SEPTEMBER 2019
A NEWSLETTER FOR NYSNA RNs AT WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER
Nurses are VITAL! Nurses—from frontline staff nurses, to nurse managers, to everyone in between—are a vital part of any healthcare institution. Positive patient outcomes, patient experience, HCAP scores, and public perception are all shaped by how well the nursing team functions. That is why the NYSNA nurses at Westchester Medical Center are launching a new campaign called Nurses are VITAL. Local Bargaining Unit President, David Long, RN, explained, “We are some of the most educated and experienced nurses anywhere. We want to support excellent practice. We want everyone to be at his or her best and show this institution that nurses are vital.” In 2015, Westchester Med created a five-year strategic plan that was centered on VITAL values that should guide the institution. Those values were: Value (Everyone), Integrity, Transformation and Innovation, Accountability, and Leadership & Learning. Although leadership intended to launch a VITAL employee morale program shortly after, it never really got off the ground.
“We need to increase the morale and mutual respect at Westchester Med,” explained David. “NYSNA wants nurses to feel vital, empowered and supported. We cannot continue to wait for management to make us feel appreciated—we need to start recognizing ourselves as vital.” NYSNA nurses rolled out the Nurses are VITAL campaign at the annual hospital picnic on September 25, distributing stickers and engaging members. NYSNA Executive Committee members and Delegates are beginning to walk the units to connect with nurses and discuss how we can best support each other. Members are encouraged to reach out to the Committee or your Delegate (listed on the back page of this newsletter) with your ideas on how we can become even more proud of where we work. The goal of NYSNA leadership at Westchester is to have a transparent and cooperative relationship with management where everyone can feel vital, respected, and proud to be part of the team. We are feeling optimistic that the Nurses are VITAL campaign is a step in the right direction.
WE ARE NURSES, WE ARE NYSNA!
Do Nurses Need Malpractice Insurance? Short answer: if you believe saving your career and finances is worth $100 - $200/year, then yes! Nurses have a lot of misconceptions about malpractice insurance and often question whether it is necessary to buy it at all. Let’s break down some of the myths and facts about malpractice insurance.
Myth: My hospital has malpractice insurance that covers me, so I don’t need to buy my own.
Fact: Hospital malpractice insurance first and foremost covers the hospital. Do you know what kind of coverage the hospital has and what the per occurrence and per aggregate limits of the policy are? For example, if a hospital has a $5/10 million policy, where the maximum payout per occurrence is $5 million and the maximum aggregate payout in a two-year fiscal cycle is $10 million, individual defendants may be on the hook to pay out additional money in a legal settlement. If a hospital is underfunded and cannot pay out the maximum amount, or if the hospital goes bankrupt, individual providers covered only by the hospital’s insurance will be required to pay the settlement.
Myth: If I change careers or retire, and then get sued, my insurance won’t protect me.
Fact:
There are three types of malpractice insurance, making it easy to ensure you are covered when you need it:
1. Occurrence Insurance: a little more expensive, but it protects you into the future. As long as you are an active policy-holder when an incident happens, you will be protected, even if you are sued years later, after you retire or change careers.
2. Claims-Made Insurance: less expensive, because you will only be protected if you are actively paying into this insurance when sued. Because the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is typically up to 10 years, you would not be covered if you are sued after you stop paying into this kind of policy.
3. Tail Coverage: insurance that covers you after you stop paying into your regular claims-made policy (usually after retirement).
Myth: Malpractice insurance is too expensive. Hospitals can afford it, but I can’t.
Fact: Malpractice insurance for nurses is really not that much, especially considering the financial repercussions of not carrying individual malpractice insurance. Generally, an RN can expect to pay under $200/year, and advanced practice nurses can expect to pay a little more. Shop around for a plan that works for you, and read the fine print. To get the most bang for your buck, look for insurance that includes legal defense coverage for any professional license investigation against you, whether it is related to a malpractice claim or not.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Matthew Donacnie 4S
Perdeep Bhui 7NE
Nikki Harris Small L&D
Shakeema Nixon OR
Laura Scully 5N
Chris DeMaio 7NE
Kelly Baldwin NICU
Ansa Sebasticio OR
Catherina Alvarez 5N
Shannon Girven 7NE
Kelly Boyle NICU
Malikia Woodley OR
Kelsey Fosstveit 5N
Tatiana Morales 7NE
Jenna Castro NICU
Stephanie Pelka Peds 3100
Shannon Houlihan 5N
Vineeta Zachariah 7NE
Megan Porta NICU
Courtney Reagan Peds 3200
Pooja Chandiramani 6N
Ashley Murphy 7NW
Nicole Pray NICU
Julius Wehr TICU
Shilove Beaubert 6S
Mark Vincent Villamil CCL
Micaela Quattrociocchi NICU
Deon Taylor Utilization
Tziporah Bodner 6S
Alison Thorpe CDU
Shamalei Davis OR
Beena Philip 6S
Bianca Mongelos ED
Jessica Guseman OR
Julia Feuer 7S
Christopher Rodriguez ED
Christine Koenig OR
SEPTEMBER 2019
A Newsletter for NYSNA RNs at Westchester Medical Center
Know Your Contract: Holiday Scheduling Four Calendar Quarters in a year: • I. January, February, March • 2. April May, June • 3. July, August, September • 4. October, November, December Full-time employees earn the following holiday accruals at 7.5 hours each. Please note, if you work on any of the 12 holidays below (excluding Election day), you will accrue additional time equal to the number of hours worked that day; for example, a nurse who works an 11. 5 hour shift on such days will be credited with an additional four (4) hours in their holiday accrual bank.
Quarter I Holidays: • New Year’s Day • Martin Luther King Day • Lincoln’s Birthday • Presidents Day All requests must be submitted by May 31st. You may request time off for the above holidays from the date of the holiday through September 30th. If the request is not received by May 31, management may assign holiday time off beginning June 1 through September 30th. If holiday time off is not approved or assigned, the holiday accruals will expire and be paid out in October (fourth quarter).
Quarter 2 Holidays: • Memorial Day All requests must be submitted by August 31st. You may request time off for the above holiday from the date of the holiday through December 31st. If the request is not received by August 31st, management may assign holiday time off beginning September Ist through December 31st. If holiday time off is not approved or assigned, the holiday accruals will expire and be paid out in the first pay period of January (first quarter).
Quarter 3 Holiday earnings: • Independence Day • Labor Day All requests must be submitted by December Ist. You may request time off for the above holidays from the
date of the holiday through March 30th. If the request is not received by December Ist, management may assign holiday time off beginning December 2st through March 31st· If holiday time off is not approved or assigned, the holiday accruals will expire and be paid out in the first pay period of April (second quarter).
Quarter 4 Holiday earnings: • Columbus Day • Veterans Day • Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Day All requests must be submitted by March 1st. You may request time off for the above holidays from the date of the holiday through June 30th of the following year. If the request is not received by last day of February, management may assign holiday time off from March 2nd through June 30th· If Holiday time is not approved or assigned, the holiday time will expire and be paid out in the first pay period of July (third quarter).
• Holiday time off may be requested at the start of the quarter that the holiday falls in, but it may not be used until the time has been accrued. • lf you had requested holiday time, and it was not approved or assigned, the holiday time will expire and be paid out according to the schedule above. • Your nurse manager or department timekeeper must approve your holiday time off requests within thirty (30) days of your request date. During these thirty (30) days, if the request cannot be approved, your designated approver may initiate a discussion about alternate days that you would like use the holiday time. • During the period when management may assign the holiday time, you may still have open discussions with your nurse manager on a mutually agreed upon date, however, the manager has the right to assign. • Per CBA, Election Day is a floating holiday that must be requested with vacation requests in November of the previous year. • The oldest holiday accrual is automatically applied to the time off. You do not need to choose a holiday on a request form; only include the days that you would like time off.
UPCOMING EVENTS
(For more information or to register, ask your NYSNA Rep)
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MED-SURG CERT. REVIEW
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ELECTRONIC FETAL MONITORING REVIEW
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MEDICAL MISSION & DISASTER RELIEF
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LEADERSHIP TRAINING, PT. II
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MEDICAL MISSION & DISASTER RELIEF
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CHARTING WITH A JURY IN MIND PT. III
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EMERGENCY NURSE CERT. REVIEW
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CRITICAL CARE NURSING CERT. REVIEW
Oct. 7 & 8, NYSNA Tarrytown Office Oct. 15 & 16, NYSNA Tarrytown Office Oct. 17 - 22, Mexico Oct. 17, NYSNA Tarrytown Office Nov. 6 - 16, Brazil Nov. 6, NYSNA Tarrytown Office Nov. 7 & 8, NYSNA Tarrytown Office Nov. 12 & 13, NYSNA Tarrytown Office
NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE David Long, RN, President CCU Zina Klein, RN, 1st Vice President EICU Liesl Van Ledtje, RN, 2nd Vice President BHC/B2 Mary-Lynn Boyts, RN, Grievance Co-Chair OR Corinne Noonan, RN, Grievance Co-Chair 4N Jayne Cammisa, RN, Secretary NYSNA Release Time Representative Deb Cava, RN, Night Chairperson Nursing Supervision
SAVE THE DATE! NYSNA CONVENTION October 29 & 30, Albany, NY
GET ANSWERS/STAY IN TOUCH
HEALTH BENEFITS
NYSNA WMC Office: Phone 914-493-8329 Fax 914-493-7175 Email jayne.cammisa@nysna.org Integrated Disability: Phone Lisa Okoro 914-493-2630 Email IntegratedDisability@WMCHealth.org NYS Retirement System: Phone 866-805-0990 or www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/retirement_online/customers.php NYSNA Welfare Funds: Phone 800-537-1237 or www.asonet.com Payroll Services Hotline: Phone 914-493-2704 Email Payroll_Services@WMCHealth.org Kronos Help Hotline: Phone 914-493-246793 Email KronosHelp@WMCHealth.org Corporate Compliance: Phone 866-545-0038 or 914-493-2600 Personal Protection and Safety Hotline 24/7: Phone 844-492-1321 SPAN: Phone 800-457-7261 WMC Health Benefits: Phone 914-493-7144 Email BenefitsHelp@wmchealth.org Aetna Medical/Rx: www.aetna.com and www.aetnanavigator.com Aetna EAP: www.resourcesforliving.com Teladoc: www.teladoc.com/aetna Cigna Dental: www.mycigna.com EyeMed Vision: www.eyemedvisioncare.com WageWorks FSA & Commuter Benefits: www.wageworks.com
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