Latham / New York / United States
New York State Nurses Association was the first state nurses association to employ a professional librarian and developed the country s largest collection of monographs and serials devoted to professional nursing issues. NYSNA currently has approximately 34,000 members and a 13-member Board of Directors, elected from the statewide membership that governs the association. NYSNA s focus has been on a constant set of core activities: influencing legislation, advocating equitable employment conditions, maintaining educational standards, and promoting high standards of nursing practice. Founded in 1901 as the country s first state nurses association, NYSNA established itself as the standard bearer in the continuous struggle to upgrade the profession. By 1996, the Association represented 36,000 nurses and other health care professionals in 164 collective bargaining units. NYSNA has three shared services agreements with neighboring SNAs: Vermont, New Jersey and Connecticut to represent nurses for collective bargaining purposes in those states.
