Dear Friend,

NYSNA Observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer awareness month is a reminder that mammograms and breast cancer screenings save lives! All New York state residents can get FREE breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings. Call 1-866-442-CANCER (2262) to be connected to services at any time in English or Spanish, with translation available for other languages. NYSNA celebrates that our state prioritizes access to early detection and care for all patients, regardless of insurance, ability to pay or immigration status.

Register for the 2026 NYSNA Convention

Online registration is open for the 2026 NYSNA Convention! This year, NYSNA members will gather for Convention on Oct. 26 and 27 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. You can register and save your spot today.

Please note that the deadline to book at the discounted rate is Oct. 6, 2026, provided there are still rooms available. Book your room here.

Download and share the registration flyer that has the schedule and course listings. Check out the NYSNA website for workshop descriptions, hotel information, Convention Delegate reimbursement policy, and more.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to high demand and possible space limitations for this event, preregistration is required to guarantee Convention attendance. Please be sure to register by Monday, Oct. 12. On-site registration may not be available.

NYSNA Members Attend Working Families Party Convention to Make Nurses’ Voices Heard

On Saturday, Sept. 26, NYSNA nurses from NYC Health+Hospitals attended the New York Working Families Party (WFP) convention in New York City to help kick off the Vote WFP campaign ahead of this November’s general election. At the convention, NYSNA Director at Large Sonia Lawrence, BSN, RN, spoke about how nurses fight for their patients and their communities and about the importance of electing WFP candidates who will champion those fights. NYSNA Southern Regional Director Alizia McMyers, MSN, MHA, BSN, RN, also joined to advocate for nurses and patients with New York State Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and other allies and elected leaders.

With just four weeks until early voting starts in New York, it’s more important than ever for nurses to get involved in the fight to elect labor and healthcare champions!

Private Sector Nurses Gather for Manhattan Interregional Meeting

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, NYSNA members from New York City’s private sector hospitals gathered in Manhattan for their fall interregional meeting. At the meeting, nurses provided updates from their facilities and brainstormed solutions to the various challenges that New York City nurses face across hospital settings. In advance of our 2026 NYSNA Convention, nurses also listened to a presentation on Robert’s Rules of Orders, the parliamentary procedure that will govern how NYSNA delegates vote on our union’s priorities for the coming year.

Interregional meetings will continue across the state through the fall and winter. Please be on the lookout for information about a meeting near you. In October, NYSNA nurses will meet for the following interregionals:

• Bronx-Hudson Valley: Oct. 6

• Queens: Oct. 13

• Staten Island: Oct. 14

• Brooklyn: Oct. 15

ECMC Nurses Take Action to Improve Patient Care

Over the last week, NYSNA members at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) in Buffalo have taken action to protect their patients and practice! This week, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ECMC nurses provided breast cancer screenings for community members. Early detection and prevention are key aspects of treatment, so ECMC nurses are proud to provide this service for their community!

On Friday, Sept. 25, nurses met with U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to discuss safe staffing, universal healthcare, and the critical need for fair funding for safety net and rural hospitals. Nurses also brought up the overcrowding in the emergency department and comprehensive psychiatric emergency program, stressing that the affordable housing crisis and cuts to public benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are major contributing factors.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, nurses from the behavioral health unit met with hospital administrators to address nurses’ concerns about understaffing. Nurses want to provide safe, quality care for all their patients, but currently, they don’t have the staffing necessary to meet the ratios outlined in the staffing grid. Behavioral health nurses are hoping to build on last week’s labor-management victory, where nurses packed the room and successfully advocated for the addition of 14 new positions to alleviate understaffing in the emergency department.

And on Thursday, Oct. 1, ECMC nurses, alongside NYSNA Healthcare Staffing Coordinator Margaret Franks, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, met with state and county officials to discuss ongoing staffing issues at the hospital. As they did with management, nurses reminded officials of their commitment to providing safe, quality patient care and holding hospitals accountable when they put care at risk.

Keep up the great work, ECMC nurses!

Union Community Health Center Nurses Take Action for a Fair Contract

This week, NYSNA nurses at Union Community Health Center took action to advance their fight for a fair contract. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, nurses across the health center wore stickers calling on management to settle a fair contract that includes better training for nurses and protects nurse and patient safety. With violence in healthcare settings on the rise across the country, Union Community Health Center nurses are taking action to ensure that hospitals remain places of healing for their patients and their colleagues. Let’s go, union nurses!

CVPH Members Join AFT-VT Workers to Deliver Joint Demand Letter to UVMH Chairman

Since last fall, NYSNA healthcare workers at University of Vermont Health (UVMH)-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) have been fighting for a fair contract that protects safe, quality patient care in the North Country. This week, members joined forces with members of the American Federation of Teachers – Vermont (AFT-VT), one of the unions that represents healthcare workers at UVMH facilities in Vermont, to deliver a joint letter to Chairman of the UVMH Board of Trustees. The letter outlined healthcare workers demands for a fair contract, with a focus on securing the safe staffing NYSNA and AFT-VT members need to provide the care their communities deserve.

Earlier in the week, CVPH members packed the room at their latest bargaining session and reiterated their calls for a fair contract that includes enforceable safe staffing language. Don’t give up the fight, CVPH healthcare workers!

NYSNA Members Hold Info Pickets in Manhattan and the North Country as Contract Campaigns Heat Up

Next week, NYSNA members in Saranac Lake and Manhattan will hold informational pickets in support of their fights for fair contracts!

On Wednesday, Oct. 7, NYSNA nurses at Adirondack Medical Center will picket as they continue to bargain for a fair contract that protects patient care in the North Country and includes affordable healthcare benefits for nurses and their families.

On Thursday, Oct. 8, NYSNA nurses at Gracie Square Hospital will hold an informational picket for a fair contract that delivers safe staffing and protections from workplace violence. With violence in healthcare settings on the rise, it’s more important now than ever that hospital administrators take care to ensure that nurses and patients stay safe in our hospitals!

Good luck, Adirondack and Gracie Square nurses! All 45,000 NYSNA nurses across the state are in solidarity with you in your fights for fair contracts!

Increase to NYSNA Basic Term Life and AD&D Coverage

At no cost to members, NYSNA provides basic term life insurance and basic personal accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage from MetLife. Effective October 1, 2026, coverage will increase from $20,000 to $25,000.

Members who are represented for collective bargaining and in good standing are automatically enrolled in this benefit program. Nurses and healthcare workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and countless emergencies. Life and AD&D insurance are important benefits that can help protect your family’s financial security. Don’t forget to designate your beneficiary! Learn more later in this newsletter.

Montefiore Nurses Continue Fight Against Artificial Intelligence

Over the summer, Montefiore announced a plan to lay off utilization management nurses and replace them with an untested artificial intelligence (AI) program. Nurses jumped into action after the announcement, meeting with management and holding a town hall to push back on the plan, citing the critical work that utilization nurses do to ensure that their patients’ insurance plans cover medically necessary care. While the layoffs went into effect in September, Montefiore nurses have not given up the fight. Last week, the Bronx Times published an op-ed written by Marilyn Shuler, RN, explaining the negative impact these layoffs and the adoption of this software will have on patients. Read the full op-ed here.

Get Ready to Get Out the Vote!

It’s time to get out the vote (GOTV)! With just four weeks until early voting starts across New York state, Team NYSNA will be hitting the phones and doors to elect nurse champions who we know will stand with us in our fight for safe staffing, fair contracts and health justice! Sign up for a GOTV canvas or a phone bank near you.

Fall 2026 Labor Education Trainings Open for Registration — Anyone Can Become a Member Leader!

NYSNA’s Labor Education Department offers workshops to members on how to be more engaged in the union’s work. Our fall 2026 virtual trainings include learning about NYSNA and the labor movement, how to increase turnout at union meetings and events, how to take control of meetings with management, understanding how AI is being used in our hospitals, how to fill out a protest of assignment and more. View Labor Education’s complete fall schedule.

Registration is also open for our four-part Leadership Training. Please join us for the remaining parts on Wed, Oct. 7 and Wed, Oct. 14 even if you missed Parts 1 and 2! The Member Leader Training has long been a resource for nurses who want to build union power by advocating for their patients and themselves. This is an accredited training; each part is 3.0 CHs/0.3 CEUs.

On Thursday, Oct. 8, at 9 a.m. please join members from across the state to learn about ways to spread the word about union actions, have effective conversations and develop good listening skills. Register here, and please share the flyer of upcoming workshops with your coworkers. Email [email protected] directly if you have questions or to schedule a workshop in your facility.

Protesting Your Assignment Self-Guided Course

NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice department has a new “Protesting Your Assignment” self-guided course. Read more about the course and how you can use protests of assignment to improve safe, quality healthcare. To access the course, go directly to the E-LearRN website.

NYSNA Support With Immigration Issues

Your union is here to help with immigration issues, including concerns about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, residency for you and your household, or Visa and work authorization issues. Fill out the confidential form for more information and consultation. For more immigration resources, visit the New York Immigration Coalition’s website.

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.

How Prepared Is Your Facility for Weather Emergencies?

Weather emergencies have become more frequent and more extreme in the last few years. Preplanning is a must to make sure healthcare facilities are ready under extreme conditions to meet the needs of patients, staff and the community. This list of questions, which NYSNA's Emergency Preparedness Committee developed, is a helpful tool to use when assessing facility preparedness with management. To join the committee, contact NYSNA's Occupational Health and Safety Representatives at [email protected].

For more resources on emergency preparedness, check out NYSNA’s new resource hub for information about wildfire smoke conditions, inclement weather and more.

Protecting Correctional Staff From Hazardous Exposures Fact Sheet

Healthcare workers in correctional settings are contending with new on-the-job health risks from an old hazard: recreational drugs brought into facilities. New synthetic drugs are being developed more frequently and too quickly for testing protocols and technology to keep up. To prepare and protect NYSNA members working in correctional and forensic settings, NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety Team has created a new fact sheet, which includes safety measures employers can take to protect healthcare workers. Check it out here.

Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members

National Nurses United (NNU) is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members. View the full calendar and register here. When registering for NNU courses, be sure to check the first box, “Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member.”

Fall offerings:

• “Nursing Practice in Our Current Moment & Some Cuts Don’t Heal”

• “Immigrant Justice, Global Migration, and Public Health”

• “Increasing Danger of Workplace Violence in Health Care”

• “Housing and Health”

• “Health Care and Big Tech”

• “Some Cuts Don’t Heal: Protecting the Right to Care”

Complete the 2026-2027 NEP Learning Needs Assessment

The learning needs assessment survey helps NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice (NEP) understand nurses’ learning and professional development needs to improve patient care, workplace safety, job satisfaction and union strength. Please take a moment to complete the survey to help inform future programs and offerings. Participation is voluntary, and responses are confidential.

2027 Seminar at Sea — Registration Now Open

Registration for the 2027 Seminar at Sea is now open! Join NYSNA members for an exclusive program that combines professional development with an unforgettable Mediterranean cruise experience. Enjoy expert-led sessions, meaningful networking and premium accommodations while exploring stunning destinations. Learn more about the course here.

Class attendance is open to the following only:

• NYSNA members

• NNU affiliate members

The cruise is open to public attendance; the restriction applies to the class/seminar.

Spots are limited — register early.

NEW ISSUE! The Journal of the New York State Nurses Association

A new volume of The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is out now! This issue includes articles on infection prevention for visiting nurses, how health promotion outcomes for college students have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, contemporary challenges in nursing, and more. You can read it here.

Read the latest flyer outlining submission categories here. Read the guidelines for submission 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 catalog 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.

Discounted Online Degree Programs for NYSNA Members!

NYSNA members and their family members will soon be eligible for a 20% discount on online degree programs from Post University. Nursing programs offered include:

• Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with five specializations

• RN to BSN/MSN

• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with four leadership specializations

• Graduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control

• Master of Business Administration-Healthcare (MBA-Healthcare)

• MSN/MBA-Healthcare

Download and share the flyer for more information about the partnership and apply here.

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

To ensure your loved ones receive your Basic MetLife insurance 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. 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!

As an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, NYSNA members are also eligible for Union Plus benefits. 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 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. Learn more.

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 Compassion Project.

September is Recovery Month, and SPAN has partnered with Wellable to offer free wellness activities for NYSNA members! Sign up for Wellable for access to a variety of resources to support you on your wellness journey, including:

• Events: Participate in monthly live, interactive events, including educational presentations and experiential wellness activities, ranging from physical fitness to meditation to trivia.

  • Oct. 6 — Improving Productivity

  • Nov. 3 — Social Wellness

  • Dec. 1 — Healthy Aging

• On-Demand Videos: Access a variety of videos, including stretching, high-intensity impact training classes, meditation, a mindfulness series, a recipe library and sleep stories.

• Guided Breaks: Catch a break to rest, recharge and feel better in just a few minutes.

In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director, NYSNA