NYSNA Update: October 30, 2026
Nurses Unite to Protect Our Patients, Practice and Union: Highlights From the 2026 NYSNA Convention
On Oct. 26 and Oct. 27, NYSNA members from across the state gathered in New York City for the 2026 NYSNA Convention. Over the course of the two-day Convention, members celebrated NYSNA’s 125th anniversary, built nurse power, furthered their nursing education and voted on our union’s direction for the coming year. Every attendee lived out this year’s Convention theme: “NYSNA Healthcare Defenders: Nurses Unite to Protect Our Patients, Practice and Union.”
The 2026 NYSNA Convention kicked off with a bang! During the opening ceremony, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, BSN, RN, CCRN, highlighted the incredible work members did this year — from our victories in the historic New York City nurse strike to securing stabilization funds to keep safety-net hospitals across the state open. Hagans also spoke on the work still left to be done, as we push back on cuts to federal healthcare funding and stand against greedy hospital systems that prioritize profits over patients: “Corporate power in healthcare is not going away soon enough. And it definitely won’t go away without a fight. It will take all of us uniting to protect our patients, our practice and our union to continue making real improvements in our work, our lives and our patients’ lives.”
Day 1 of the convention was filled with educational workshops where NYSNA members refreshed themselves on nursing practice skills and built new organizing and communications skills. For the first time, workshop offerings included a stroke-themed escape room — which got great reviews!
During Day 1, NYSNA members also screened “Takeover,” a documentary about the 1970 takeover of Lincoln Hospital by the Young Lords, who were demanding increased access to safe, quality care for their community in the South Bronx. The screening included a tribute to Minerva Solla, who was a member of the Young Lords during that time, a life-long labor activist and community organizer, and former NYSNA Director of Cultural Affairs. You can view the documentary here.
We closed out Day 1 with two guest speakers: New York State Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. Both James and Su are huge allies to nurses and workers across the state, and both joined nurses on the picket lines this winter in the fight to protect patient care in New York City.
On Day 2 of Convention, member-observers continued with educational workshops, while NYSNA delegates engaged in a day of union democracy, introducing and voting on resolutions to guide the union’s direction in the coming year. In Hagans’ last Convention as NYSNA president and Voting Body chair, she navigated the delegates through a record 33 resolutions. Nurses stepped into their power at the 2026 NYSNA Convention and left empowered to continue our fight to protect our patients, practice and union! Check out photos from Convention on the NYSNA Facebook page and in this slideshow.
NYC Health+Hospitals/Kings County Nurses Win Reinstatement for Suspended Member
In early October, management at NYC Health+Hospitals (H+H)/Kings retaliated against and suspended, without pay, a nurse practitioner and local bargaining unit vice president for advocating for safe staffing. In response, NYSNA nurses and our allies made our voices heard! More than 1,000 people signed a petition demanding that H+H reinstate the suspended nurse practitioner, and Kings nurses held a speak-out outside the hospital, where members gave powerful testimony about union nurses’ rights to speak to colleagues and advocate for nurse and patient safety.
Nurses received an outpouring of support from elected officials, including letters sent by Senator Zellnor Myrie, Assembly Members Brian Cunningham and Phara Souffrant Forrest, and New York City Council Members Rita Joseph and Farah Louis. Senator Jabari Brisport, Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman and New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse also provided strong advocacy.
This week, H+H agreed to reinstate the suspended nurse practitioner — with full back pay! Great work, H+H nurses, rallying for your rights and showing H+H that NYSNA members will never stop advocating for safe staffing and our union rights!
Northwell/Putnam Nurses Deliver Info-Picket Notice to Management
Today, NYSNA nurses at Northwell Health/Putnam Hospital delivered an informational picket notice to hospital management! For nearly one year, nurses have been bargaining for a fair union contract that would protect patient care in their community, but Northwell has pushed back on nurses’ attempts to include safe staffing language in their contract. Last week, nurses held a virtual town-hall meeting with elected officials and labor allies to spread the news to community members. Now, nurses are taking the next step to show management they are serious about settling the fair contract that Putnam County nurses and patients deserve — keep up the great work, Putnam nurses!