nurse New York
New york state edition | october 2020
EVERY NURSE VOTE COUNTS! pP. 5-12
Amy O’Sullivan, RN, one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2020, p. 4
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New York Nurse october 2020
What does the future look like?
A By Judy SheridanGonzalez, RN, NYSNA President
Advocating for patients. Advancing the profession.SM Board of Directors President Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN, MSN, FNP judy.sheridan-gonzalez@nysna.org First Vice President Anthony Ciampa, RN anthony.ciampa@nysna.org Second Vice President Karine M. Raymond, RN, MSN karine.raymond@nysna.org Secretary Tracey Kavanagh, RN, BSN tracey.kavanagh@nysna.org Treasurer Nancy Hagans, RN nancy.hagans@nysna.org Directors at Large Anne Bové, RN, MSN, BC, CCRN, ANP anne.bove@nysna.org Judith Cutchin, RN judith.cutchin@nysna.org Seth Dressekie, RN, MSN, NP seth.dressekie@nysna.org Jacqueline Gilbert, RN jackie.gilbert@nysna.org Robin Krinsky, RN robin.krinsky@nysna.org Lilia V. Marquez, RN lilia.marquez@nysna.org Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC nella.pineda-marcon@nysna.org Verginia Stewart, RN verginia.stewart@nysna.org Marva Wade, RN marva.wade@nysna.org Regional Directors Southeastern Yasmine Beausejour, RN yasmine.beausejour@nysna.org Southern Sean Petty, RN sean.petty@nysna.org Central Marion Enright, RN marion.enright@nysna.org Lower Hudson/NJ Jayne Cammisa, RN, BSN jayne.cammisa@nysna.org Western Chiqkena Collins, RN chiqkena.collins@nysna.org Eastern Vacant Executive Editor Pat Kane, RN, CNOR Executive Director Editorial offices located at: 131 W 33rd St., New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-785-0157 Email: communications@nysna.org Website: www.nysna.org Subscription rate: $33 per year ISSN (Print) 1934-7588/ISSN (Online) 1934-7596 ©2020, All rights reserved
surprisingly large number of Americans believe that the future is predetermined. This is not the same as believing in a greater power—one that makes clear that “free will” plays a critical role in events. The belief that “what’s going to happen, will happen” paralyzes us from taking action—which is precisely what those in charge desire. It is this belief that prevents people from challenging the status quo. It reduces us to being passive observers instead of active players in our destinies. It relegates us to a state of powerlessness, fatalism and submissiveness. It is a deadly construct.
“It is necessary that the weakness of the powerless is transformed into a force capable of announcing justice. For this to happen, a total denouncement of fatalism is necessary. We are transformative beings and not beings for accommodation.” –Paulo Freire There is no doubt that we face an uncertain future, as a variety of factors—some within our control, some beyond our immediate control, come to mind. NYSNA leaders—like many other unions and community organizations’ leaders— were obliged to develop a comprehensive global analysis of the state of things over the past year. It isn’t feasible to develop a strategic plan without taking additional—and all encompassing—factors into account. So much is interconnected. It’s impossible to function in a vacuum.
Analysis When we look at health care, we have to take into account the social determinants of health. When we look at nursing, we have to examine how we are taught, trained, prepared and treated. When we look at care delivery systems, we have to investigate funding (and types of revenue), functionality, availability, accessibility, safety, quality, and our own members’ roles in such systems. When we look at the role of the union, we recognize that we can’t represent members, nor can we
The future is in our hands ...
only action that will foment change. We don’t always see it because it is a painstaking process, taking on the status quo, speaking truth to power.
Coordinated action
advocate for members and patients without integrating all of these factors into an operational plan. This is why NYSNA, and all unions and community organizations, engage in political action, social justice campaigns, solidarity with other organizations, conduct educational workshops and provide an array of services and activities. We can’t stand alone, nor can we win alone. The NYSNA Board of Directors, along with Staff Leadership developed a Strategic Plan (found on our website) taking all of these issues into account. We developed a comprehensive set of workshops leading to Convention so that members could be armed with the necessary information to make key decisions.
Action What we do every day on the job has meaning beyond the direct care of our patients! The act of providing care, especially when we stand up for quality and safety, as we protect patients’ rights and our own rights as professionals, workers and human beings—all of this provides a valuable segment of a picture of what is possible. And, importantly, it illustrates what is wrong with the current paradigm. No change can take place without the active participation of our members: what we do, what we say, how we act and react, what we fight for and what we struggle against. The very act of complaining— complaining has a notoriously bad reputation—is a first step to understanding that something is wrong. Leaders have the challenging job of helping to transform complaints into strategic action. Because it is
People vote for a union to make life better for the members. We do this by having a collective voice— and muscle—to confront the employer and the system that serves as an obstacle to these goals. In our case, the union also plays a key role in enhancing the service we provide to the public—the gestalt of nursing: patient advocacy. The union collective pools our individual actions, concerns and ideas into a set of demands and a plan to achieve these demands. Most of our work takes place on the job, but more and more we find we need to reach beyond the walls of our hospitals to seek improvements. We engage with our community, with elected leaders and with the social movements of our times because these elements are determinant in facilitating the social changes that must take place for us to achieve even minor gains. “Democracy is not just the right to vote, it is the right to live in dignity.” –Naomi Klein This epoch of “The Triple Pandemic:” COVID, Economic Collapse, and Institutionalized Racism has made collective action a social imperative. The over-arching issue of Climate Change—the existential crisis facing our world from which there is no “fixing” if not addressed—looms high over all three. Workplace action, street action, interpersonal action and voting action— all are essential as we are swept up into the whirlwind of our times.
Which way will we go Now, more than ever, we have the capability to determine our survival…or our demise. As nurses, as a union, as citizens, as human beings, we have the power to choose and to act.
“We have a choice. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion, and, as a result, deny our own humanity.” –Bryan Stevenson
NEW YORK NURSE october 2020
Help ensure nysna’s Medical Missions continue once we conquer covid-19 NYSNA members have always answered the call in a crisis, even before COVID-19. Drawing on our union’s own experience responding to the earthquakes in Haiti and Superstorm Sandy, we began organizing medical missions to countries hard-hit by hurricanes, and other natural disasters. This work is part of NYSNA’s broader effort to address the public health threats stemming from climate change, and the response from NYSNA nurses has been overwhelming. In the 3 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 350 NYSNA members have participated in 36 different medical missions, responding to hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis around the world. As part of these missions, NYSNA members have provided assistance for more than 28,000 people in the Philippines, Guatemala, India, Brazil, Thailand, the Bahamas, China, the US Virgin Islands, South Africa, Cuba, Zimbabwe, and Puerto Rico.
Expert relief offered In January, we started the process of formally incorporating the New York Relief Network (NYRN), a partnership of NYSNA nurses with other healthcare practitioners and trade unionists, to advance this important work. The NYRN will uphold our union’s commitment to deliver critical, timely, and compassionate assistance to those in need, through Medical Missions. NYRN will ensure that once the COVID19 pandemic is over, NYSNA
By Pat Kane, RN, NYSNA Executive Director
Thailand
members have an effective vehicle for responding to man-made and natural disasters throughout the world, offering expert relief and humanitarian aid. Currently, the New York Relief Network has three (3) open positions on their Board of Directors, and NYRN is looking for NYSNA members who would like to volunteer to help advance this important work. If you or any of your colleagues are interested, please respond by November 20th. Help us ensure that once we make it through this pandemic, NYSNA members can continue the important work assisting the victims of future crises by donating to New York Relief Network.
You can make a tax-deductible contribution online through the NYSNA website at nysna.org/ourcampaigns/disaster-relief
Help lead NYSNA Medical Missions: volunteer for NYRN Board of Directors The New York Relief Network is seeing three (3) active NYSNA members to serve on the NYRN Board of Directors. The term is for three (3) years, or until their successors are appointed. To apply for one of these positions, please submit a summary paragraph, answering the following questions:
Phillipines
1. How have you been involved with NYSNA? 2. W hat is your commitment to building up our union? 3. W hat is your interest in NYRN/Medical Missions? 4. W hat is a long-term goal you would have for NYRN as a Board Member? Please send your paragraph to Marisa Jimenez at marisa.jimenez@nysna.org by Friday, November 20th, 2020.
(Photos L-R) Puerto Rico
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New York Nurse october 2020
Recognizing COVID nurse heroes In September, veteran Wyckoff Heights Medical Center ER nurse and NYSNA member, Amy O’Sullivan, RN, was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020. We caught up with her on a recent Saturday afternoon.
“I’m lucky to have my story told, but I’m just one story. Everyone has their own story.” Amy O’Sullivan, RN
Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a nurse? Being a nurse is just super cool. In the Emergency Department, every day is different, and you have the opportunity to learn new things and interact with new people every day. I just love my colleagues, the fast pace, the craziness—even the blood and guts! Q: How does it feel being recognized for your role in healing New York during the COVID-19 pandemic? I still don’t believe it. It’s like an out of body experience hearing your name on TV or seeing your picture in a magazine. I love that people all over the world now know about Wyckoff—this small community hospital in Brooklyn in one of the hardest hit communities. I’m lucky to have my story told, but I’m just one story. Everyone has their own story. Q: What do you wish more people understood about what nurses and other frontline healthcare workers have gone through the past 6 months? There was so much fear and anxiety at the beginning. We didn’t know what to expect and the information we got was very confusing. Are we going to get sick, or be safe? Is our equipment safe enough? Did we clean our phones and cars enough, so we wouldn’t expose our families? Q: Now that we’ve got some distance from the first wave and are anxiously looking at a resurgence this fall, how are you feeling? We’ve all been working so hard. Recently, people are coming in sicker than they’ve ever been. We’ve seen things recently that we’ve never seen before—and we’re
always screening for COVID. Patients are also coming in with more depression and aggression. A lot of nurses are on edge. We are experiencing post-traumatic stress. At the same time, we’re ready and waiting. We’re so much better prepared now. We’ve got stockpiles now. Overall, I’m ready. Q: This pandemic has changed everyone’s lives in so many ways. How has it changed yours? What I’ve noticed is that ER staff is so much closer. Now that we’ve slowed down a bit, we have time to really appreciate one another. We were already a family, but now we laugh more than we used to. We have more respect for one another. We open up about our personal lives and our feelings more. During the first wave, we all worked over-
time. Some staff got sick, some lost family. Some nurses barely spent time with their own families. The hospital was our family, so we check in on one another. Since June, we have been able to spend more time with our own families. Our lives are different now. We’re always masked. We’re not going to the mall. We don’t enter the house through the front door. We change and wipe everything down in the garage, so nothing enters our house from the hospital. My partner Tiffany and I are both nurses in the ER and have three daughters. We’re always outside and busy. We surf. Even more so now, I’m taking time to appreciate the outdoors and my family. I always appreciated life, but I appreciate it even more now.
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NEW YORK NURSE
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october 2020
NYSNA 2020 Voter Guide
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ur Voter Guide provides endorsements for State Assembly and State Senate races, and for President of the United States. This Guide lists candidates for elected office—US House of Representatives/Congress, NY State Senate, NY State Assembly—who have been endorsed by NYSNA. For the Presidential race, NYSNA conducted an advisory poll of members in which an overwhelming majority—70%— voted to endorse Joe Biden. Congratulations to the members who participated in the poll and made their voices heard. Our ability to address issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis and to pass legislation like safe staffing and healthcare for all depends on each of us doing our part to elect candidates who have stood with nurses and our communities.
How to use this election guide For easy referral, candidates are listed by region and by Assembly or Senate District. There are candidates highlighted in each region who are involved in important races. Many have gone above and beyond to stand with us—on picket lines, at meetings with employers, and wherever we’ve needed their support. Use this Election Guide to familiarize yourself with the candidates in your district and be prepared to vote—either early voting beginning October 24, on Election Day November 3, or by absentee ballot. Over the next few weeks, there are a few steps you can take to prepare to vote.
1. Confirm your registration The New York State Board of Elections web site provides links for checking your voter registration, and more: www.elections.ny.gov
2. Early voting starts October 24 You can avoid the crowds and vote in person each day between Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, November 1. Find your polling location here: https://voterlookup. elections.ny.gov/. NYC residents can look up their polling site at https://nyc. pollsitelocator.com/search. The best way to vote safely is to vote early!
3. Request an absentee ballot If you will be out of town on November 3 or wish to limit your exposure to COVID-19, you can request an absentee ballot. You can request your absentee ballot online by visiting the State Board of Elections website at https:// www.elections.ny.gov/votingabsentee.html. NYC residents can also request an absentee ballot online: https://nycabsentee.com/ The deadline to send in your absentee ballot application by email, mail or fax is October 27. You will receive your absentee ballot by mail, which must be sent to the Board of elections by November 3.
Volunteer to GOTV! Please consider volunteering your time over the next several weeks to ensure NYSNA-endorsed candidates are elected. With several opportunities to elect and re-elect NYSNA champions, we have an excellent opportunity to
change the landscape of New York politics to move a bold agenda to protect the public’s health including staffing, healthcare for all, and fair taxation. NYSNA is also partnering with our labor allies to get out the vote for President and Vice President in battleground states. Take the pledge to vote and sign up to volunteer at https:// nysna.salsalabs.org/pledgetovote
Know your right to vote! In New York State, a registered voter may, without loss of pay for up to three hours, take off so much working time as will enable him or her to vote at any election. The employee shall be allowed time off for voting only at the beginning or end of his or her working shift, as the employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed. If the employee requires working time off to vote the employee shall notify his or her employer not less than two working days before the day of the election that he or she requires time off to vote in accordance with the provisions of this section. Not less than ten working days before every election, every employer shall post conspicuously in the place of work where it can be seen as employees come or go to their place of work, a notice setting forth the provisions of this section. Such notice shall be kept posted until the close of the polls on election day. If you wish to volunteer for a political campaign or as a poll worker, you can request time off from your employer through the usual process.
November 3 is fast approaching!
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New York Nurse october 2020
Joe Biden/Kamala Harris for President/Vice President
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acked by a large majority—70%—in our recent membership advisory poll concluded on September 3, Democrat Joe Biden has received NYSNA’s endorsement for President of the United States. Born to a working class family, Joe Biden has dedicated his life to public service, becoming one of the youngest people ever elected to the U.S. Senate at age 29. He served for eight years as President Obama’s Vice President, advocating for the middle class, a lasting economic recovery after the 2008 Great Recession, and the expansion of healthcare access through the Affordable Care Act. Biden has framed his candidacy as a battle for the soul of the nation; and his values and priorities match many of NYSNA nurses’, including ensuring healthcare for all, respecting and protecting frontline workers, strengthening union power, tackling systemic racism, climate justice, and ending gun violence. We encourage members to vote for Joe Biden on the Working Families Party ballot line.
Healthcare
Kamala Harris has served as a California Senator since 2017. She previously served as California’s attorney general, focusing on protecting homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis, defending California’s landmark climate change law, protecting the Affordable Care Act, helping win marriage equality for all Californians, and prosecuting transnational gangs that trafficked in guns, drugs, and human beings. She is accustomed to blazing trails in many of her positions. If elected Vice President, Harris would be the first African-American, South Asian-American, and woman to hold that office.
Biden believes healthcare is a right for all, not a privilege for just a few. His healthcare plan focuses on protecting the Affordable Care Act and expanding on it to give Americans more choice, reduce health care costs, and make our health care system less complex to navigate. He would create a public option, expand access to mental healthcare, improve affordability through tax credits, and take on the power of the pharmaceutical industry by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and allowing patients to buy prescription drugs from other countries. He would defend healthcare protections for all, regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. He would also create a national strategy to reduce our nation’s unacceptably high maternal mortality rate,
which disproportionately impacts women of color.
COVID-19 and Essential Workers Biden will focus on respecting essential workers through the immediate COVID-19 crisis and for the long-term, through raising wages, guaranteeing quality, affordable health care, providing free tuition for public higher education, and encouraging unionization and collective bargaining. More immediately, he is calling on the Trump administration to give priority access to PPE and COVID testing to frontline workers, use the Defense Production Act to produce an adequate supply of PPE, establish and enforce health and safety standards for workplaces, and enact premium pay for frontline workers putting themselves at risk. Biden also promises to increase economic recovery aid to the unemployed and small businesses.
Strengthening Union Power Biden believes that strong unions built the middle class, and he intends to roll back the right-wing war on workers that has reduced the bargaining power of workers and caused income inequality to soar to historic heights. His plan is to aggressively enforce labor law and pursue employers who engage in wage theft, including making employees work through breaks, or work overtime without overtime pay. He supports the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which penalizes companies and their executives for union-busting and bargaining in bad faith. He will extend the right to organize to public employees in every state, repeal the Taft-Hartley provisions that allow states to impose “right to work” laws, and allow workers to organize via “card check.”
Tackling Systemic Racism Biden believes that strengthening America’s commitment to justice requires rooting out systemic racism from our laws, our policies, our
institutions, and our hearts. His plan is to make investments that end racial disparities in healthcare, close the racial wealth gap through fair lending, home ownership and small business initiatives, expand access to high-quality education, promote diversity, equity and inclusion in schools and workplaces, and make the right to vote and the right to equal protection real for African Americans. Biden understands that our criminal justice system cannot be just unless we root out the racial, gender, and income-based disparities in the system.
Climate Justice Biden believes that climate change is real, is man-made, and poses an existential threat—not just to our environment, but to our health, our communities, our national security, and our economic well-being. His clean energy plan resembles the Green New Deal, with a focus on moving to a 100% clean energy economy and with net-zero emissions no later than 2050, a just transition for workers in pollution-based industries, and a focus on stopping polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities.
Ending gun violence Biden views gun violence as a public health epidemic. While in the Senate in the 90s, he championed the bills that established the background check system and the ten-year ban on assault rifles. As President, we would renew and strengthen these initiatives to keep weapons of war off our streets and out of the hands of criminals, as well as people unable to manage their affairs for mental reasons, which President Trump reversed. He will also take on the deadly connection between domestic violence and gun violence and provide more support and trauma-centered care to survivors of violence and their communities. [References: www.joebiden.com]
NEW YORK NURSE october 2020
Highlighted Races United stateS Congress Long Island
Central NY CD-22 Anthony Brindisi Anthony Brindisi is running for re-election to New York’s 22nd Congressional District. He has advocated against the rising costs of prescription drug prices and voted to protect the Affordable Care Act in Congress. While in
CD-21 Tedra Cobb
CD-2 Jackie Gordon Jackie Gordon is running for Congress in Long Island’s District 2. Gordon is a combat veteran and a retired high school guidance counselor. She has made affordable and accessible healthcare a top issue in her campaign. “Our nurses provide critical, lifesaving care to our community every day,” she says. “I’m proud to stand with them in advocating for every American’s right to quality, affordable healthcare.”
Staten Island CD-11 Max Rose Congressman Max Rose has made a real difference in the lives of his constituents on Staten Island and South Brooklyn. He’s delivered on critical issues—combating the opioid crisis, fortifying the district against storms, remediating transportation infrastructure, and improving veterans’ healthcare. As the pandemic grew, he worked to expand COVID-19 testing and get nurses the PPE they needed. Max voted for the Heroes Act and supports hazard pay for frontline workers. He secured over $100 million in CARES Act funding to support local hospitals. Max Rose is a proven leader with the people’s health and worker’s rights atop his agenda.
Tedra Cobb is running to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District. Cobb has experience on the frontlines, having worked as a corrections counselor, a volunteer firefighter, and in HIV/AIDS outreach. She started a community health agency in 1999, expanding critical healthcare infrastructure in Northern New York. She previously served on the St. Lawrence County Legislature, where she led a successful initiative to lower prescription drug costs. She has committed to expanding access to healthcare in Congress, with a special focus on the needs of our rural hospitals and the nurses that serve them. She stood alongside Nathan Littauer nurses in their last contract campaign.
Max Rose at NYSNA’s 2018 Convention
the New York State Assembly, he has voted for safe staffing legislation and has stood alongside St. Elizabeth nurses during their last contract fight. He continues to stand alongside them in their current contract fight and holds district meetings with nurses to discuss staffing issues during the COVID pandemic.
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New York Nurse october 2020
New York State Senate Long Island
“It is a great honor to have the endorsement and support of the New York State Nurses Association and its true frontline professionals, who protected and cared for our residents during the Covid19 pandemic. Our efforts in safeguarding our communities would not be possible without the dedication and capabilities of nurses.” Senator Pete Harckham
NYSNA nurse leaders got out the vote for State Senator Gounardes back in 2018.
SD-3 Monica Martinez Monica Martinez is running for reelection to New York’s 3rd Senate District. She is a member of the Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Budget & Revenues, and Labor Committees, just to name a few. Senator Martinez authored legislation protecting and expanding a woman’s right to quality healthcare, as well as co-sponsored one of the most progressive pieces of climate change legislation in the country. When she was elected in 2018, NYSNA did not endorse her, but she has since been an advocate for NYSNA nurses, co-sponsoring both the NY Health Act and the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act. Her general election is a priority for Democrats in LI, since her seat is at risk, and her challenger Alex Weik is very conservative. Labor is rallying behind her, including CWA, IBEW, Steamfitters, RWDSU, Laborers, Teamsters, and NYSUT.
Committee, he has authored and co-sponsored legislation to protect individual’s health data, especially communities of color, from exploitation. Senator Thomas has advocated for nurses’ priorities, such as legislation for safe staffing ratios and the NY Health Act. In August, he rallied alongside nurses at LIJ Valley Stream for a new contract and better working conditions.
NYC SD-22 Andrew Gounardes Andrew Gounardes is running for
re-election in New York’s 22nd State Senate District. Throughout his time in the Senate, he has taken action to protect and empower nurses, patients, and workers. He championed the recently won COVID-19 death benefit bill for public sector workers, including Health + Hospital/ Mayorals nurses. He also introduced legislation requiring all public sector employers to implement plans to protect public workers and the public health during COVID, which was recently signed into law by the Governor.
SD-6 Kevin Thomas Kevin Thomas was elected in 2018 to represent the 6th District in Nassau County, becoming the first Indian-American in New York history to serve in the State Senate. As Chair of the Consumer Protection
State Senator Kevin Thomas rallies with nurses outside LIJ Valley Stream in August.
NEW YORK NURSE october 2020
New York State Senate Hudson Valley
SD-39 James Skoufis James Skoufis is running for reelection in New York’s 29th Senate District, representing much of Orange County. Elected in 2019, he has fought alongside nurses by supporting important legislation, such as the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act. During the pandemic, Senator Skoufis helped distribute hundreds of masks and hand sanitizers in his district and hosted a COVID-19 testing site for first responders. When the NYSDOH released their flawed report on nurse staffing enhancements that inflated cost estimates, Senator Skoufis was among the lawmakers who stepped up to condemn the report.
SD-40 Peter Harckham Pete Harckham is running for reelection in New York’s 40th State Senate District. Pete has been a strong advocate for safe staffing ratios, a fair contract and worker protections, and a fair state budget where the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. Throughout the pandemic, he has joined alongside COVID nurse heroes at NYPHudson Valley Hospital who have been fighting for a fair contract for nearly two years.
SD-42 Jen Metzger Jen Metzger is running for reelection in New York’s State Senate District 42. She understands the need for patients in her district to have access to essential healthcare services, like inpatient mental
healthcare and detox services at Health Alliance Hudson Valley in Kingston. Jen is the strong advocate we need in Albany to fight for healthcare, education, the environment, and the economy.
ECMC nurses meet with Senator Sean Ryan in Albany during a 2018 Lobby Day
Western NY SD-60 Sean Ryan Sean Ryan is running for New York’s 60th Senate District. He was first elected to New York State Assembly in 2011, where he has advocated for nurses’ priorities such as safe staffing legislation. He has highlighted the need for safe staffing ratios in nursing homes and has urged state lawmakers to pass the bill during COVID-19.
Senator Peter Harckham spoke out in solidarity with NYP-Hudson Valley Hospital nurses fighting for a first contract this summer.
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New York Nurse october 2020
NY State Assembly NYC
Capital Region AD-110 Phil Steck Phil Steck is running for reelection to New York’s 110th Assembly District, which he has represented since 2013. Phil has been a strong advocate for nurses and the Capital Region’s working
families. He has co-sponsored safe staffing legislation and the New York Health Act. From standing alongside Bellevue Women’s Center nurses in 2013 to rallying with Albany Medical Center nurses in 2020, he has always been in solidarity with nurses in their fight for a fair contract.
AD-76 Rebecca Seawright Rebecca Seawright is lifelong Democrat running for re-election to New York’s 76th Assembly District on the “Rise and Unite” ballot line. At the height of the pandemic, Rebecca helped deliver thousands of PPE to hospitals and nursing homes in her district. Rebecca has always supported nurse’s priorities such as staff staffing ratios in our healthcare facilities.
Assembly Member Phil Steck spoke out on Labor Day 2020, ready to do “whatever it takes” to support Albany Med nurses.
EVERY NURSE VOTE COUNTS
NEW YORK NURSE october 2020
CENTRAL NY
District Candidate (affiliation)
NYS SENATE SD 50 John Mannion
Long Island
SD 53 Rachel May
NY02 Jackie Gordon NY03 Tom Suozzi
(D-WFP)
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 115 Billy Jones
(D)
Greg Meeks
(D-WFP)
NY07 Nydia Velazquez NY08 Hakeem Jeffries NY10 Jerry Nadler
NYS SENATE SD 3 Monica Martinez
(D-WFP)
NY09 Yvette Clarke
(D-WFP)
(D)
(D-WFP)
NY12 Carolyn Maloney NY13 Adriano Espaillat
(D)
SD 5
James Gaughran
SD 6
Kevin Thomas
SD 7
Anna Kaplan
SD 8
John Brooks
(D-WFP)
Westchester/ Hudson Valley
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 1 Fred Thiele
(D)
(D) (D) (D)
(D-WFP)
AD 2 Laura Jens-Smith
(D) (D-WFP)
NY16 Jamaal Bowman
(D-WFP)
AD 4
Steve Englebright
NY17 Mondaire Jones
(D-WFP)
AD 6
Phil Ramos
NY18 Sean Patrick Maloney NY19 Antonio Delgado
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
Capital/ North Country Region (D-WFP)
NY21 Tedra Cobb
NY22 Anthony Brindisi
(D-WFP)
Western New York NY26 Brian Higgins
(D-WFP)
AD 13 Charles Lavine
AD 15 Mike Montesano AD 21 Judy Griffin
Capital/ North Country Region NYS SENATE SD 43 Patrick Nelson SD 44 Neil Breslin
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
SD 45 Kimberly Davis NYS ASSEMBLY AD 109 Patricia Fahy
(D-WFP)
(D)
(WFP)
AD 113 Carrie Woerner
(D)
(D-WFP)
NYS SENATE SD 35 Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-WFP)
SD 38 Elijah Reichlin-Melnik SD 39 James Skoufis
SD 40 Peter Harckham SD 41 Karen Smythe
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 92 Thomas Abinanti
AD 103 Kevin Cahill
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP) (D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
AD 104 Jonathan Jacobson AD 106 Didi Barrett
(D)
(D-WFP)
AD 100 Aileen Gunther (D)
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
SD 37 Shelley Mayer
AD 97 Ellen Jaffee
(D-WFP)
AD 112 Joe Seeman
(R)
(D)
AD 22 Michaelle Solages
AD 93 Chris Burdick
AD 111 Angelo Santabarbara
(R)
(D)
SD 42 Jen Metzger
(D-WFP)
SD 46 Michelle Hinchey
(D)
(D)
AD 14 David McDonough
SD 36 Jamaal Bailey
NY State
AD 110 Phil Steck
AD 11 Kimberly Jean-Pierre
WESTCHESTER/ HUDSON VALLEY
(D-WFP)
NY27 Nate McMurray
(D-WFP)
AD 18 Taylor Darling
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
(D)
SD 9 Todd Kaminsky
(D-WFP)
NY14 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
(D)
SD 4 Christine Pellegrino
(D-WFP)
(D)
NY20 Paul Tonko
(D)
LONG ISLAND
(D)
NY06 Grace Meng
NY11 Max Rose
(D-WFP)
AD 119 Marianne Buttenschon
New York City NY05
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
NYSNA Voter Guide
US Congress
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New York Nurse october 2020
NYSNA Voter Guide
12
AD 55 Latrice Walker
WESTERN NY
AD 57 Phara Souffrant Forrest
NYS SENATE SD 55 Samra Brouk
(D-WFP)
SD 56 Jeremy Cooney SD 60 Sean Ryan
(D)
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
SD 61 Jacqui Berger
(D-WFP)
SD 63 Tim Kennedy
(D-WFP)
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 141 Crystal Peoples-Stokes AD 142 Patrick Burke
AD 60 Charles Barron
(D)
NYS SENATE SD 23 Diane Savino NYS ASSEMBLY AD 61 Charles Fall
(D)
(D)
(D)
AD 63 Michael Cusick
(D-WFP)
AD 146 Karen McMahon
(D-WFP)
STATEN ISLAND
(D-WFP)
AD 143 Monica Wallace
AD 59 Jaime Williams
(D)
AD 64 Brandon Patterson
(D-WFP)
NYS SENATE SD 27 Brad Hoylman
QUEENS
SD 28 Liz Krueger
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
SD 31 Robert Jackson
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
SD 12 Mike Gianaris
(D-WFP)
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 65 Yuh-Line Niou
SD 13 Jessica Ramos
(D-WFP)
AD 69 Daniel O’Donnell
SD 11 John Liu
(D-WFP)
AD 70 Inez Dickens
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 24 David Weprin
AD 71 Al Taylor
(D)
AD 27 Daniel Rosenthal AD 29 Alicia Hyndman AD 30 Brian Barnwell
(D-WFP)
AD 40 Ronald Kim
(D)
(D-WFP)
(WFP)
NYS SENATE SD 32 Luis Sepulveda
(D-WFP)
SD 33 Gustavo Rivera
(D-WFP) (D-WFP)
SD 35 Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-WFP)
(D)
SD 22 Andrew Gounardes SD 23 Diane Savino
(D-WFP)
AD 76 Rebecca Seawright
SD 34 Alessandra Biaggi
BROOKLYN
SD 21 Kevin Parker
(D-WFP)
BRONX
(D)
(D-WFP)
NYS SENATE SD 20 Zellnor Myrie
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
AD 75 Richard Gottfried
(D-WFP)
AD 36 Zohran Kwame Momdani AD 39 Catalina Cruz
(D)
AD 74 Harvey Epstein
AD 34 Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas
(D)
(D-WFP)
AD 73 Dan Quart
(D)
(D)
AD 35 Jeffrion Aubry
(D-WFP)
AD 72 Carmen de la Rosa
(D)
AD 31 Khaleel Anderson
(D)
MANHATTAN
NYC NYS SENATE SD 10 James Sanders Jr.
(D-WFP)
(D)
SD 25 Jabari Brisport
(D-WFP)
(D-WFP)
AD 43 Diana Richardson
(D-WFP)
AD 52 Jo Anne Simon
(D-WFP)
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 77 Latoya Joyner
(D)
AD 80 Nathalia Fernandez
(D-WFP)
(D)
(D-WFP)
(D)
(D)
AD 84 Amanda Septimo AD 86 Victor Pichardo
(D-WFP)
AD 46 Mathylde Frontus
SD 36 Jamaal Bailey
AD 83 Carl Heastie
NYS ASSEMBLY AD 41 Helene Weinstein AD 44 Robert Carroll
(D)
AD 87 Karines Reyes
(D-WFP)
(D)
(D-WFP)
For a full list of NYSNA endorsements, including for elections in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, please visit www.nysna.org/2020-endorsements
NEW YORK NURSE
13
october 2020
When New Rochelle nurses fight, we win!
D
uring the COVID-19 surge, Montefiore New Rochelle converted its Maternal Child Health Services (MCH) to serve COVID patients. As elective surgeries reopened and resumed practice, MCH acute services remained closed, leaving the community without these vital healthcare services—that’s until nurses spoke out and Montefiore announced that Maternal Child Health will reopen! That’s a win for the nurses and the New Rochelle Community they serve. Montefiore first notified nurses that the mother-baby units would
“We have to tell Montefiore that every elected official, every voter, every nurse, and every citizen is trying to have a first-class city. Our community deserves a firstclass hospital,” said Westchester Legislator Maher. Nurses called attention to the lack of transparency between Montefiore, nurses and the community. For the last seven months, expecting families were confused about the closures, as they had to be transferred out of the hospital to deliver outside their communities. One mother even gave birth in the Emergency Department. NYSNA member and Maternal Child Health nurse, Beverly Stewart, RN, spoke out. “The birth of a child is one of the most pivotal episodes in a family’s life and it should be honored. They should be able to receive the necessary care right here in their own community,” she said.
Divesting from local communities
Nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle
reopen in September, but then delayed reopening and refused to provide a date for reopening. Since closing the units, MCH nurses have been left to constantly float to different floors. Some RNs had no choice but to resign and seek RN work in their specialty elsewhere. So far, 16 MCH nurses have left New Rochelle, a very significant brain drain that must be addressed for the good of the community. On October 6, nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle and elected officials held a press conference to demand answers from Montefiore for refusing to reopen the motherbaby units. Elected officials joined nurses in their call, including State Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblyman Steve Otis, Westchester County Legislator Damon Maher, and New Rochelle Councilmember Martha Lopez-Hanratty.
Early during the pandemic, Montefiore received nearly $700 million in federal COVID funding to address cases in low-income and high-impact areas like Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, both hospitals bought by Montefiore Health System—the parent healthcare company comprised of 15 member hospitals and outpatient ambulatory sites. Rather than use funds for these communities, Montefiore disinvested from Mount Vernon, a safety net hospital, and from New Rochelle, a community-based hospital that serves mostly low-income and immigrant patients. Instead, Montefiore announced a $272 million expansion to its White Plains hospital, located in a well-to-do majority-white Westchester community. “We all know about how inequalities in healthcare affect patient outcomes, but we see Montefiore spending millions on renovations in White Plains while threatening to close Mount Vernon hospital and shutting down our essential Maternal Child Health unit. We need Montefiore to invest in staffing, to invest in local nurses so they don’t feel like they have to leave their commu-
nity,” said New Rochelle nurse Marcia Hayles, RN. NYSNA nurses have filed a Request for Information demanding to know how Montefiore has spent the $39.6 million in federal bailout money that was earmarked for New Rochelle Hospital.
“We worked through COVID” New Rochelle was the first COVID hot-spot in New York state and nurses there stepped up to the plate to protect the community. The community and Montefiore praised their nurses and frontline workers, who saved lives despite bare bones staffing conditions. After working on the frontlines, nurses are calling on Montefiore to act in good faith and reach a deal for a fair contract. NYSNA Montefiore New Rochelle Chairperson Kathy Santoiemma, RN, said, “We rolled up our sleeves and worked through COVID because that’s what nurses do. Now, the only way management is thanking us is through billboards and advertising. We don’t think it’s fair. We want safe staffing ratios for our patients. We want retiree health. We want a fair contract.” Nurses estimate that Montefiore spent at least $3.4 million on a four-month ad campaign to thank COVID nurse heroes. During the last round of negotiations, management said they must “use their resources wisely.” Nurses are insisting that Montefiore invest their resources in retaining nurses, improving staffing, and valuing the sacrifices of veteran healers, instead of on billboards that build their business, not improve conditions.
Victory builds momentum After the day’s energetic action, nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle received word that the Mother-Baby units will reopen on November 9th! This is a victory for the Maternal Child Health nurses and the over 1,000 families served by New Rochelle’s Maternal Child Health units. New Rochelle nurses intend to build on this victory, as they prepare to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract for nurses, keep them on the job and provide quality care for patients.
“We need Montefiore to invest in staffing, to invest in local nurses so they don’t feel like they have to leave their community.” Marcia Hayles, RN
Michelle Gonzalez, an RN from Montefiore Moses, leads nurses rally at Montefiore New Rochelle.
“We thank the nurses for being in the frontlines and making sure we get the care that we deserve. Let’s ensure nurses get a fair contract and let’s reopen the Mother-Baby units.” Martha Lopez-Hanratty,
New Rochelle Councilmember
14
New York Nurse october 2020
LIJ-Valley Stream Northwell
Artist credit: Fake, from the Dear Frontlines project
NYSNA celebrates Filipino American History Month
A winning contract
B
argaining was put aside during the months of intensive care of coronavirus patients. But on October 2, nurses at LIJValley Stream sealed their deal. With no givebacks and important improvements in pension and retiree health, coupled with full retroactive raises, there was much to cheer.
“Our nurses truly deserved this fair contract given the hard work they did and continue to do during this pandemic,” said LBU Chair Leesa John, RN. “LIJ-Valley Stream Hospital was one of the hot spots, where many nurses had contracted the virus. Our nurses care for patients whose acuity is the second highest in the Northwell system.”
(L-R) LIJ-Valley Stream RNs Beenish George, Sandra Armstrong Lydie Alexandre, Leesa John and Carol Gravely NYSNA celebrates the contributions of Filipino nurses this Filipino American History Month—and every month. The skill, caring, and comradely of our Filipino colleagues make our profession stronger. This year, we bear in mind the outsized toll that COVID-19 has had on Filipino nurses, healthcare workers and the community. Filipinos make up 4% of nurses in the US, but 31.5% of nurse deaths from COVID19. The heroism and struggle of our Filipino American nurse colleagues will go down in history.
Ready to strike AMC!
“The Committee fought long and hard for this contract. It was important the we not only recognize our long-term members but also the newer ones with a new clinical division,” said LBU Co-chair Lydie Alexandre, RN. “This contract will help recruit and retain bedside nurses. We will continue to work with management in order to obtain safe nurseto-patient rations.” The career average for members was moved up four years, to 2010, adding value to pensions. “The improvement to our pension was a very important achievement, ensuring that our nurses are more financially secure upon retirement,” said John. Retirement with Northwell medical insurance coverage at age 60 for five years will be available to RNs in 2021 and 2023, another important winning clause in the new contract.
Albany Med RNs reclaim their time
M
ost nurses have heard plenty of excuses from managers when speaking up about missing a meal break. Nurses know these excuses are not right—and they’re also illegal. It’s not safe for nurses or patients when nurses work through a shift without taking any breaks. “In the five years I’ve worked here, I’ve never taken a break,” explained Gabriella Roberts, RN, a nurse in the Neuro Progressive Care Unit. “The patients on my unit are sicker than on a regular Med Surg floor—they require close monitoring—a 3:1 patient-to-nurse ratio. The only way to keep patients safe is to have someone covering and taking your assignment, so we don’t go to a 6:1 ratio. The patients don’t get any less sick if we’re on
break, and it’s not like we have scheduled breaks that someone can come cover.” Nurses at Albany Medical Center decided to do something about it. With the help of an app developed by NYSNA, Albany Med nurses started a campaign in late June to document their missed breaks. They submitted more than 100 instances of missed meal breaks within a month.
Albany Med is not above the law The complaints were submitted to the New York State Department of Labor, the government entity that oversees and enforces wage and hour laws for workers. Now, the DOL has launched an investigation into Albany Med, interviewing nurses and managers about
Nurses at Albany Med are ramping up their campaign for a fair first contract. They are signing strike pledge cards to send a strong message to CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna that they are ready to do whatever it takes to win respect for nurses and patients!
Albany Med nurses let the world know why they’re ready to strike.
the illegal practice of pushing employees to work through their 30-minute mandated meal breaks without pay. “Even though management tells you it’s your own time management issues, the best thing to do is swipe out as a missed meal break and encourage your co-workers to swipe out the same when they miss a break,” concluded Roberts. “That’s the only way to get management to pay attention and make a change, because this is an issue that effects everyone.” The DOL can levy penalties on Albany Med and potential fines if they don’t comply with the law going forward. This investigation sets a good precedent for protecting nurses’ rights at Albany Med— and throughout the state.
NEW YORK NURSE october 2020
‘When you learn, teach, when you get, give.’
H
ow did nurses at ECMC and Terrace View Long Term Care in Buffalo move from horror and grief over the death of George Floyd this summer to launching a new initiative to take on systemic racism? Inspiration came from the Maya Angelou quote, “When you learn, teach, when you get, give.”
We are part of the solution In the immediate aftermath of Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer, some of the chatter on social media and at the nurses’ station reflected prejudice and a lack of understanding about the challenges that Black Americans face. Working with diverse colleagues in a predominantly Black and Brown community, a group of nurses realized the urgency of challenging biases and making positive change in their workplace and community. “We can’t ignore what’s happening in the world, because it’s reflected here,” said Giovanni Maurice, RN, one of the founders of the new Allies in Healthcare Equality initiative. “We started this group to be part of the solution and to do something more than put out a statement, a poster, or a pin. We wanted to work towards concrete changes.”
Making a difference Allies started out by created working subgroups to address diversity, equity and inclusion issues in patient care, training and policy, and community inclusion. In less than two months, they have already driven positive, concrete changes at ECMC and Terrace View. The group is currently working with management on documentation issues to bring awareness to how diseases present on different skin pigmentation. “You really can’t be color blind in healthcare,” said Margaret Cod, RN. “It’s about color awareness— recognizing and celebrating our
NYSNA nurses commemorated Black Lives at a vigil at ECMC in June.
differences in a respectful way. We recently added more patient bath products for all races and ethnic backgrounds. So many patients are excited now to have skin and hair products available that they actually use.” Allies also want to go beyond past ECMC-driven initiatives that focus on diversity without tackling equity and challenging topics. The policies and training subgroup is working to develop mandatory trainings on racism, and they’re examining policies, assignments and promotions for bias. Management recently agreed to standing monthly diversity and inclusion meetings.
Community inclusion Allies hopes to bring hope and inspiration to their co-workers and community. They plan posters throughout the hospital that celebrate staff and community achievements year-round—not just during Black History Month. This Halloween, they are going into local schools and the community with healthy gift bags of masks, sanitizer, and toothbrushes to talk to kids about their health and about jobs in healthcare. At Terrace View Long Term Care, nurses are moving many
of the same initiatives. Townhall conversations about racism are already happening. More diverse patient care products have been ordered. Nurses are working with the Diversity and Inclusion office on a new process to escalate issues and create better retention and more advancement opportunities for nurses of color. Terrace View’s Allies group is also tackling other forms of injustice, including against LGBTQ+ patients and staff.
Stronger together “The tunnel may separate us, but we are united,” explained Terrace View nurse Steve Requena, RN. “We’re working to line up Allies at ECMC and Terrace View more, because together, we’re stronger. Together we can impact ECMC.” Although started within NYSNA by NYSNA nurses, Allies in Healthcare Equality is open to any healthcare worker at ECMC and TVLTC. “This group is open to anyone who is interested in fair treatment and speaking out against injustice,” explained Antoinette Foster, RN, of TVLTC. “To fully be a team, we need to be united. Working together for equality and racial justice will help us do just that.”
“When you learn, teach, when you get, give.” –Maya Angelou
15
NEW YORK NURSE
Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA
october 2020
131 West 33rd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10001
INSIDE
Help ensure nysna’s Medical Missions, p. 3
ote NYSNA 2020 voter guide
pp. 5-12
LIJ-Valley Stream’s winning contract, p. 14