NEW YORK NURSE: April 2008
Last fall, the 2007 NYSNA Voting Body approved a change in association bylaws that removed references to Clinical Practice Units and Functional Practice Units, replacing them with Practice Focus Groups. The Board of Directors has approved five Practice Focus Groups (PFGs).
As a NYSNA member, you are encouraged to join one PFG. Your choice will be stored with your membership information and will allow you to attend the annual PFG business meeting and run for a leadership position within the group. Each PFG will have a five-member executive committee including a chairperson, vice chairperson, and three members at large.
The PFGs are based on patient populations. All groups will offer collaborative opportunities for RNs that provide care to each population, with an emphasis on practice issues and systems improvement.
Please review the descriptions below and decide which group best reflects the patients you work with most of the time or the area in which you would like to gain more information or experience. You also may select a PFG online at members.nysna.org (free registration required).
Adult Health
Members of this PFG provide health promotion and maintenance, illness care, and rehabilitation to adults.
Family/Maternal Child Health
Members of this PFG provide family-centered nursing and assist this population in dealing with actual and potential health problems.
Behavioral Health
Members of this PFG provide wellness promotion through coping skills; identification, prevention, care, and treatment of populations with mental health concerns, behavioral problems, stress-related disorders, substance abuse problems, and psychiatric disorders.
Public Health
Members of this PFG, which includes community health nurses, provide health promotion, primary nursing care, maintenance, and protection of individuals and communities.
Gerontological Health
Members of this PFG provide health promotion and maintenance, illness care, and rehabilitation to older adults and to those in long term care settings.