GREETINGS, fellow KSNA members! I hope your summer has been delightful and full of good things. Let’s dive in to touch upon some of KSNA’s busy spring and summer highlights, ongoing efforts, and future focus:

• On April 26th, KSNA Board member Angela Storrer and I visited Governor Laura Kelly’s office, accompanied by Carol Moreland and two of her staff from the Kansas State Board of Nursing. We gathered for a ceremonious signing of the Proclamation by the Governor proclaiming May 2024 as National Nurses Month.
• Nurses Night at the K was held on May 3rd—over 100 KSNA members and their families and friends enjoyed a thrilling baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers. While things looked a bit bleak in the beginning, a seventh inning explosion lifted the Royals over the Rangers, 7-1!
• May 20th marked the final KSNA Membership Assembly meeting for 2023. For your calendar: Our 2024 Membership Assembly business meeting will be held via Zoom at 7 PM on October 22nd, and our Fall Conference will be held October 1 – 31 through an on-demand format via Zoom. We are hoping that this format will make it possible for as many members as possible to participate this year. The theme this year is Human Trafficking. Please be sure to register.
• Linda Adams-Wendling and Laura Mallet continue to actively participate in monthly meetings of the Kansas Nurses Workforce Center’s Research Committee.
• KSNA’s Board of Directors and Membership Committee are currently reading the MemberShift book by Sarah Sladek. This initiative aims to gain insights into the best strategies for retaining members and fostering growth, especially among younger nurses—the future of our association.
• On June 27th, Laura Mallet, Terry Siek (KSNA’s elected ANA Representative), and I, along with nearly 500 other nurses, nursing students, and advocates from across our great nation, gathered on June 27 in Washington, D.C. for the American Nurses Association (ANA) Hill Day, as we sought to bolster support by meeting with our legislators and staffing aides for four priority federal health policy issues:
• Restricting Mandatory Overtime for Nurses
• Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 7002, S. 2815)
• Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (S. 2418, H.R. 2713)
• Protect Timely Access to Quality Nursing Care in LTC Facilities
• Additionally, representatives of the ANA Membership Assembly, the official governing and voting body of ANA, recommended actions to address specific challenges to nurses’ practice and work environments. Removing cultural and organizational barriers as well as updating policies associated with seeking mental health care which promote stigma among nurses was one of the main concerns addressed. Others included creating improved standards of care for the unique needs of a growing veteran population and discussion involving revisions to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (the Code).

KSNA remains committed to advocating for nurses, providing continuing education, and fostering a unified voice for nursing in Kansas. As a member, you contribute to these essential efforts, ensuring quality healthcare and safe workplace standards for all. For more information, please visit KSNurses.com. Please reach out to me at Director@KSNurses.com with any questions or comments you may have. I am always happy to help!

Dana