By Candy Matzke, RN
Fairview Riverside, Minneapolis
Are you going to the MNA Convention and House of Delegates Oct. 5-8? Your Convention Planning Committee is excited to greet you and share all you need to know to have a wonderful, educational, empowering, getting-to-know-each-other time. MNA’s Convention overlaps with the National Nurses United (NNU) annual convention this year, giving us great opportunities to meet nurses from all over the U.S.
Delegates from Ely to Sandstone and in between will enjoy a three-and-a-half day journey starting with a reception courtesy of NNU on Friday, October 5. It’s always a treat for “newbies” to be welcomed and find a more seasoned delegate to buddy up with to take it all in: understanding the barriers to safe, adequate patient care; the logistics of the event; and how we work with our hospital systems, the Legislature, and each other.
Convention is a wonderful opportunity to educate yourself on your practice, concerns, and legislation important to patients and nurses. There’s a wealth of information for you on Single Payer healthcare, NNU’s RNRN disaster relief and humanitarian crisis program, and attacks on unions, to name a few.
There are opportunities for fun and socializing and work on behalf of our union. We have yoga, fresh walleye from one of Minnesota’s best lakes, comedy, DJ music, door knocking on behalf of candidates who support nurses’ issues and much more.
After this convention, you will be changed and eager to invite your co-workers to enjoy and participate in what we can do as a collective voice and entity.
Here are some tips from nurses who’ve been to previous Conventions:
- Eat carefully, as there is usually an abundance of wonderful food!
- Exercise, walk, work out, do yoga, breathe, meditate during your down times.
- Don’t forget to dance and meet as many people as you can.
If you are on your way out to the “promised land” – soon to retire – please join the Council of Active Retired Nurses (CARn) at their October 8 breakfast. They are one active, smart group of nurses who have been and are ready to rumble.
You have until September 28 to register – please don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity.
I hope to see you in downtown Minneapolis at the Radisson Blu October 5-8!