address the staffing crisis and are circulating a community petition to drum up support. Local Bargaining Unit President Kris Powell, RN, recently spoke to the Olean Times Herald highlighting

across the state build their negotiating committees and kick off bargaining!

that the reduction lightens some pressure but by no means cures the issue of unsafe staffing ratios at the hospital. “There are times when I’ve seen one nurse in charge of 13 patients — and that’s just not right,” she said. Olean nurses are united and organized to ensure Olean management does the right thing for health care workers and their patients.

around our union

New York Nurse september 2021

HealthAlliance Nurses Hold the Line for Staffing and Services

YSNA nurses and health care professionals are fighting back against the latest staffing cuts at HealthAlliance Hudson Valley (HAHV) Hospital. The staffing cuts have forced NYSNA members to face several challenges delivering safe, quality care. Every Monday evening,

HAHV nurses have been holding Local Bargaining Unit meetings outside the hospital to raise awareness of HAHV’s staffing and service cuts and build a solidarity throughout Kingston, New York, to protect patient care. HealthAlliance, owned by Westchester Medical Center, shut-

tered inpatient mental health and detox services at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and has not returned them, despite overwhelming need. Earlier this summer, the administration laid off over 40 staff members, which has intensified nurse workloads at the expense of quality patient care. HAHV nurses are speaking out and doing whatever it takes to demand that HAHV save their services!

Mattel Barbie Recognizes NYSNA Nurse and fellow Frontline Healthcare Workers

oy company Mattel recently honored frontline workers with dolls modeled on reallife doctors and nurses. Among them is a Barbie doll version of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center nurse and NYSNA member Amy O’Sullivan, who treated the first known COVID-19 case in New

York. Amy came down with symptoms and was on a ventilator and became one of the many health care workers fighting the virus themselves. Days later, she went home to rest before returning to work on the frontlines. Although this doll and the other five female health care worker trib-

ute dolls are not for sale, Mattel announced it will donate $5 for every doctor, nurse or paramedic Barbie sold at Target to the First Responders’ Children’s Program as part of its #ThankYouHeroes campaign. What an amazing and fun tribute to a New York nurse!

Member Leader Trainings

YSNA nurses recently completed the fourth and last part of their summer Nurse Leader Trainings. Hosted by NYSNA’s Labor Education department, the four-part training develops nurses into nurse leaders within the union and their workplace. Using hands-on exercises, role plays and other interactive educational tools, participants learned and practiced the skills needed to rep-

resent, organize and engage their coworkers. Nurse Leader Trainings have long been a source of educational empowerment for nurses who want to create positive change in their workplace. In a member-driven union, member involvement is necessary to build power and win campaigns. The first part of the fall series, “The Responsibilities of Nurse Leaders to Advocate for Themselves

and their Patients,” kicks off September 14. Register today at https://tinyurl.com/Nurse-LeaderTrainings-Fall21. Each class is awarded 3.0CHs/0.3CEUs. Each part is accredited separately and can be taken independently; and the parts do not need to be taken in order.

AFFECTED BY HURRICANE IDA?

ALERT

Resources & Assistance for Members affected by the storm or flooding GOVERNOR’S RELIEF & RESPONSE RESOURCES

FOR WESTCHESTER RESIDENTS

lw ww.governor.ny.gov/programs/governors-relief-andresponse-resources

Residents who need housing assistance should reach out to the Westchester County Department of Social Services. If you have a housing emergency, you may call 914-995-2099. If you need immediate assistance, you may alsocontact the American Red Cross at 877-RED-CROSS or United Way by dialing 211.

NYC POST-STORM RESOURCES The City of New York has developed a list of resources for those who were affected by this historic storm. l https://www1.nyc.gov/site/em/resources/ida.page

UNION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (UAP) NYSNA Members should be sure to check out the important benefits available through the Union Assistance Program. Log into: unionap.com to learn more about available benefits Call the UAP at 1-800-252-4555 to discuss your specific challenges and obtain ongoing emotional support.

UNITED WAY OF NEW YORK CITY – DISASTER RELIEF l https://unitedwaynyc.org/resources/disaster-relief/

NURSES HOUSE: l https://donate.nurseshouse.org/ FEMA: FEMA will be able to offer financial assistance to residents through ‘individual assistance’ programs.For more information, and to view the FEMA individual assistance application and required application information please visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

NEW YORK NURSE

september 2021

Official Call to Convention

2021 Convention of the New York State Nurses Association Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, NYSNA Secretary

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021 This meeting will be held virtually. It is open to all NYSNA members in good standing. To register, go to www.nysna. org/2021-nysna-convention

rently working in non-union healthcare facilities, but other unions might also attempt to decertify NYSNA at our existing facilities.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO NYSNA BYLAWS

BYLAW PROPOSAL #2: The following, although written in the format of a resolution, was submitted as a bylaw amendment prescribing specific contract ratification procedures. The makers were advised of their options to amend this proposal to bring it in the proper format of a bylaw amendment or to submit it as a resolution.

BYLAW PROPOSAL #1: AMENDING NYSNA BYLAWS ARTICLE II, SECTION 1 TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF NON-RN MEMBERSHIP IN NYSNA Submitted by Diane Groneman, RT, LBU President, and Melissa Crabb, RVT, Peconic Bay Medical Center

Text of the Proposal: Article II – MEMBERS, DUES, AND AFFILIATES Section 1. Members and Dues A. Members 1) A member is one: a) who has been granted a license to practice as a registered nurse in at least one state, territory, possession or District of Columbia of the United States or is otherwise lawfully so entitled to practice and who does not have a license under suspension or revocation, and a non-Registered Nurse in a bargaining unit currently represented by the association that the association represents or is seeking to represent, MAKER’S RATIONALE Within NYSNA’s membership there are facilities which not only incorporate RNs but also other healthcare professionals—examples—Respiratory Therapists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists. These healthcare professionals are strong, supportive members with full rights and privileges in our union. Some are LBU Presidents as well as convention delegates. They walk next to us in our picket lines, fight for our members when we are in discipline hearings, and negotiate contracts we are proud of. NYSNA’s continued fight to organize new facilities across the state including healthcare professionals can open new doors of power as we strive for safe staffing ratios and other healthcare priorities. This allows NYSNA’s membership to increase more than if healthcare professions are excluded. POSITION OF THE NYSNA BOARD Action: While the NYSNA Board of Directors recognizes the important contributions of our current non-RN members, their recommendation is for delegates to vote “NO” on this proposed amendment to the NYSNA bylaws. Rationale: This proposed amendment would expand the definition of membership for non-RNs to include not just those in bargaining units that NYSNA currently represents but also those in bargaining units that NYSNA is “seeking to represent.” The intent is to change current policy and expand NYSNA’s organizing beyond RNs to include other healthcare professionals. This would represent a significant shift in NYSNA’s organizational focus, away from RNs to other healthcare professionals. Such a move could create significant conflict with other healthcare unions in the state. There have already been several recent examples where other unions have attempted to organize RNs who NYSNA was interested in representing. And if this bylaw amendment were to pass these conflicts would almost certainly intensify. This could be quite damaging to the organization, since we would not only risk losing potential members cur-

Submitted by: Xenia Greene, RN, Montefiore Moses Shamelee Morrison-Alexander, RN, Montefiore Moses Johnaira Dilone, RN, Montefiore Moses Katherine Fernandez, RN, Montefiore Weiler Una Davis, RN, Montefiore Moses Agnes Hunter, RN, Montefiore Weiler Solomon Kumah, RN, Montefiore Weiler Mike DeMarco, RN, Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital Peggy Desiderio, RN, Mount Sinai St Luke’s Hospital Diana Torres RN, Mount Sinai West Hospital

Text of the Proposal: Whereas a powerful union contract can assist in deepening members’ ownership and engagement in our contract; Whereas a strong union contract aids members in protecting the communities we serve, regardless of our community’s socioeconomic or racial background; Whereas the freedom of expression is intrinsic to democracy and hearing alternative views and analyses is critical for informed and democratic decision-making; Whereas, we believe a democratic and vibrant culture will build our union and influence other nurses to join NYSNA; Whereas the right to vote on a contract is only meaningful if it is informed; Therefore be it resolved, that when a tentative agreement is reached, it is marked with additions and strikeouts to indicate changes from the original agreement; Be it further resolved, that minority reports (statements of bargaining committee members who are opposed to tentative agreement) will be provided if any; Be it finally resolved, that the memorandum of agreement and a summary of the tentative agreement including both gains and losses will be provided to all members and be discussed during at least one widely advertised membership meeting at a reasonable time before ratification voting;

The Board supports full transparency, principles of union democracy and the rights of union members in the contract ratification process. However, the Board feels that a “one size fits all” mandate to contract ratification procedures as presented could be harmful to Local Bargaining Units and leaders facing unique circumstances such as potential strikes, lockouts, acceptable offers predicated on full support of the negotiating committee, or very small units that chose to ratify immediately upon reaching an agreement, for example.

BYLAW PROPOSAL #3 – AMENDING NYSNA BYLAWS ARTICLE XII, TO CHANGE THE RESOLUTION DEADLINE TO 60 DAYS PRIOR TO CONVENTION Submitted by Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN, Montefiore Moses

Text of the Proposal: ARTICLE XII – CONVENTION Section 5. Procedural Issues B) In order to allow for discussion and debate, Convention resolutions must be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the association at least thirty (30) sixty (60) days prior to the Convention and distributed to delegates at least thirty (30) days prior to the Convention, or as otherwise provided in policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors and approved by the Convention. MAKER’S RATIONALE The current bylaws allow resolutions to be submitted up to 30 days prior to Convention. The process requires the Resolutions Committee to meet after this date to review the submitted resolutions and ensure they are: l legal l not contradicted by other bylaws sections l understandable Resolution submitters can be contacted at that time for clarification and suggestions, to ensure that their submissions can be deliberated upon at the meeting. This process can take up to weeks to finalize and thus the distribution of officially submitted resolutions to the delegates can occur very close to the actual convention making their review and discussion challenging—if not impossible—for regional or LBU delegates prior to the convention. The deadline for bylaws amendments is 75 days prior to the convention which allows for their discussion. As resolutions are not quite at the same level as bylaws amendments, we think 60 days provides for enough advance time for their review by delegates, given the above process.

POSITION OF THE NYSNA BOARD

Action: The NYSNA Board of Directors is instructing the Convention Chair to consider this submission as a resolution, not a bylaw amendment.

Action: The NYSNA Board of Directors’ recommendation is for delegates to vote “YES” on this proposed amendment to the NYSNA bylaws.

Additionally, even if the proposal is amended to conform to the format of a bylaw amendment, the Board feels mandating a prescriptive process for contract ratification in NYSNA’s bylaws is not in the best interest of our union given the diverse nature of our Local Bargaining Units.

Rationale: This proposal would move the submission deadline for resolutions to 60 days prior to Convention from the current deadline of 30 days prior.

Rationale: This proposal recommends specific procedures for contract ratification, a subject not currently addressed in the NYSNA bylaws. It is structured and framed as a Convention resolution, not a bylaw proposal. The authors put forward an identical resolution at the 2019 Convention which was not considered because of limited time.

The current 30-day deadline does not provide sufficient time for resolutions to be reviewed and distributed to delegates well in advance of Convention. Extending the submission deadline to 60 days prior to Convention would allow for advance distribution of submitted resolutions and ensure that delegates can discuss convention business with members of their Local Bargaining Units.

NEW YORK NURSE

Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA

September 2021

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

INSIDE

NYSNA

We are coming up on the second anniversary of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of enormous challenges, NYSNA members helped save tens of thousands of New Yorkers. We advocated for our patients, profession and communities. We moved New York to pass a landmark staffing law, moving us closer to equitable, universal minimum safe staffing standards for all hospitals and nursing homes, regardless of zip code.

convention Wednesday October 27 8:00AM – 4:30PM The Nursing Shortage: Our Health System’s Frankenstein, p. 7

registration now open

We are hosting a hybrid in-person and virtual one-day Convention. Delegates and members have the option of attending a watch party in person with their colleagues at the Sheraton Times Square, or virtually. Starting a month before and on the day of Convention, members will be able to take a series of accredited educational workshops.

Medical Missions Provide an Opportunity to Help People in Need, p. 8

United for Our Patients, Our Practice, and a Just Recovery for All

Registration for the Convention and workshops https://www.nysna.org/2021Convention