MASSACHUSETTS NURSE NEWSLETTER :: November/December 2006

MNA Board of Directors Update

A new monthly feature

The MNA Board of Directors meets monthly to assess the organization’s goals; discuss the needs of the state’s nurses and healthcare professionals; and to determine in which direction the MNA needs to move in order to successfully meet these needs.

As part of the Board’s ongoing efforts to keep MNA members apprised of what is happening at these monthly meetings, the Board of Directors is now sending an itemized summary of its agenda/motions. This summary will be sent to all chairs and co-chairs at MNA bargaining units. In addition, the monthly summary will also be included in each upcoming edition of the Massachusetts Nurse.

What is outlined below is a summary of key topics that were discussed and decisions that were made at the Board’s November 2006 meeting.

For more information on any of these points, please feel free to contact the MNA vyour elected Board members.

Summary of November meeting

At its monthly meeting in November, the Board took the following action:

• Agreed on re-filing a safe staffing bill in January.
• Agreed on re-filing a safe patient handling bill in January.
• Endorsed the UAN’s federal legislation on safe patient handling.
• Decided to expand the Annual Chairs Summit to bargaining unit committee members (the tentative date is March 8, 2007).
• Discussed holding Regional Summits; will look at the feasibility and will announce dates at the Chairs Summit if they are scheduled.
• Discussed doing a summit for school nurses on a Saturday.
• Reviewed the list of bargaining unit chairs and developed a plan to have each BOD representative contact appropriate chairs to introduce themselves.

Officers and Regional Directors:
Beth Piknick, RN, President
Donna Kelly-Williams, RN, VP
Nora Watts, RN, Treasurer
James Moura, RN, Secretary
Diane Michael, RN, Region 1
Irene Patch, RN, Region 1
Mary Marengo, RN, Region 2
Kathie Logan, RN, Region 2
Stephanie Stevens, RN, Region 3
Judy Rose, RN, Region 3
Fran O’Connell, RN, Region 4
Connie Hunter, RN, Region 5
Ginny Ryan, RN, Region 5
At-Large Directors Labor:
Patricia Healey, RN
Judy Smith-Goguen, RN
Nancy Gilman, RN
Karen Higgins, RN
Rick Lambos, RN
Barbara Norton, RN
Karen Coughlin, RN
At-Large Directors General:
Marilyn Crawford, RN
Helen Gillam, RN
Sharon McCollum, RN
Rosemary O’Brien, RN
Tina Russell, RN
Sandy Eaton, RN
Jeannine Williams, RN
Beth Gray-Nix, HCP