Dear Friend,

Happy Women’s History Month!

We are in a pivotal moment in history that demands that we fight at what seems like every turn. Women are often at the forefront of these fights, advocating on behalf of themselves and their communities for better futures. This Women’s History Month, let us remember and celebrate the tremendous achievements women have made to change our society for the better and take those lessons with us as we continue to advocate for increased access to essential healthcare, economic equality, racial justice, and more!

The Brooklyn Hospital Center Nurses Continue to Fight for Their Health Benefits

When hospital administrators put nurses’ health at risk, they put patients and the entire community at risk. After nearly five weeks, nurses at The Brooklyn Hospital Center still do not have their health benefits. Nurses have spoken out, demanding that the hospital take immediate action to reinstate their benefits. Over the past month, NYSNA nurses have held rallies, organized speak-outs with elected officials and members, leafleted, marched on Director of Human Resources, organized an email campaign against executives, confronted and marched on CEO, filed an arbitration through the fund, filed a grievance, and are pursuing arbitration via their contract. NYSNA has also launched new Facebook ads running. Nurses continue to escalate every day.

Without their health coverage, nurses and their families are delaying essential treatment and medications, putting themselves and their communities at risk. Frontline healthcare workers shouldn’t be forced to fight for their own healthcare as hospital executives continue to rake in millions while maintaining their own benefits! Nurses continue to go to work and tirelessly care for their patients, and they will continue to fight until they get the benefits they deserve!

BronxCare Nurses Ratify Their Contract!

After the relentless energy that BronxCare nurses put into their campaign for a fair contract, they now have a ratified contract. Following the momentum of contract victories at other safety net hospitals and striking hospitals, BronxCare nurses went to the mat for contract improvements, including protections on workplace violence and safe staffing standards. They locked in improvements in staffing levels and enforcement, the NYSNA health plan at no cost, and wage and experience pay gains. The emergency department now has a guarantee of four additional staff per shift, night and day ratios were equalized in psych floors, and a mixed acuity unit will have tighter ratios. Nurses will enjoy additional paid time off and improved differentials.

Congratulations, BronxCare nurses, and now the work of enforcing the contract begins!

New Report Analyzes Decline in Access to Quality Patient Care in New York’s North Country

A new report, which NYSNA released earlier this week, sounds the alarm on the crisis of care in New York’s rural North Country. The report, “Protecting Rural Patients and Communities: Access to Care and Hospital Consolidation in the North Country,” which Politico and the Press-Republican covered, details how decades of systemic disinvestment, hospital consolidation, service reductions and bed closures have eroded access to care in the region. It also explains the disastrous impact that federal funding cuts will have on hospitals, patients and healthcare workers if hospitals and the state do not take steps to protect care. Given how vital hospitals are to the region’s health and economy, this report makes a case for how New York can protect hospitals and patients from these cuts as well as increase transparency during the closure process and provide sufficient financial incentives for hospitals to fully staff and operate services that would otherwise be at risk of closure. This report is the latest in years of NYSNA member advocacy in the North Country. Read the full report here.

Inaugural NYSNA Statewide Staffing Committee Meeting on March 19

The first meeting for the NYSNA Statewide Staffing Committee will be on March 19th at 8 pm. This new committee will serve as a space for members to connect, share challenges they're facing, and work together on potential solutions. It will also help to strengthen our collective voice as we advocate for and fight to enforce safe staffing in every facility across New York. The committee will meet quarterly via Zoom to discuss strategies to build on our 2021 victories and improve the staffing laws for NYSNA members. If you would like to be a part of the committee, please register using this link.

Next Week! Lobby Day 2026

We’re so excited for our yearly NYSNA Lobby Day, happening next week on Tuesday, March 10. NYSNA members know that the fight for safe staffing, health equity and more requires allies. That’s why, every year, we meet elected officials in Albany to share our goals and ask them to join our fight.

This year, we will push for an equitable budget and needed changes in Albany to support the hospitals, workers and communities that need it the most. NYSNA nurses are asking state legislators to protect New Yorkers and:

• Ensure that all New Yorkers have high-quality healthcare through fair funding for public and safety net hospitals; protecting care for immigrant New Yorkers; saving essential but “unprofitable” healthcare services; and enacting the New York Health Act to guarantee universal, single payer healthcare for all New Yorkers.

• Raise revenues to fund healthcare and keep hospitals open for care by taxing corporations and the ultra-wealthy.

• Improve safe staffing levels and enforcement of our state’s staffing laws to protect quality patient care.

• Protect nursing practice standards and patient safety by strictly regulating the use of artificial intelligence, telehealth, hospital-at-home, and other emerging healthcare technology or modes of delivering care to ensure they are safe and equitable.

• Fix Tier 6 to recruit and retain enough nurses and healthcare workers in the public sector.

Learn more about Lobby Day here. If you have signed up, you should have already received transportation information. For any questions regarding transportation, please reach out to [email protected].

Save the Date! No Kings in New York City!

In the face of federal attacks on our patients, workers and communities, NYSNA members are ready to take action to protect our democracy. Join NYSNA members on Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m. in Manhattan as part of a nationwide Day of Action to speak out against the federal government’s attacks on workers’ rights, healthcare funding and access. Click here to sign up and share the flyer with your coworkers.

Your Rights to 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.

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 ICE officers in your facility.

NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely.

NNU Condemns Trump’s Military Action Against Iran

Nurses are outraged and deeply saddened that the Trump administration has committed another cruel act of war over the weekend by attacking Iran. These attacks are destroying innocent people’s daily lives and mercilessly killing individuals, with the most appalling recent instance of the bombing of a girls’ school, which killed more than 150 children and adults. Nurses are firmly against these unilateral imperialist acts that destabilize entire regions, decimate lives and come at American taxpayers’ expense. National Nurses United (NNU) calls for international solidarity and demands an immediate end to the war in the Middle East. To read their full statement, click here.

Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members

National Nurses United (NNU) is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members. New Winter/Spring 2026 courses have 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.”

Winter/Spring offerings:

• “Our Patients Are Safe When We Are Safe: Workplace Violence and Back Injury Prevention in Health Care Facilities”

• “Trust and Doubt in the Fight for Health”

Seasonal Flu Alert and Resources

Flu season in New York state is continuing in full force. In addition to the expected A and B strains, an additional flu strain mutation (influenza A H3N2 mutated from a “J” subclade to a “K” subclade) has emerged recently. Subclade K has quickly become the dominant strain in the U.S. and a number of other countries. It is not unusual for mutations like this to happen, but because the flu vaccine must be produced many months in advance, this type of change can result in a mismatch between the seasonal flu vaccine and the currently circulating flu strains. While this means the vaccine’s effectiveness may be lower, it can still decrease the incidence of severe disease, hospitalization and death.

Read more on this year’s flu and how to best protect yourself here and use this checklist to assess your facility’s response to the surge. If you have any questions or concerns regarding flu activity and infection control in your facility, please contact the NYSNA Occupational Health and Safety Representatives at [email protected].

Seminar at Sea Destination and Theme Survey

We want to hear from you! NYSNA is planning our 2027 Seminar at Sea cruise and wants your input. Use the link here to complete the survey and let us know your preferred destination and theme for Seminar at Sea 2027. Filling out the survey should take less than one minute. Make sure to submit your survey before the March 20, 2026, deadline. We look forward to hearing from you!

Applications for 2026 Secor Scholarships Now Open

The Secor Scholarship Fund, established in 2007, was made possible by a generous bequest by long-time NYSNA member Jane Secor, PhD, RN. Dr. Secor stipulated that the endowment be used for furthering nursing education. Two Secor Scholarships are awarded annually, and applications are now open. One $5,000 scholarship is given to a NYSNA member pursuing a baccalaureate (or higher) degree in nursing. Another $5,000 is awarded to a family member seeking a first degree in nursing. The degree can be at any level, but it must be the first degree in nursing sought by the applicant. Click on this flyer for more information, and visit our website to apply.

The Therapeutic Role of Music in Healthcare Settings

We know that stress-relief interventions boost engagement and resilience among both staff and patients. Healthcare providers, especially nurses, face high stress levels from long hours, heavy workloads and emotional demands. Critically ill patients also face similarly high stress levels.

Music therapy has become a cost-effective, nondrug intervention that benefits both healthcare staff and patients by fostering feelings of support and value. Evidence shows that music can lower anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure; improve mood; and strengthen resilience. In intensive care unit settings, music reduces patient stress and sedative needs, while for healthcare workers, it aids emotional regulation, reduces stress and promotes psychological resilience during demanding shifts (Sowicz et al., 2020; MDPI, 2021). Recently, NYC Health+Hospitals’ Arts in Medicine department, in collaboration with Juilliard Extension, launched the Harmonizing for Health program to address healthcare provider burnout and compassion fatigue. The program reflects the growing recognition of arts-based interventions as meaningful tools for promoting emotional well-being in high-stress clinical environments. It exemplifies how creative interventions can support mental health, reduce occupational stress and enhance the quality of care. The integration of music therapy into healthcare practice represents a practical, low-risk approach to building a more resilient, healthy workforce and patient-centered environment. Music is a therapeutic tool with measurable benefits for patients and healthcare workers in high-stress clinical environments. Programs like Harmonizing for Health exemplify how creative interventions can support mental health, reduce occupational stress and enhance the quality of care.

NYSNA NEP ACP Educational Needs Survey

We value your input! Your feedback is essential and will help us enhance the NYSNA Nursing Education Program (NEP) and create new continuing education opportunities designed specifically for our Advanced Clinical Providers/Practitioners (ACP) members. Please take a moment to complete our survey. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and we sincerely appreciate your time and insights. All responses are completely confidential and will directly inform the future programs and offerings we develop. If you have any questions, call 212-785-0157, ext. 377, or email [email protected]. Thank you for your participation in this survey and for your dedication to lifelong learning!

Reporting Child Abuse Course Addendum Is Live on E-LeaRN

NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice (NEP) is happy to announce that NYSNA’S NYS Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition — Addendum online course is now live on our E-LeaRN platform.

Anyone who completed the NYSNA course, NYS Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition, through the NYSNA E-LeaRN platform between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2025, is eligible to complete the addendum course with us. The addendum course is free for NYSNA members. If you are eligible, you may access the addendum course by logging onto E-LeaRN by clicking “Browse Catalog” and searching for “addendum.”

Every person who is required to take the mandated training related to child abuse must take either the full three-hour course or the one-hour addendum portion of the training by Nov. 17, 2026.

Check out the NYSNA website for the latest updates to this requirement. If you have any questions about your E-LeaRN account, please contact NEP at [email protected].

Call for Submissions! The Journal of the New York State Nurses Association

The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is calling for submissions. 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 latest flyer outlining submission categories here. Read the guidelines for submission here.

The latest volume of The Journal of the New York State Nurses Association is out now! You can read it here.

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.

2026 Nurse Education and Practice Workshops

Sign up for Nurse Education and Practice Workshops in 2026! 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 2026 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.

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 [email protected]. 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.

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 upcoming classes. Check out SPAN’s new Compassion Project.

In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director, NYSNA