REPORT: September 2006

From the President

Bright Lights, Bright Future

by Verlia Brown, MA, RN, C

Convention time is here again and my first year as NYSNA President has flown by! Convention is always the high point for NYSNA members and this year is no exception.

It’s especially exciting when we gather in New York City, within an hour’s drive for thousands of our members. The Big Apple is also a great destination for nurses outside the metropolitan area. There will be so much to see and do, both inside and outside of the Convention site.

I’m looking forward to the second annual “Labor Day” on Thursday, Oct. 5. Members who are represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining will gather to discuss labor relations issues and enjoy a sense of solidarity. The day will include business meetings of the NYSNA Delegate Assembly and Congress of Local Bargaining Units.

The keynote address on Friday morning is the official kickoff for Convention, and we will hear from Diana Mason, editor of the American Journal of Nursing. Diana, a former member of the NYSNA Board of Directors, has distinguished herself as a leader in the nursing community. She will share how nurses can use the power they don’t know they have to create change in health care. It should be an inspirational moment.

The Voting Body will be asked to consider important issues facing the association. Unlike many organizations, any NYSNA member can attend Voting Body sessions, speak to the group, and vote. This year, a bylaws change would restructure the Council on Nursing Practice, which advises the Board of Directors on practice issues.

The Voting Body also will be updated on nursing in New York State by Barbara Zittell, executive secretary of the state Board for Nursing. I’ll have the privilege of summarizing actions by the Board of Directors over the past year. I want to stress that it is every member’s responsibility and privilege to attend Voting Body and chart the future of the association. You don’t have a right to complain if you don’t participate.

Finally, it wouldn’t be Convention without a little fun. Many nurses enjoy the exhibit hall, where they can have lunch and interact with vendors. The Awards Reception on Saturday (there will be no banquet this year) will be a wonderful opportunity to honor colleagues who have contributed to NYSNA and the nursing profession.

In 2001, the Voting Body approved a resolution that the NYSNA Convention be held in New York City every five years for maximum accessibility by the maximum number of members. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you there. In the city of “bright lights,” we will spend time together planning a “bright future” for NYSNA and for nursing.