The law took effect in July 2009, giving healthcare employers, including state-run facilities, time to plan for implementation by increasing recruitment efforts, advancing flexible work schedules, and obtaining contracts for temporary services.

We’re interested in what’s happening in your facility regarding mandatory overtime. Do you feel your employer is abiding by the spirit of the law, or merely providing a bare minimum of compliance? NYSNA asks it members to offer their insights into this ongoing issue… let us know your thoughts and concerns.

The issue of requiring RNs to earn a bachelor’s in nursing has been debated by nurses for decades. But now shorter lengths of stay, higher patient acuity, and advances in technology, are increasing the complexity of patient care today. This in turn places greater demands on nursing competencies and underscores the need for nurses to continue their education.

NYSNA discusses this issue with representatives of the Coalition for the Advancement of Nursing Education (CANE): Karen Ballard, MA, RN, president of NYSNA; Barbara Zittel, PhD, RN, executive secretary of the New York State Board for Nursing; and Deborah Zimmerman, RN, MS, CNAA, BC, chief nursing officer/senior vice president of Rochester General Hospital.

NYSNA Podcasts are available at NYSNA’s website, as well as through iTunes.

Let us know your thoughts on this issue.

Nurses who have viewed the first episode of the Showtime series “Nurse Jackie” have criticized its portrayal of an ED nurse who is a substance abuser and violates ethical principles. According to the cable network, it has also received “resoundingly positive” feedback from nurses.

• What do you think about Nurse Jackie?
• How are nurses generally depicted in the media?
• Do fictional programs influence public opinion about nurses?