Commission on Nursing Practice
The Commission on Nursing Practice (formerly Professional Affairs) is responsible for advancing the profession of nursing through activities that identify and evaluate trends, developments and issues that impact on nursing. The activities include, but are not limited to:
- Developing programs of activity for education and delivery of nursing practice.
- Fostering expansion of knowledge base for nursing practice.
- Enhancing the economics of practice and healthcare.
- Promoting the rights and responsibilities of nurses.
- Protecting the rights of recipients of nursing services by promoting the implementation of ANA Standard for Nursing Practice and ANA Code for Nurses.
Policy and Position Papers
We will periodically post various position papers on this site (see below). If you would like to impact the policies and positions of NHNA, consider becoming involved with this Commission!
See our Workplace Advocacy page for one primary focus of this Commission.
Commission Members
- Chair: Joanne Welch, MS, RN, NE-BC – Elliot Hospital
- Wendy Burke, BSN – Concord Regional Hospital
- Margaret Burns, PhD, RN – Valley Regional Hospital
- Tracey Collins, RN, MSN, NEA-BC – Portsmouth Regional Hospital
- Kathleen Hartman, RN, BSN, MSN – Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital
- Bonita Kershaw, MSN – St. Joseph Hospital
- Mary Catherine Rawls, MS, RN-BC – Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Read the Position Statements
Smallpox Vaccination [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses Association understands the need to provide for defensive measures to protect the citizens of New Hampshire from harm caused by terrorist attacks. Further, the New Hampshire Nurses Association recognizes the plausibility of a bio-
terrorism attack using smallpox.
Collective Bargaining [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses Association believes that collective bargaining is not an effective or appropriate approach to solving these issues for nurses in New Hampshire.
Delegation and Nurse Practice Act [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses' Association strongly supports amending the New Hampshire Nurse Practice Act to clarify the definition of delegation and to broaden the authority and responsibility of nurses to use delegation to increase quality outcomes, improve access to healthcare, and to more effectively manage health care resources in New Hampshire.
Domestic Violence [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses' Association strongly supports the work and effort of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The Goal of this group is to train healthcare professionals to recognize and ppropriately respond to victims of domestic violence.
Nurse Licensure Compact [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses. Association (NHNA) opposes SB153 because it endangers public safety and places an increased burden on New Hampshire’s licensed nurses and their employers, at a time of deepening shortages.
Mandatory Overtime [pdf]The New Hampshire Nurses' Association, in its mission to promote the practice of professional nursing, advance the development of professional nurses, and improve health standards and availability of healthcare services for all people of New Hampshire, supports the development of comprehensive staffing plans that take into account all of the various and sundry issues that collectively contribute to the continued use of mandatory overtime.