NEW YORK NURSE: July/August 2007
by Joely Johnson
The resort town of Atlantic City is both charmingly historic and vibrantly modern. It’s the perfect setting for this year’s convention, where you’ll get the chance to savor some looks back and also to do plenty of forward thinking. Here are some highlights:
Friday morning brings a moving keynote address by Barbara Glickstein, public health nurse and radio program producer. Her talk, “Hear my voice: The tragedy of human trafficking,” will describe human slavery today and how RNs can help. In the afternoon, the NYSNA Political Action Committee will host a ticketed fundraising luncheon. After dinner and the Board of Directors forum, you can let your inner high-roller out to play at a special Atlantic City-style social event, including blackjack, craps, Texas Hold’em poker, and roulette.
On Saturday, early risers can take part in an hour-long run/walk to raise money for Nurses House, a charity that assists RNs in need (pre-paid entry fee required). A special session designed just for nursing students will impart important information on nursing practice, and give students a chance to meet people from other schools and ask questions about NYSNA. Saturday night offers two upbeat events you won’t want to miss. The Awards Ceremony recognizes and honors nurse leaders, and is free and open to all this year. And the semi-formal Gala Dinner and Celebration features music and dancing, so bring something wonderful to wear (ticket required).
This year’s endnote address will be delivered by Michael Clarke, JD, chief of the Medicaid Fraud Unit in the Nassau County District Attorney’s office. He will describe how some of the most successful prosecutions of healthcare fraud were thanks to nurses who reported the problems. The final Voting Body session will announce results of the 2007 election and enact the passing of the gavel to current President-elect Linda O’Brien.
This year, continuing education sessions will be offered in four tracks, which give members a wide variety of options to choose from. “We listened to feedback from participants of previous conventions,” said Renée Gecsedi, director of Nursing Advocacy and Information. “Members told us that although they are interested in newer, hotter topics such as legislation, they still want the option of attending programs on clinical practice. So we’re offering it all this year.”
Track topics include: Clinical Innovations, Contemporary Issues, Legislative Advocacy, and Professional Development. Sessions from each track will be offered during two time slots on both Friday and Saturday; you can mix and match to attend a total of four sessions over the weekend. Each lasts an hour and 15 minutes, equal to 1.25 contact hours. When registering for convention, please indicate the sessions you wish to attend; your selections are not binding, but they help NYSNA allot the correct space for each session.
If this will be your first trip to Convention (or even if it’s not), a new web-based feature will help you get the most out of the weekend. After you’ve completed your online registration, look for the link to the “Convention 101” webcast. This audiovisual presentation will answer questions you may have and provide information on everything from what to wear to and registration hours, to special events and making time to relax. If you’ve already registered, you can find the “Convention 101” webcast by going to www.nysna.org and clicking on the Convention logo.