Dear NOVA Members,

As an organizational affiliate member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), NOVA can have one representative at the Membership Assembly. The representative, usually the President of the organization, must be a registered nurse and is eligible to vote on matters except the setting of membership dues and amendment of bylaws. The Chief Staff Officer of the organizational affiliate is given a courtesy seat at the Membership Assembly with a voice but no voting privileges. As NOVA President, I was fortunate to observe the ANA Virtual Special Membership Assembly 2020 Meeting on June 1^stand take part in the ANA Organizational Affiliates Meeting on June 18^th. Deb Dupnik, NOVA’s Executive Director, and I both participated in the ANA Membership Assembly on June 19^th.

The ANA Membership Assembly, the governing and official voting body of the ANA, consists of ANA members, who are representatives from ANA’s constituent member organizations (C/SNAs), Individual Member Division (IMD), and Organizational Affiliates (OAs). It provides an open forum for discussion of national and timely nursing practice and policy issues with input from various nursing leaders, which determines policy and positions for the Association. However, due to the concern that nurses might not be in a frame of mind to discuss topics other than the COVID-19 pandemic, ANA’s Professional Policy Committee made the decision in April 2020 to cancel all Dialogue Forums for 2020. The five scheduled topics: Universal Coverage that Recognizes the Value of Nursing; Global Climate Change; Precision Health and Genomics; Trauma Informed Care; and Attribution of Errors in Nursing-Facing Technologies and Extrinsic Burdens of Health Documentation and the Role of Nursing in the Interoperability of Health Data will be automatically considered for the 2021 Membership Assembly.

Thelma Roach-Serry, currently serving as NOVA’s Immediate Past President, and I attended the ANA Membership Assembly at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. June 20 – 22, 2019. Unfortunately, having the Membership Assembly in person this year wasn’t an option due to the coronavirus crisis. Since Organizational Affiliates aren’t allowed to vote on bylaws amendments, I just viewed the two-hour Virtual Special Meeting of the Membership Assembly that was held on June 1, 2020. The sole purpose of this meeting was to consider the ANA bylaws proviso so the Annual Membership Assembly could be held virtually and the national elections conducted remotely; the proviso was adopted. 

On Thursday, June 18^, 2020, ANA President Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN called the two-hour Organizational Affiliates Meeting to order, provided the Welcome/Introductions, Meeting Procedures, Update from the ANA, Introduction of Organizational Affiliate Liaison Candidates and led the Group COVID-19 Discussions. All the Organizational Affiliates were asked to submit a brief update on their activities including an Annual Review, Plan for the Future, and Concluding Comments and share this report during the meeting. Here is NOVA’s Report .

The 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting of the Membership Assembly took place on Friday, June 19, 2020. ANA President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN called the meeting to order at 5:00pm with a Technology Check and then proceeded to Introductions and Order of Business. He delivered an eloquent President’s Address that spoke to the racial injustices in our country and how COVID-19 has diverted attention away from the "Year of the Nurse". Numerous reports were given from the Nominations and Elections Committee, the ANA Treasurer, Acting Chief Executive Officer, and Professional Policy Committee. There were also COVID-19 Discussions, a Nightingale Tribute, and Voting Instructions on the Dues Escalator Motion and National Elections. An emergent proposal was submitted and a resolution on racial justice for communities of color was adopted. The Membership Assembly adjourned at 8:15pm.

NOVA is a proud Organizational Affiliate of the ANA – We appreciate partaking in the ANA’s Membership Assembly and the opportunity to share our knowledge and experience. Aiming to advance the nursing profession by promoting high standards of nursing practice, a safe and ethical work environment, the health and wellness of nurses, and advocacy on health care issues that impact nurses and the public is a goal we share. Therefore, we consider our partnership with the ANA to shape the nursing profession and future of nursing, and transform health care mutually beneficial.

With appreciation,

Kelly D. Skinner, DNP, APRN, NP-C, GNP-BC, CRRN, WCC, CFCN  

2019 ANA Membership Assembly 

Thelma Roach-Sherry, Ernest Grant and Kelly Skinner