NYSNA 2012 Biennial Conference

Schedule of Events: Wednesday, Oct. 24

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Time Event/Information
9:45 - 10:45 AM Practice Focus Groups (No contact hours)

Nurses will meet with colleagues who share their practice setting to discuss issues of common concern. NYSNA members belonging to one of the five Practice Focus Groups (PFGs) will have the opportunity to vote for a chairperson and two members-at-large. PFGs are: Adult Health, Family/Maternal/Child Health, Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Gerontological Health.

Presenters: Facilitated by the Chairs of each PFG: Adult Health – Vera Odoms; Behavioral Health – Elaine Green; Family/Maternal/Child Health – Elisa Mancuso; Gerontological Health – Anne Cardinale; Public Health – Christine Saltzberg

Objectives

  • Identify professional nursing issues of interest or common concern to members
  • Discuss the PFGs’ role in working with the Council on Nursing Practice to address its members’ areas of concern
11:00 AM - Noon Practice Focus Group Forum (1.0 Contact Hour)

All five PFGs will join the Council on Nursing Practice to share issues that were discussed during the individual PFG sessions. Members will have the opportunity to interact with council members and propose ways to address practice concerns.

Presenters: Facilitated by Chair Council on Nursing Practice Burt Thelander

Objectives

  • Identify three issues that were discussed in the Practice Focus Group sessions
  • Discuss the role of the Council on Nursing Practice in addressing these issues and concerns
12:15 - 1:30 PM Networking lunch (No contact hours)
1:45 - 4:15 PM Congress of Bargaining Unit Leaders
(Note: ALL registrants welcome to attend CE session)

Elected Local Bargaining Unit (LBU) Leaders hold their semi-annual meeting, where they will discuss issues related to staffing, prevention of violence against nurses, and legislative priorities. The Congress invites the president/chair of each bargaining unit or one designee from the executive committee of the unit. Other LBU members are welcome to observe the meeting and address the group.

Voting Congress Members must pre-register for the meeting. If you have questions about voting eligibility, contact your unit chairperson/president.
2:50 - 3:50 PM Forensic Analysis of Workplace Violence* (1.0 Contact Hour)
(held during Congress; *available to bargaining unit members only)

This one-hour panel discussion will examine a wide range of victimization experiences from the perspective of the nurse employee who becomes a victim of workplace violence. Emphasis will be placed on workplace violence, corporate gross negligence, assault, menacing, stalking, domestic violence, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, and harassment.

Presenters: Marie Sweeney, RN; Carol Schlitt, Esq.; Ms. Karen Newman, retired police officer

Objectives

  • Discuss corporate legal accountability related to crimes that are committed in the healthcare environment.
  • Converse with police officers to bring about criminal charges when applicable in the healthcare setting.
  • Outline three measures nurses and their employers can institute to reduce violence in the healthcare setting.
4:30 - 5:30 PM Concurrent Track Sessions (1.0 contact hours each)

Track 1: Legislative/PAC

“Persuading Politicians and Winning Safe Staffing Legislation” - Tracey Tress, Lobbyist, Malkin & Ross

It’s going to be a tough fight, but nurses, other union members, and grassroots and patient activists can win the struggle to have the legislature pass, and the governor sign, a safe staffing bill. What tactics can we use in the workplace, community and in lobbying to unify our efforts – and win this battle?

Objectives

  • Define the role that elected officials have in the process of shaping legislation.
  • Identify tactics that nurses can use to unify nurses and elected officials around safe staffing.

Track 2: Facility/Member Mobilization

“Getting the Truth about Your Finances: Using Research to Fight and Win at Your Hospital” - Edward Yoo, NYSNA Strategic Research

Learn how to work with NYSNA resources to research your employer’s business to prepare for bargaining, fight a closing, or deal with a merger. Together, we’ll share ideas on how to use financial and business information to educate members, recruit allies, enlighten the public, and challenge management’s statements and strategy.

Objectives

  • Identify three ways to utilize NYSNA’s resources relating to business and financial information
  • Discuss ways to educate and mobilize members
7:00 - 8:30 PM Opening Keynote: “Safety in Numbers ” - Suzanne Gordon - Journalist, Professor, Author (1.5 Contact Hours)

With more than fourteen states in the U.S., and several other countries around the world, now considering staffing level regulation, this workshop presents a balanced assessment of the impact of nurse-to-patient ratios on patient outcomes and RN job performance and satisfaction. Ratio advocates believe that minimum staffing levels are essential for quality care, better working conditions and higher rates of RN recruitment and retention necessary to alleviate the current global nursing shortage. Nurses must take the lead in patient safety by fighting for working conditions and workplace changes that make it possible for both patients and nurses to be safe.

Objectives

  • Examine arguments for and against nurse-to-patient staffing ratios
  • Discuss current trends in legislation related to safe staffing
8:45 PM Networking Event

Details TBA

:: Top of Page