NEW YORK NURSE: October 2009
by Linda O’Brien, MS, RN, President, NYSNA
It’s hard to believe that two years have passed since I assumed the presidency of NYSNA. I will be passing the gavel to Karen Ballard at the close of Convention this month in Saratoga Springs.
Serving as your president has been a wonderful experience. I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of nurses at locations across the state, the nation, and even the globe. Attending the International Congress of Nurses in South Africa was an unforgettable experience.
I have gained new appreciation for the complex, vibrant organization that is the New York State Nurses Association. Our members are as diverse as the nursing profession itself, and all have unique contributions to make. This can, at times, cause a measure of conflict and passionate discussion; however, I believe that our ultimate goals are the same.
Several of these goals, which are based on the stated mission of NYSNA, are:
As I leave office, there are many issues that remain unresolved. The future of healthcare reform, which once seemed so promising, has been clouded by strident politics. While two major pieces of legislation – banning mandatory overtime and requiring hospitals to disclose staffing levels – are gigantic steps forward, the challenge of implementing and enforcing them remains. NYSNA’s presence in the national labor arena is evolving as the new National Federation of Nurses establishes itself.
I am sure that the Board of Directors and our new president are up to the task. I urge you, as members of this association, to support them in positive ways that will encourage compromise and growth rather than confrontation and paralysis.
In the words of a motto that was on my wall for years:
“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”