• Congratulations to Catherine Kane
• Nominations are now being Accepted 
• The Nightingale Tribute
• Lead by Example
• ANA Upholds NYSNA Suspension for Dual Unionism
• CMS Announces New Innitiative
• VNA Joins White House to Support GIs, Vets and Military Families

 

Congratulations to Catherine Kane

 

Catherine Kane, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been selected to receive the American Nurses Association's 2012 Hildegard Peplau Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made "significant contributions to nursing practice over a lifetime through scholarly activities, clinical practice, and policy development. [It is] specifically directed towards the psychosocial and psychiatric aspects of nursing care delivery."  Catherine will receive the award at the ANA House of Delegates in June at National Harbor, Maryland.

Make a Difference for Nursing: Nominations are now being Accepted

 

This is your opportunity to make a difference to nursing in Virginia! The VNA Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for the election of officers. The election takes place electronically, this summer.

 

Members who would like to submit their name to the Nominations Committee for consideration of an elected position are strongly encouraged to take the time to review job descriptions as outlined on the VNA website

 

The following Board positions are open for the 2012 Election:

• Secretary
• Director at Large
• Direcotor at Large (New Grad)
• Commissioner of Work Force Issues
• Commissioner of Nursing Education
• Commissioner of Nursing Practice
• Three openings for the Nominating Committee

 

VNA is supporting the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) challenge to Virginia's health care community to "lead the way" by using the new online statewide advance directive registry.

 

The goal is to have 2,012 registrants by April 16, 2012 which is National Health Care Decisions Day. For each registrant, the MSV Foundation will dedicate $1 toward advance care planning and programming for providers.

 

Please take a few moments to lead the way for your staff and your patients by uploading your health care advance directive and encouraging them to do the same!

 

Instructions:

Visit virginia registry to learn more and create a new account where you can securely store your care planning documents. If you do not have an advance health care directive, you can download a blank form.

 

For more tools and information about advance directives and end of life planning, visit www.msv.org/leadbyexample.

 

ANA Upholds NYSNA

Suspension for Dual Unionism

 

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Board of Directors has upheld an earlier decision to suspend the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) from constituent member status effective December 15, 2011. The board affirmed the decision following a meeting held on March 7 to consider an appeal of the suspension submitted by the NYSNA leadership.

 

 

ANA's bylaws stipulate that engaging in "dual unionism" is cause for disciplinary action against a constituent member.  Courts have defined "dual unionism" as assisting a rival union in taking over as the bargaining representative, or otherwise undermining the integrity of the labor organization by helping its rival.

 

In October 2011, the newly elected NYSNA Board of Directors brought in the current executive director of the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) to run the association. Massachusetts Nurses Association is an affiliate and founding member of National Nurses United (NNU). NYSNA is affiliated with ANA. Several individual members of NYSNA produced evidence for the hearing panel showing that some NYSNA board members brought in staff leaders of a competing union, provided them with access to proprietary information, and gave them complete control of the organization's operations.

 

According to the ANA board's ruling, "The Board of Directors notes that NYSNA has taken the position on appeal that the existence of dual unionism would be eliminated if it were to have its Interim Executive Director resign from her position with the rival labor organization while serving as NYSNA's top staff person. That position misses the point - such an offer would not resolve the existence of dual unionism. NYSNA's Interim Executive Director has positioned herself as the so-called champion of NYSNA members while simultaneously using her MNA email address and enlisting MNA staff members to control the NYSNA offices to facilitate the "transition." This has created the false impression that the NNU affiliate is better able to serve the interests of NYSNA members, or within the context of MNA/NNU history, that a NYSNA affiliated with NNU would be better able to serve the interests of a NYSNA that is affiliated with ANA, thereby undermining the foundation of the NYSNA/ANA affiliate relationship."

 

Because of ANA's federated model, NYSNA is the organizational member of ANA; therefore, action is taken against the state association. As a consequence, individual members of NYSNA have lost ANA rights and benefits during the suspension, including the right to hold national office, participate in ANA's House of Delegates, and access to benefits such as periodicals, members' content on ANA's website, and discounts.

 

In the event dual unionism is effectively ended during the one-year period of suspension, NYSNA may provide evidence of that fact and petition the ANA Board of Directors to have the suspension lifted.

 

"Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, we're taking steps to put more advanced practice registered nurses at the forefront of our health care system," said Marilyn Tavenner, Acting Administrator of CMS, and a nurse. "Better training and support for advanced practice registered nurses will mean higher quality care."

CMS will select up to five eligible hospitals to participate in the demonstration. The demonstration is expected to run for four years. For more information including how to apply, visit the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration website at: innovation.cms.