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New Jersey State Nurses AssociationBoard of Directors and OfficersOctober 2021Executive CommitteeMary Ellen Levine, DNP, MSN, RN - PresidentSandra Foley, DNP, MSN, RN – President ElectRegina Adams, BSN, RN, CNOR – Vice PresidentDaniel Misa, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, NE-BC - Treasurer LindaGural, MSN, RN – SecretaryDirectorsMargaret Daingerfield, EdD, RN, CNETara Heagele, PhD, RN, PCCN, EMTAnn Tritak-Elmiger, EdD, RNJo Anne Penn, MA, RN-BCSusan Weaver, PhD, RN, CNRI, NEA-BCRegion PresidentsPatricia Baxter, DMH, SN, RN, CPHQ - Region 1Mary Genuino, DNP, RN-BC - Region 2Norma Rodgers, BSN, RN, CCRA, ACRP-PM - Region 3Maureen Clark Gallagher, MSN, RN – Region 4Barbara McCormick, DNP, RN, CEN – Region 5Renee White, Esq., FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FN-CSA – Region 6Chief Executive DirectorJudy Schmidt, DHA, MSN, RN
NJSNA President’s ReportOctober 2021Surviving to Thriving: Put Your Oxygen Mask on First.Promoting Resilience in NursingWelcome to the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) and the Institute forNursing (IFN) 116th Annual Convention! This year we gather at a time in history which hashighlighted health and health care in a way like no other in recent times. Now we are proudlyand excitedly meeting at our annual convention! Welcome as we gather under the theme of,“Surviving to Thriving: Put Your Oxygen Mask on First.Promoting Resilience in Nursing.”This past year (and really a year and a half), with its challenges, has led to our programtheme and agenda. This convention, we come together as nurses, colleagues and, hopefully bythe end of the convention, as friends. I look forward to meeting you, so be sure to introduceyourself to me!I wish to thank the Convention Committee under the leadership of the Convention Chair,Regina Adams, and Co-Chair, Fatima Sanchez and NJSNA Deputy Director, Deborah Harwell.It is with their leadership and the work of many members and our NJSNA staff this conventionhas come together. Your voice and feedback is because we heard you! We are here at Harrah’swith a new footprint and opportunities to take part and moments of downtime and camaraderie.Again, this year we look for your feedback and we hope to hear from you about what you haveexperienced this convention.The past 120 years since the beginning days of New Jersey State Nurses Association,your professional organization has been and continues to be an advocate and voice for nurses inNew Jersey. Today this is true for over 125,000 present day New Jersey registered nurses.Currently, our membership is around 7,000 registered nurses! A number we have grown andcontinue to work tirelessly to not just maintain, but to engage and grow as your premierprofessional organization.When I began my presidency in January of 2021, now Past President Kate Gillespie hadleft me big shoes to fill. The pandemic was far from over. NJSNA, with Judy Schmidt, CEO, atthe helm, work diligently to keep nurses informed of health-related resources and throughmeetings and events which were virtual, including those postponed, and at all times of day andevening. Following the January virtual installation of officers, NJSNA was in the midst oftaking a deep dive into many of the inner workings of the Association, including reviewing ourown policies and procedures. Thank you to Dr. Margaret Dangerfield and the Policy andProcedure Committee for their continued commitment to this review and update. With a mix ofnew eyes and historical perspective, our policies are sure to be comprehensive and up to date.Monthly letters from the President, initiated by Past President Gillespie, continued asoutreach and updates to the membership. Many nurses were expressing symptoms of depression,anger, and desire to move away from acute care and other areas of practice for a variety ofreasons. During the pandemic, we have experienced loss and grief like nothing I have ever seen.It was also determined that we were perhaps seeing a turning of the corner on COVID, sooutreach began to address the return and preservation of your health as a member of the nursingcommunity. Our resources shared continue to be available on the NJSNA website. While the
concern for the individual nurse continues, we have experienced a shift in our discussion. Moreon that in a bit.In April, the State was recommending healthcare workers, who did not provide parenteralmedications as part of their practice, do so in order to increase rates of vaccination in the nowfully functioning vaccine clinics (or mega sites). NJSNA stood by nurses and other healthcareprofessionals and, as a matter of public safety, informed the State of the issues with CertifiedHome Health Aides considered as vaccinators. In April, a letter was sent on behalf of theAssociation to then Director Kaitlyn Caruso at the Division of Consumer Affairs. No action wastaken regarding this recommendation. It was our concern for this issue which led to NJSNAcalling a meeting with representatives from the Division of Consumer Affairs and the NewJersey Board of Nursing (NJBON) in June at the request of the NJSNA Board of Directors. Itwas during our Board meeting that many concerns were raised regarding NJBON appointmentrecommendations, NJBON call center issues, license application and renewal technology issues,concern regarding lack of regulations for the newly passed Nurse Licensure Compact andstaffing issues at the Board offices. Response from our request led to a robust meeting with NJOffice of the Attorney General Acting Director, Howard Pine, and Deputy Executive Director ofthe NJBON, Joanne Leone, and our NJSNA Executive Board (myself, President Mary EllenLevine, President-elect Sandra Foley, Treasurer Dan Misa, VP Regina Adams, and SecretaryLinda Gural) and NJSNA CEO, Judy Schmidt.In May, I was honored to attend a virtual Morristown Council Meeting where NJ nurseswere awarded a Proclamation to honor and recognize us during National Nurses Month!President-elect, Sandra Foley coordinated of the request with the Morristown mayor, Mayor TimDougherty. She and I attended the virtual Council Meeting along with Morristown MedicalCenter’s Chief Nursing Officer, Carol Jones, for the formal presentation!In June, NJSNA took the lead to call a meeting of the Nursing Coalition, a long-standingcollaboration with nursing leaders in NJ. A virtual meeting was held. We had a candid discussionabout the nursing shortage, faculty shortage, diversity in our ranks, PPE challenges, climatehealth, and COVID-19 efforts. With 90 minutes was hardly long enough, the group decided afollow up meeting was needed. We are due to meet during the Convention!A virtual ANA Membership Assembly (MA) was held during the month of June. Theyprovided separate meetings to review 4 Issue Briefs with robust discussion prior to voting oneach during the MA. ANA Day on the Hill was held virtually, with a briefing prior to the actualdaylong event. Many nurses proudly joined from NJ to seek audience with our federallegislators. We spoke on several pieces of legislation, including violence in the workplace (noSenate bill/HR 1195), telehealth continuation (S1512/HR2903), and the PPE stockpile(S308/HR1436). We shared our expertise, experiences, and heartfelt stories. Thank you, ANA,for the coordination as always! Thank you to our nurses for stepping up, with some first timers atsuch an event. During that same week, ANA Membership Assembly, usually held over two daysin person, was accomplished in one evening! It was your NJSNA representatives, Judy Schmidt,Mary Ellen Levine, Sandra Foley, Norma Rodgers, Joanne Penn, and Barbara Chamberlain, whoworked over multiple calls to prep and debrief which assured your representation at this meeting.I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out to your Region Presidents! Throughout thepandemic, they have coordinated regional outreach, membership engagement, and virtualmeetings. With a Presidents’ group text, we have communicated in addition to the President’sMeeting held prior to each Board meeting, all of which is truly appreciated! Also, members andstaff are at the heart of all we do and it is through your membership dues that our NJSNA, IFN,
and RAMP volunteers and staff, as well as our continued public presence through CMA, Inc.,that we continue to uphold our mission and vision in all we do! In addition, it is our publication,the ‘New Jersey Nurse’, published electronically and in print through Arthur L. Davis PublishingAgency, our membership engagement, publication review by Barbara Wright and Judy Schmidt,that you continue to disseminate and write articles about the research, topics, and happeningsaround the state!Throughout the year, I have had the pleasure to be invited to speak to nursing graduates(thanks Thomas Edison University), nurse residents starting their careers (thanks OverlookMedical Center), and to advanced practice and undergraduate nursing students (thanks toinstructors in a variety of nursing programs). I continue outreach through nursing organizationalmemberships and professional blogs and social media. In this way, the importance of sharing,communication, and membership continues to grow in strength as our voice within theAssociation and the State of New Jersey. Not a member? Know a nurse who has not joined yet?Attend one of the events found on our NJSNA Events Calendar, and, of course, join!As I close, I am truly thankful, humbled, and appreciative of all that every nurse does forour communities and patients. It is my passion to be a part of a nursing community that has builtto maintain trust, to preserve, and to restore health in a way no other profession does. It isthrough the study, support and of the human condition that we practice. Understanding our placein our community and legislative circles, we retain and preserve our practice. It is in the diversityof the nursing profession we strive to find common ground on which to come together for eachother. On behalf of the NJSNA Board of Directors, welcome once again to “Surviving toThriving: Put Your Oxygen Mask on First.Promoting Resilience in Nursing.”
Institute For NursingChairs Report“The mission of the Institute for Nursing (IFN) is to preserve the heritage, principles, values, andpractices of our healing profession through the support of scholarship, education, and research.”“Wheels to Heal” . Moving our mission forwardEverything begins with an ideaOur team brainstormed ideas for our 2020 fundraiser and decided on a Car Raffle. Wethen reached out to Garden State Honda for advisement, as we had never done anything like thisbefore. To our surprise, they graciously offered to donate a 2021 Honda CRV. WOW! Now ourtask was to figure out to execute a plan for this magnanimous donation. It is said many handsmake light work and this was our motto during the short 2 ½ months of planning and executingthe “ Wheels To Heal” Car Raffle. This historic fundraiser raised over 47,000, exceeding anyamount an IFN fundraiser has ever raised. The success of this raffle moved our IFN mission, toserve the nurses of NJ through fundraising efforts and philanthropy, forward.Be sure to Check out our NJSNA/IFN Journal AD “IFN Wheels to Heal” “WINNER!” to findout who the lucky winner was!Institute For Nursing Board of Trustees (BOT)The IFN-BOT changed hands in January of 2021. Mary Ellen Levine, NJSNA President,welcomed me as I stepped into the role of the IFN Chair. To ensure the IFN BOT was complete Imoved swiftly to welcome the newest 2021-2022 IFN BOT members including CommunityMembers Jennifer Smith and Edward Allison and NJSNA Member-At-Large Dr. Teri Wurmserand NJSNA Past President Kate Gillespie. In addition, NJSNA Treasurer Dan Misa. They jointhe current IFN BOT Vice Chair Dely Go and Community Member Kristin Buckley. I amgrateful for their support and dedication to assure the IFN continues its mission of promoting thenursing profession.December 2022, we say good-bye and thank Community Member Ray Zarzar for his 6years of loyalty and service as a IFN BOT. He served as Secretary and as a member of the IFNFundraising Committee. Ray’s acumen and keen business sense was an asset to each position heserved on. Our sincere appreciation, gratitude and thanks for your time spent on the IFN BOT.IFN ScholarshipThrough your support, the IFN awarded over 11,000 in Scholarships to students andprofessional nurses alike. These funds support awardees, students, and professional nursesrecognized by the IFN for exhibiting excellence in nursing, leadership, and a passion forlearning, to defray tuition costs and professional development endeavors.The annual Scholarship luncheon had been postponed due to the pandemic for 2 years our wishis to continue with the tradition of the face-to-face Luncheon in 2022. We look forward toholding the event once again. Among our many IFN nurse-funded scholarships, we are honoredto add to the extensive directory, the Dr. Dely Po Go Scholarship. Dr. Po Go will carry on herphilanthropic endeavors by awarding a 1,000.00 scholarship for any Registered Nurse who ispursuing a BSN degree or higher in nursing.
Community RecognitionAs Quoted from American Nurse Association (ANA)"ANA Enterprise joins with the World Health Organization (WHO) and global colleagues inextending the Year of the Nurse and Midwife into 2021 because of the impact of the pandemic."Inspired by the ANA initiative, our team reached out to Mayor Dougherty and the city ofMorristown to request support. Without hesitation, they willingly supported our request, and themonth of May was deemed the month of the Nurse in Morristown, NJ. The honor was announcedby Mayor Dougherty during the May town hall meeting. During the meeting he personallythanked nurses for their service and dedication to the profession especially during thepandemic Carol Jones, Chief Nursing Officer of Morristown Medical Center and Mary EllenLevine President of NJSNA attended this momentous occasion.
C.A.R.E.S Awards GalaThe 2020 C.A.R.E.S Awards Gala was an event to remember. Deb Harwell, Deputy Director, andthe C.A.R.E.S Awards committee members successfully executed a seemingly flawless evening. ThisGala Event celebrates excellence in nursing by recognizing nurses who were chosen by theirpeers for clinical, administrative, research, educational, and support excellence in nursing. Onbehalf of the Institute Board of Trustees, thank you for attending this momentous evening and joining usin celebrating nurses, whose practice and contributions had been recognized at C.A.R.E.S. Awards.Congratulations to all nominees, runners up and awardees.2022 Diva and Don Gala EventIn the Spring of 2022, we look forward to the return of the Diva and Don Nursing GalaEvent to celebrate excellence in nursing throughout NJ. The Diva and Don event offers theopportunity for you to nominate a professional registered nurse who has demonstratedoutstanding achievement and has been a positive influence on others. Nominees may be engagedin nursing practice, administration, education, or research in diverse settings, such as acute andlong-term care, public health, private industry, schools, community health, and others. Moreinformation on the nominee application will be circulated soon.Let’s GO!Our robust fundraising efforts will continue! Our next fundraiser the Caring &Sharing 50/50 Raffle will debut at the NJSNA/IFN 2021 Convention “Surviving to Thriving:Put Your Oxygen Mask on First Promoting Resilience in Nursing.” We’re excited tointroduce the 50/50 Raffle to award the winner 25,000. You may purchase tickets at theConvention for 10.00 perchance. The drawing for the Winner will be held at the NJSNA/IFNHeadquarters on May 6th, 2022, at 2 PM. See you at the Convention and Good luck, everyone!Recovery Assistance and Monitoring ProgramThe Recovery Assistance and Monitoring Program continues to be led by Director TerriIvory, MSN, RN. Terri’s ceaseless passion, guidance, and strong leadership is the hallmark tothis state funded program.RecognitionI am grateful for Judy Schmidt, NJSNA CEO; Mary Ellen Levine, NJSNA President;Debra Harwell, Deputy Director for your loyalty, support, and guidance. I am grateful forJennifer Chanti, NJSNA/IFN Executive Assistant for your dedication, patience, and mastery ofmultitasking. Each of you have been responsible for the success of the IFN we would not bewhere we are today without you, thank you.Respectively Submitted,Sandy Foley, DNP, RNChair, Institute for Nursing
CEO Annual Report 2021CollaborationNJSNA continues to reach out to the many nursing and non-nursing groups to partner with us toadvance the profession of nursing in New Jersey. We are also very active in collaborating withthe many schools of nursing in NJ to encourage future nurses to join NJSNA, their professionalorganization. We are working hard to ensure that nurses are allowed to practice to the full extentof their licensure and practice. NJSNA is collaborating with the NJ Pediatric Association on aClimate Health Action. Through our marketing company, Creative Marketing Alliance,(CMA),we have a strong presence on social mediaPolitical ActionWe continue to monitor bills that effect nursing practice in NJ such as the Nurse Staffing, JointProtocol, and Protection of the title “Nurse” to name a few. We were successful in getting theMulti State Licensure Compact signed into law in August of 2019. However, we are still waitingfor the applications to be available on the New Jersey State Board of Nursing’s website. TheCongress on Policy and Practice and the Legislative Subcommittee worked collaboratively toreview legislative bills and make recommendations to the NJSNA Board.MembershipSince March of 2018, NJSNA reduced dues for dual (ANA/NJSNA) membership has been verysuccessful. We now have over 6900 members. Jennifer Chanti is the NJSNA MembershipCoordinator and my Executive Assistant. Any issues regarding membership or member access toour website please email Jennifer (jennifer@njsna.org).FinancesNJSNA/IFN remains fiscally responsible. Both boards, with the assistance of Daniel Misa,Treasurer, watch the revenue and expenses on a bimonthly basis. We would like to thank ourAccountant Firm of John Pavlovsky, our bookkeeper Lynn Stauffer and our auditing groupMercadien for the great job they have been doing this past year. Going into fiscal year 2022 wehave a balanced budget for NJSNA and are working on additional revenue sources for the IFN.The IFN board has done an outstanding work this year in raising over 47,000 on their car raffleevent. Please continue your support of the IFN’s fundraising events and please donate to thescholarship funds.
ANA CollaborationWe continue to work with the American Nurses Association to communicate, in both directions,the issues surrounding nursing practice today. Mary Ellen Levine, President, Sandy FoleyPresident -Elect, Barbara Chamberlain, Past President NJSNA and Joanne Penn, NJSNA BoardMember represented you at the American Nurses Association (ANA) Virtual MembershipAssembly. We will continue to collaborate with ANA and other member states to promote theprofession of nursing and safeguard nursing practice.NJSNA BoardThe Board of NJSNA, Mary Ellen Levine, President, Sandy Foley President-Elect and Chair ofthe IFN, Regina Adams, Vice President, Linda Gural, Secretary, Daniel Misa, Treasurer, KateGillespie, Past President; Sue Weaver and Stephanie Herr Co-Chairs of COPP, Directors: JoannePenn, Dr. Margaret Daingerfield, Dr. Tara Haegele and Dr. Ann Tritak-Elmiger, RegionPresidents: Region 1: Patricia Baxter, Region 2: Mary Genuino, Region 3: Norma Rodgers,Region 4: Dr. Maureen Clark-Gallagher, Region 5: Barbara McCormick and Region 6: ReneeWhite, continue to do a tremendous job of keeping abreast of the current issues in health carethat effect nursing practice. I thank all of them for their dedication and endless service to thenurses in NJ. In addition, the Presidents of our Six Regions have done a great job in grassrootsadvocacy. The Region Presidents truly represent you well. The Board with the support of theNJSNA staff are dedicated to continuously improving in the areas of membership growth,communications, and political action. They continue to do a tremendous job of keeping abreastof the current issues in health care that effect nursing practice. Our strategic plan focus is onAdvocating, Positioning and Educating NJ Registered Nurses.NJSNA StaffAll of our endeavors cannot move forward without NJSNA Staff support: Deb Harwell, Deputy Director and Convention Manager, who absolutely has magicalpowers in making the impossible become the reality.Terri Ivory, Director of RAMP is continuously making sure that our nurses in RAMP aresupported and are kept on their recovery track.Jennifer Chanti, Executive Assistant and Membership Coordinator keeps us, especiallyme, on track with our board and NJSNA business.Tyea Santiago, BSN, RN, Education Coordinator is a “professional” multi-tasker.Kortnei Jackson, Receptionist and Assistant to the Education Department keeps ourrecords for the approver and provider units in order.Annemarie Edinger, Administrative Assistant keeps the RAMP program runningsmoothly.Our RAMP Case Managers: Joan Peditto, Benita James, Andrew Haviland, and ourIntake Coordinator Emily Behm are dedicated to helping our fellow nurses in need ofassistance.
Although not staff members:o To all our Chairs: Amita Avadhani, APN Forum; Joan Zaccardi, Nominations;Mary Krug, Legislative Sub Committee; Peg Daingerfield Policy and Procedure;Beth Knox, Bylaws Committee; Keith Hovey, INPAC; Wendy Davis, LPNForum Ad Hoc Committee; Susan Weaver and Stephanie Herr COPP; Lisa Ertle,Healthy Nurse Healthy NJ; Diana Tocko Committee on CE; and Eileen Triolo,IFN Provider Unit. Thank you for your leadership in your respective committees.o New Jersey Nursing Student Staff Advisor from NJSNA Regina Adams andStephanie Herr NJSNA Liaison to NJNS continues to mentor the next generationof nurses (and future members).NJ Board of NursingWe continue to monitor the Board of Nursing issues that have been occurring over the pastseveral years. The board of nursing is a volunteer board and finally most of their positions arefilled. However, there are still open positions for an LPN and two Public Member.NJSNA petitioned legislators, the governor and the board of nursing, during the covid crisis, toallow APNs to work without a Joint Protocol or Collaborating Agreement and allow GraduateNursing students, who had completed their clinical and didactic requirements, a temporarylicense, due to the inability to take NCLEX. We continue to work with NJBON ExecutiveDirector to help facilitate issues that nurses are having in contacting the board during both thecovid crisis and the recent state government employee furloughs.We also continue to advocate for a budget that meets the needs of this important governing body.We were asked to take an active role in advocating for immediate resolution by ourgovernmental leaders.Contact UsNJSNA staff will continue to reach out to not just NJSNA members but anyone who impactsnurses in NJ to confer on the topics that affect the profession of Nursing. If you have anysuggestions, feel free to email me at judy@njsna.org.
Vice President ReportSurviving to Thriving: Put Your Oxygen Mask on First . What an interesting last 2 years it has been fornursing since the onset of the pandemic. Nurses have found a comradery in nursing. At the beginning ofthe pandemic, we had 6057 members. Within 2 months we had an additional 700 nurses join the NewJersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA). To date we have grown the membership to 6911 professionalnurses. That is a membership growth of 14%, what an amazing membership growth over the last 17months. During uncertain times nurses turned to the organization, NJSNA, to advocate for the nursesand their safety.Meeting during the pandemic has posed some challenges. The virtual realm has become very popularfor the region meetings and other gatherings. The virtual platform has afforded so many busy nurses aquick and easy way to stay connected. Zoom is here to stay, what a blessing this has been. Let’s notforget the feeling of being together in person.Over the past 2 years I have worked with region presidents and membership committee to share ideasto keep members engaged and active. Brought organization to the membership by creating letters tothe membership reminding them of the benefits of NJSNA upon their renewal.As I round the corner, I will finish my second year of my 2-year term as Vice President. My specific focusis membership and retention. My term has been marked with uncertainty and challenges as nursesfaced the challenges of COVID but in true nursing spirit we rocked it.
Treasurer’s Annual Report 2021The financial position of the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) and the Institute forNursing (IFN) continues to remain strong despite challenges resulting from the COVID-19global pandemic. NJSNA & IFN achieved this through prudent management of expensescombined with favorable performance of the investment portfolio and continued generosity frommembers and benefactors.The Joint Finance Committee prepared balanced operating budgets for fiscal year 2022 whichwere subsequently approved by both boards.In early 2020, we retained a new external independent auditing group, Mercadien, P.C. For fiscalyear 2020, they issued an unmodified opinion stating that the consolidated financial statementswere presented fairly, and accounting principles that are generally accepted in the United Statesof America were followed. As of September 1, 2021, the fiscal year 2021 audit is underway.If any member wishes to review any financial statement, please contact Jennifer Chanti toschedule an appointment with CEO Judy Schmidt and me.Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the following members of the Joint FinanceCommittee: Mary Ellen Levine, Sandy Foley, Judy Caruso, Linda Gural, and Judy Schmidt.Thank you all for your time and contributions.Daniel Misa, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, NE-BCTreasurer
NJSNA Secretary’s ReportThe New Jersey State Nurses Association Board of Directors met at five scheduled meetings inNovember, January, March, May, and September to conduct the business of the Association. ABoard of Directors retreat was held February 13, 2021. There were three additional meetingscalled by the President to address ongoing issues held February 22, June 11, and July 19, 2021.The NJSNA Educational Summit was held October 15, 2021. All meetings and conferencesexcept for the September meeting were virtually held on Zoom due to Covid-19 pandemicrestrictions.Minutes of all meetings are on file at NJSNA headquarters and may be retrieved by any memberof the organization in good standing after scheduling an appointment with the Chief ExecutiveOffice. Upcoming meetings are also announced on the NJSNA web site calendar atwww.njsna.org.Respectfully submitted,Linda M. Gural RN
Congress on Policy and PracticeBook of ReportsDuring this past year, the Congress on Policy and Practice (COPP) has worked diligently todevelop, revise and update position statements, monitor healthcare trends and regulations, updatethe NJSNA Board of Directors (BOD) on practice issues, and support education which addresseshealth care policy, practice, regulations, and legislation. Some of the highlights from this yearinclude:1) COPP members have begun revising NJSNA position statements, ensuring NJSNAposition statements are current and relevant. COPP reviewed and revised the followingposition statement: Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. TheCOPP subcommittee is also developing a new position statement on Human Trafficking.2) COPP members assisted with the revision of the NJSNA Position Statement Policy.3) To keep NJSNA members informed of the COPP’s presence and progress, regulararticles were written by COPP members and published in the New Jersey Nurse.The Congress on Policy and Practice wants to hear from NJSNA members. If you have apractice, regulatory, legislation concern to please contact a member of COPP or email us atpolicy@njsna.org. Your input and insight are a valuable part of the process.Finally, thank you to our fellow Congress on Policy and Practice members for theirencouragement, enthusiasm and support, and for volunteering their time and talent to NJSNAand COPP.Amanda BrambleRuth GorrellColleen NautaNorma RodgersUma VenugopalRhonda DubeKari MastroFrancesca Nordin, SecretaryAnne UgrovicsKathy VnenchakRespectfully submitted.Susan H. Weaver, PhD, RN, CRNI, NEA-BCStephanie Herr, DNP, RNCo Chairs, Congress on Policy and Practice
Region 1 Annual Report11/30/20212021 General OverviewRegion 1 had a productive year advocating, positioning, and educating our nurses. Nurses in ourRegion have never wavered in their dedication to care for the sick and watch out for oneanother. With perseverance and resiliency, Region 1 nurses have had a pivotal role in adaptingand leading through the COVID pandemic.Region 1 has been determined to come together and support each other in education,networking, and comradery. The Region successfully resumed in-person meetings with greatfanfare and appreciation from our members. All meetings were held as scheduled. The Regioncontinued with our philanthropic endeavors and community support. Region 1 maintains apresence on social media by sharing on Instagram and Twitter accounts in addition tocontinually posting on our Facebook page.MeetingsAt the start of 2021, Region 1 meetings were offered virtually for social distancing and attendeesafety. By September, we were fortunate to have an in-person annual meeting at a lovelyvenue. Our October meeting was also held in-person and provided an opportunity to celebrateRegion accolades and accomplishments as well as celebrating years of service of retiring boardmembers.
Meeting Calendar (2021)January 23, 2021, Saturday, 11 am - 1 pmH
Mary Genuino, DNP, RN-BC - Region 2 Norma Rodgers, BSN, RN, CCRA, ACRP-PM - Region 3 Maureen Clark Gallagher, MSN, RN - Region 4 Barbara McCormick, DNP, RN, CEN - Region 5 . (thanks Thomas Edison University), nurse residents starting their careers (thanks Overlook . Medical Center), and to advanced practice and undergraduate nursing .
