NYSNA Update: September 5, 2025

NYSNA Celebrates Labor Day!

NYSNA members had a great time celebrating Labor Day this past Monday, Sept. 1. From Albany to Massena to Buffalo, nurses gathered in community to commemorate the power of labor. The Capital District Area Labor Federation recognized Albany Medical Center nurses at their Labor Day celebration with the Michael L. Burns Labor Day Award “for negotiating a great contract.” In Poughkeepsie, NYSNA Treasurer Margaret Franks, RN, spoke out at Dutchess County Central Labor Council & Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation Labor Rally to highlight the impact of cuts to healthcare and the need to pass the NY Health Act. There’s still time to join the New York City Central Labor Council Labor Day Parade tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 6. Register to join NYSNA and march alongside our New York City Labor family. 

Thank you to all NYSNA nurses and healthcare professionals who fight for safer working conditions and fair pay and benefits and to protect nurses’ and patients’ rights! This year, it’s more important than ever to honor labor history and remember that workers organized, fought and sacrificed to win the rights we enjoy today, like health and safety protections, a minimum wage and the right to join a union. At a time when worker rights and labor unions are under attack, nurses are united in defending our rights, our patients and our practice.

Around the Union

NEP Practice Alert: NYSED Requires ALL Nurses to RETAKE the Reporting Child Abuse Course

The New York State Education Department, Professional Education Program Review Office, issued an updated 2025 New York State Mandated Reporter Training Syllabus. NYSNA’s Nurse Education and Practice (NEP) is here to ensure all members have access to this updated course. The new program, “NYS Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 9th Edition,” is available now and is free to NYSNA members on the NYSNA E-LeaRN website. Every person who is required to take the mandated training related to child abuse, including nurses and other professionals who have previously undergone the training, MUST retake the newly updated training by Nov. 17, 2026.

Check out the informational flyer to learn more about this new requirement. If you have any questions about your E-leaRN account, please contact NEP at Courses@NYSNA.org.   

NYSNA Nurses at Samaritan Medical Center Are Fighting for a Fair Contract

Samaritan Medical Center nurses are gearing up to negotiate a fair contract for nurses and their North Country patients. They are uniting under a strong platform that will prioritize safe staffing, workplace safety, and the recruitment and retention of nurses at Samaritan. Like many hospitals in the North Country, Samaritan has experienced service closures and will be hit hard by incoming cuts to Medicare and other social programs. Nurses are prepared to use this contract fight to protect access to healthcare in their community. 

Onondaga County Nurses Ratify New Contract

Earlier today, Onondaga County NYSNA nurses ratified a new contract. The contract includes across-the-board wage increases; new shift, education, weekend, and charge differentials; and new holiday, floating holiday, vacation, and sick-time language! Next, the contract goes to the county legislature where nurses are hopeful that it will be ratified without issue. Congratulations to Onondaga nurses on organizing, bargaining, and fighting for the fair contract nurses and patients deserve!

ECMC Nurses Distribute School Supplies for Buffalo Schoolchildren

NYSNA nurses at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) are on a roll supporting their community! In addition to marching in last week’s Labor Day parade — and saving lives after a bus accident — nurses have been collecting school supplies to donate to a local public school so kids in their community have the resources they need in the new school year. Nurses’ generous donation was delivered to PS 045 International School this week, and students were thrilled. Way to go, ECMC nurses!  

North Country Nurses Strategize for Bargaining Fights at Their Interregional Meeting

NYSNA nurses from Champlain Valley Physicians’ Hospital (CVPH), Elizabethtown Community Hospital and Alice Hyde Medical Center came together for an interregional meeting on Aug. 21 to discuss their upcoming contract negotiations. In the coming months, nurses at all three facilities will be bargaining new contracts, and they used the interregional meeting as an opportunity to share updates and tactics and strategize on how their new contracts can lead to improvements in nursing for everyone in the North Country.  
 
CVPH nurse and NYSNA’s Eastern Regional Director Victoria Davis-Courson, MSN, RN, attended the interregional meeting and gave a Board update. In addition to their bargaining strategy session, members heard a presentation from NYSNA’s Political and Community Organizing Department about the expected impact of healthcare funding cuts. As a rural region with several small, community hospitals, the North Country could be hit hard by service cuts and hospital closures. Nurses, though, reaffirmed their commitment to fight to protect these services and expand access to safe, quality patient care in a historically underserved region.   
 
After the interregional meeting, nurses are feeling optimistic about the fights to come. NYSNA nurses know that strong union contracts benefit both nurses and patients, and they are looking ahead to negotiations as an opportunity to hold their employers accountable and improve care in the North Country for all!  

Bellevue Woman’s Center Nurses Continue to Advocate

Dedicated NYSNA RNs at Bellevue Woman's Center continue to bargain the effects of Ellis/Bellevue’s recent closure of surgical services at the beloved capital region facility.  They also remain engaged in a public fight for the return of surgical services and for woman's health in general, as the takeover of operations by Trinity Health threatens systemic service cuts.  Trinity, a large healthcare corporation that operates in 22 states, has been widely criticized for its religiously based healthcare restrictions, which particularly limit women's access to reproductive healthcare.

NYP Nurses Share Impact of Cuts to Community Board

On Thursday, Sept 4, NewYork-Presbyterian NYSNA nurse Sophie Boland, RN, attended a Community Board 12 Health & Environment meeting to share the impact of NYP's recent layoffs of nurses in Washington Heights and highlight the different services that NYP has closed including adult palliative care, NPs in pediatric intermediate care, cardiology, and more. NYP nurses continuing to fight back against closure to the rehab unit. Nurses are hopeful that  pressure from community and elected officials will prevent NYP from reducing the inpatient rehab service. Boland also shared that NYP nurses have kicked off bargaining for a new union contract and look forward to strengthening staffing enforcement.

Register for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity!

Join NYSNA members from across the state for the 2025 NYSNA Convention today to decide our union’s direction. The 2025 Convention will be held at Resorts World Catskills and the Kartrite Resort on Oct. 28 and 29 in Monticello, NY. This year’s Convention theme is “Strength in Solidarity.” 

Register online and enjoy an early bird rate if you register on or before Oct. 17. Check out the NYSNA website to review the Convention agenda and get the most up-to-date information on the Convention. 

This year, NYSNA is excited to introduce the Cvent app, a central hub for NYSNA members to access key information and make the most of their time at Convention. The Cvent app gives NYSNA members access to the full schedule, allows them to plan their own schedule by adding sessions to their personal agenda, and notifies members of relevant updates and announcements. Cvent will also include a map of the Convention venue to help members find their way around. NYSNA will email all Convention registrants a personalized link to download and log in to the Cvent app as we get closer to the Convention. Stay tuned! 

Calling All Members: Labor Ed Courses and Summer/Fall 2025 Trainings Open for Registration

 NYSNA’s Labor Education Department is ready to come to your facility to train members to become union leaders. Sign up for Labor Education’s Taking Control of Our Meetings With Management, Bargaining Trainings on How to Become a Contract Action Team Member, What Is a Contract Campaign, Mobilizing Members & Rounding and more, taking place throughout September.
  
Check out the comprehensive schedule, and click here to register.
  
Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. 

Solidarity in Action

NYSNA Nurses Support Green, Healthy Schools!

As part of the Climate Works for All coalition, NYSNA joined our fellow union siblings from DC37 and ALIGN and other community and education advocates to call for urgent green energy upgrades for New York City public school buildings. The coalition rallied on Wednesday, Sept. 3, on the eve of the new school year, to pressure elected leaders to invest in sustainable infrastructure that would make schools fully electric and fossil fuel-free; install clean solar power; upgrade heating, cooling and ventilation systems; and create sustainable union jobs.  
 
NYSNA Director at Large and Co-Chair of the NYSNA Climate and Environmental Justice Committee, Flandersia Jones, MPH, BSN, RN, represented NYSNA in support of this important initiative. She said, “NYSNA nurses unequivocally support urgent improvements to our schools’ infrastructure to ensure New York City’s kids, and the teachers and workers who care for them, are healthy and safe. Nurses know that the climate crisis is a public health crisis because we see firsthand that the most vulnerable communities often suffer first and disproportionately from its consequences. We must act boldly to prepare our schools to become models for the kind of future we want for our kids — a sustainable, healthy future where all children have access to a quality education in environmentally just and safe conditions.”

Your Rights and Advocate for Patients When Encountering ICE

Nurses’ first duty is to care for and advocate for our patients. NYSNA nurses care for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, income or insurance status, race, religion, ability or disability, sexuality, or gender identity or expression — simply regardless. Read our statement regarding the federal policy change on immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations,” including hospitals and schools. 
 
NEW: Our allies at the New York Immigration Coalition developed this toolkit to provide a comprehensive list of resources for community members, partners and allies who work with immigrants. The toolkit covers health, community safety, family resources, financial empowerment and more.  
  
Learn your rights and get answers to frequently asked questions here to know what to do if you encounter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in your facility. 
  
NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely. 

NYSNA Joins New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani at Bronx Rally, Lincoln Hospital Tour

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, NYC Health + Hospitals/ Lincoln Hospital nurse and NYSNA Director at Large Sonia Lawrence, RN, stood alongside State Attorney General Letitia James and introduced New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as prominent elected officials in the Bronx endorsed him in front of Yankee Stadium. Afterward, Mamdani, Assembly Member Amanda Septimo and City Council candidate Justin Sanchez joined Lawrence and NYSNA Director at Large Flandersia Jones, MPH, BSN, RN, at Lincoln Hospital. They had an important conversation on community outreach, public health and safety.   
 
NYSNA nurses are excited about Mamdani’s track record of supporting workers and his commitment to public health. 

Tell Congress: Sign the Discharge Petition and Pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act

Take action today to help restore federal workers’ collective bargaining rights! We have the votes needed to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act in the House of Representatives. By using a tool called a “discharge petition,” Congress can bypass all the political procedures and shenanigans and bring a bill quickly to the floor for a vote. But to make it happen, every single member of Congress who says they support America’s unions must sign that discharge petition.   
 
Call your member of Congress — Republican or Democrat — and urge them to sign the discharge petition for the Protect America’s Workforce Act right now.

Join the NYSNA Climate and Environmental Justice Committee!

Take action for a healthier environment by joining NYSNA’s Climate and Environmental Justice Committee. The first meeting of the season is on Thursday, Sept. 11. Register to attend and learn why nurses see climate change as a public health issue. The committee will discuss the various policy challenges and opportunities taking place at the city, state and federal levels and how nurses can become climate advocates to ensure our patients and communities can enjoy a healthy environment. Check out the committee’s flyer.

Join NYSNA at Upcoming Cultural and Labor Celebrations

On Labor Day, in addition to participating in several Labor Day events, NYSNA nurses showed up and showed out at the West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn. Governor Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, Council Member Carmen De LaRosa, Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and others joined this colorful celebration of Caribbean life and culture in New York City. Check out the photos on NYSNA’s Facebook page!

You can still show up to celebrate the diverse identities and cultures that make up the NYSNA union family. Register to attend these upcoming cultural and labor events with NYSNA:

• New York City Central Labor Council Labor Day Parade: TOMORROW! Saturday, Sept. 6. Register.
• African American Day Parade: Sunday, Sept. 21. Register.

NNU Calls on HHS Secretary RFK. Jr to go!

In the wake of the latest scandal that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has perpetuated, National Nurses United (NNU) — the nation’s largest nurses’ union and professional organization — called for President Donald Trump to fire RFK Jr. or for RFK Jr. to resign.

After months of encouraging the displacement of thousands of essential federal health agency workers; massive cuts in essential programs that once made the U.S. a global leader in development of health research; and, especially, promotion of unfounded conspiracy theories about the safety of vaccines that save countless lives, Kennedy’s failures boiled over last month.

On Monday, Aug. 25, Kennedy demanded Susan Monarez, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), either resign or be fired. Later that week, federal guards escorted three top CDC officials from the agency’s Atlanta headquarters. The following week, the Federal Drug Administration, which is under the HHS umbrella, decided to limit updated COVID-19 vaccinations to people who are 65 years or older or at risk for serious complications due to specific health conditions, endangering the public health of millions of Americans. Enough is enough. RFK Jr. has to go! 
 
Read NNU’s full press release.

Nurses Condemn Labor Department Rules to Further Strip Workers’ Rights

This week, National Nurses United submitted formal objections to four Department of Labor regulations that would escalate sweeping Trump administration attacks on workers’ and union rights and protections. The new DOL regulations issued in June and July would abandon anti-discrimination civil rights law and equal opportunity protections for workers of federal contractors, eviscerate disability worker rights, overturn groundbreaking worker and union rights for temporary farm workers established by the Biden administration, and gut basic employment rights for home care workers. Read more about what’s at stake for nurses and other care workers, as well as NNU’s full response.

NEW COURSES! Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members

NNU is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members throughout the summer! New Fall 2025/Winter 2026 courses have just been added. View the full calendar and register here or click on the links below to learn more and register for the courses you’re interested in. When registering for NNU courses, be sure to check the first box, “Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member.” 

• “Environments of Harm: How Health Care Facility Buildings Can Endanger Patient and Nurse Health & Safety in a Changing Climate.”
• “Planet Over Profits: The Health Impacts of Environmental Crisis & What Nurses Can Do”
• “Partnering with our Patients: Nurses, Worker Power, and Health Justice”
• “Social Justice and Patient Advocacy” 

NEW fall/winter offerings: 

• “How Financialization is Reshaping the Hospital Industry: What Nurses Need to Know
• “The Biology of Inequality: The Health Impacts of Social Environments"
• “Investigating Long Covid and Its Impacts on Patient and Nurse Health"
• “Our Patients Are Safe When We Are Safe: Workplace Violence and Back Injury Prevention in Health Care Facilities"

Tips From the Nurse Education and Practice Classroom

Practice Issue — Patient Identification

Patient identification is not always performed correctly in clinical settings, and this practice gap leads to medical errors, patient harm and poor health outcomes.  The Institute of Medicine’s 2000 report, “To Err is Human,” highlighted the magnitude of the healthcare error problem and its negative impact on the lives of over 100,000 patients in the United States annually. A substantial amount of healthcare harm is linked to failure to properly identify patients (Osler, Brigham, & Kilpatrick, 2024). Patient identification is a crucial part of preventing patient harm such as medication errors, misdiagnosis or incorrect procedures (De Rezende, Melliero, & Barker, 2021).

Evidence-Based Practice for Patient Identification 
Patient identification is a major part of the nursing care process and, when done correctly, enhances patient safety and reduces the risk of harm to patients. Suggested strategies to improve patient identification include: 

• Double-Check — Nurses should verify the patient’s full name and date of birth (or at least two identifiers acceptable to their facility) to ensure accuracy.
• Use Technology — If available, use technology such as barcode scanners to facilitate and verify patient identification.
• Involve the Patient — Encourage patient involvement in the identification process. Ask, don’t tell, the patient for their name (for example, ask the patient to state their full name. Do not state the patient’s name and ask them to agree or disagree).

References 
De Rezende, H., Melliero, M. M., & Barker, T. H. (2021). Interventions to Reduce Patient Identification Errors in the Hospital Setting: A Systematic Review. The Open Nursing Journal, 15. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874434602115010109 

Osler, C., Brigham, G., & Kilpatrick, M. (2024, May 24). Avoiding Preventable Harm. Washington State Nurses Association News.

Med-Ed Continuing Education Discount

NYSNA has partnered with Med-Ed Continuing Nursing Education to provide NYSNA members with full access to the complete Med-Ed catalogue at a 50% reduced rate. These are all self-study programs that members can access and complete at their leisure. You can access these course offerings by going to NYSNA’s members-only website here, then clicking on the Med-Ed website link, and entering the Promo Code NYSNAMEMBER at checkout, where the discount will apply.

Please do not share this information with any nonmembers. 

NEW! Nurse Education and Practice Workshops

You asked for it, and NYSNA’s Nurse Education and Practice (NEP) Department is delivering! NEP added the following workshops to our calendar in response to the learning needs assessment survey:

• UPDATED — “Nursing Documentation Essentials Part 2” (previously “Charting With the Jury in Mind”), Oct. 6
• “Timely Recognition and Management of Patient Deterioration” Sept. 9
• “Nursing Team Concepts — Communication, Delegation and Supervision,” Dec. 2   

Seminar at Sea 2026

Last year, NYSNA nurses sailed to Spain and Portugal while learning about resilience, emotional intelligence and how they connect to nursing. Next year, join NYSNA on an unforgettable weeklong cruise to China, South Korea and Japan set to sail in April 2026! This is an opportunity to visit beautiful countries while obtaining nursing continuing education credits and learning about the relevant and important topic of artificial intelligence in nursing practice and nursing education. Check out the informational flyer to learn about this unique and informative educational program.   

Journal of the New York State Nurses Association

The latest volume of The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is out now! You can read it here. The Journal is currently seeking papers. Authors are invited to submit scholarly papers, research studies, brief reports on clinical or educational innovations, and articles of opinion on subjects important to registered nurses. Of particular interest are papers addressing direct care issues. New authors and student authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts for publication. Read the guidelines for submission here.  

2025 Nursing Education and Practice Courses

NYSNA members can take advantage of FREE E-leaRN courses, including state-mandated offerings, standard of practice and certification review courses, as well as nursing practice workshops. 

Take a look at the complete course offering, and register for the courses directly here. You must create an account and be signed in to search the full catalog of classes and register for them at no cost! 

Calling All Nurse Practitioners

The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs). The courses include new, updated, and mandated courses. Learn more and register for these classes for NYSNA NPs.

Nurses’ Rights to Be Whistleblowers and Protest Your Assignments

NYSNA members should be empowered with the knowledge of laws that have been passed with NYSNA’s input to protect them and empower them to speak up when patient safety is compromised, either due to unsafe staffing or other factors, such as a lack of personal protective equipment, as was the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Take a moment to learn about your rights in this flyer.

Factsheet: Preparing for Wildfire Smoke

Smoke from wildfires has become a common feature in New York State and the surrounding area. Wildfire smoke is far more dangerous to human health than regular pollution and presents complex problems for medical facilities. Check out the latest NYSNA Factsheet from NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety team to learn more about how healthcare facilities can prepare for wildfire smoke conditions to keep their patients and staff safe.

UPDATED NYSNA Health Alert: Cluster of Legionnaires' Disease in Harlem

The New York City Department of Health (NYC DOH) is actively responding to a cluster of individuals with Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem. As of Aug. 27, there are 113 confirmed cases, six deaths, and seven currently hospitalized. The NYC DOH is urging residents in ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039 to seek medical attention if they experience flu-like symptoms. Additional cases are pending confirmation.

New York City clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for legionellosis among all adults with pneumonia. Identification and diagnostic testing of Legionnaires’ disease is critical for informing treatment decisions and helping the NYC DOH identify and address outbreaks, particularly through matching clinical isolates to environmental isolates.

Report legionellosis cases promptly to the local health department (LHD) where the patient resides. Report cases in New York City residents to the NYC DOH by calling the Provider Access Line at 866-692-3641. If you are unable to reach the LHD for cases outside of New York City, contact the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease Control at 518-473-4439.

Read NYSNA’s factsheet and resources and the health advisory from the NYC DOH here.

Long COVID Guide

Read NYSNA’s Long COVID Guide to help you stay informed on the diagnosis, treatment options, benefits and rights for workers with long COVID.

NYSNA Life Insurance — It’s Time to Designate Your Beneficiary!

NYSNA already provides members with a great benefit at no cost: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This coverage provides $20,000 of Basic Life Insurance and $20,000 of Basic Personal Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. All active members in good standing represented for collective bargaining through the union will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract, or through your employer. 
  
But for your loved ones to receive this benefit, you must designate them as a beneficiary! To enroll and receive instructions on designating a beneficiary for your new Basic Personal AD&D Insurance, go to nysnawinstonbenefits.com or call 1-866-483-1124. 
  
Sign up with your NYSNA Member ID to set up and access your account and benefits. If you need your Member ID, please contact the NYSNA Membership department at membership@nysna.org. Download the flyer for additional details. 

NYSNA Will-Writing Benefits From MetLife

The NYSNA Benefits Fund gives NYSNA members who are covered by the NYSNA Benefits Fund access to personal will preparation services that MetLife Legal Plans offer — at no additional cost.  
  
Having a will prevents unnecessary stress and ensures final wishes are clear. The Benefits Fund offers valuable legal resources through MetLife Legal Plans to assist with creating or updating a will with a member’s Basic Life coverage. As part of this benefit, members get legal guidance and unlimited consultations with network attorneys. Learn more here. 

NYSNA Members Are Eligible for AFL-CIO’s Union Plus Benefits!

The benefits of being a NYSNA member extend beyond your NYSNA benefits. As an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, NYSNA members are also eligible for Union Plus benefits to help current and retired labor union members and their families save money and support them through major milestones, celebrations and hardships. These benefits include discounts on wireless plans, credit card deals, mortgage deals, insurance plans and more! Find out more on the AFL-CIO Union Plus website.

The Talkspace Go App Is Mental Health on the Go!

The Talkspace Go app is a great resource that provides daily mental health support on the go! Talkspace Go is a clinician-created, self-guided app so you can address mental health challenges and build mental fitness on your own schedule. It empowers couples, individuals and parents to take progress into their own hands in as little as five minutes a day. Access 400-plus self-guided classes and live weekly therapist-led, anonymous classes. Enjoy assessments, meditation exercises, journaling, reminders and more.  
  
Talkspace Go app is available at no cost to members and their eligible household members! Click here for the instructions and passcode to access the app. 

Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: Union Assistance Program and SPAN

The Union Assistance Program (UAP) is a confidential self-help program, independent from NYSNA, that is available to NYSNA members and their families as a membership benefit. When an employee or family member (18 or older) faces a significant personal problem, they can call UAP’s experienced counselors at 800-252-4555 for assistance at any time. Read more information on phone counseling services here.   
  
Learn about the benefits and resources that the UAP offers here. Check out the September 2025 newsletter on National Preparedness Month. 
  
Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) is a confidential education, support and advocacy program for all nurses licensed in New York state who are dealing with substance use issues. Visit the SPAN website for more information or to sign up for one of its July or August classes. Check out SPAN’s new Compassion Project.
  
Wellness Wednesdays: As part of its mission to promote a healthy lifestyle, SPAN is also offering a Self-Care Series that includes free Wellness Wednesday courses. Check out the full calendar of Wellness Wednesday offerings here.