National Nurses United

"She is passionate about the issues and is really clear in articulat- ing that vision, not just in a philosophical way, but with an action-oriented vision," said Kane. "She is empowered in her role and she is the kind of person who inspires others to be empowered and be bold." Kane credits Hagans for being instrumental in shepherding NYSNA's affiliation with NNU. "She worked really hard to make sure that delegates had what they needed to make an informed decision," said Kane. "She led numerous towns halls, forums, and question-and-answer sessions with members and delegates all over the state leading up to this historic vote." Hagans called NYSNA's affiliation with NNU "a match made in heaven" and said, "We are sending a strong message to the nation that as nurses, we need to be respected." Hagans noted that it is clear that the hospital industry has taken note of NYSNA's affiliation. "They are scared because everybody knows about NNU," said Hagans. "Now they have to deal with 200,000 plus members. So they know that whenever you have numbers, that means power. And when nurses stand up together and fight, we win. So they are talking to each other, they're like, 'Oh my god, now they could go to the feds, they could go to the White House. They could take us on a national level.' So they are pissed off." Bonnie Castillo, RN, the executive director of NNU, applauded NYSNA's overwhelming approval of the affiliation. "Our solidarity is what makes it possible to challenge injustice and inequity in our workplaces and in the health of our society. We could not be more proud to now be fighting this fight alongside New York nurses," said Castillo. Furthermore, Castillo noted how important it is that Hagans, an immigrant and nurse of color, should have such a prominent position in NYSNA where so many of the members share similar backgrounds. Castillo said that through the collaboration she has witnessed Hagans' strong leadership qualities, "I've been amazed at the strength and resilience and foresight in her leadership. She is just stellar in her role." Hagans said her highest priority is addressing the staffing crisis that plagues hospitals across the country, where nurses are having to care for too many very sick patients at once. One of her proudest moments as a union leader was winning New York's law that imposes some regulations on staffing. Speaking to NYSNA members in October 2022, Hagans recognized both the historical importance and the limitations of the new law which mandates that a committee of nurses and hospital administrators work together to set ratios. "After year one, we have some great wins. Places like Westchester Medical Center now have ratio-based grids to enforce for the first time," said Hagans. "We also have some big fights ahead of us at many facilities, both upstate and downstate, to achieve ratios. The industry hates this law and wants to undermine our ratios." Recalling some of the darkest days when Covid hit New York, Hagans said the pan- demic reinforced her long-held belief that we need Medicare for All so that all patients can get high-quality, comprehensive medical care, no matter their income, zip code, or immigration status. The memories of the Covid pandemic's trail of death are still vivid and searing for Hagans. She remembers the horror of walking past five U-haul trucks brought in to hold the bodies of all those who died because the morgue was filled and there was no room at the funeral parlors. "One night out of 15 patients, we lost 13," said Hagans. "It was devastating, such pain, and despair." "As a nurse you want to make somebody feel better. But a lot of the patients that we lost, we could have saved if they had proper medical care," she said. "We lost more Brown and Black people, because a lot of our patients were young but they were hypertensive, they were diabetic, and they didn't know they suffered from it." Hagans shook her head as she said it is disgraceful that in the richest country in the world, so many people are shut out from get- ting regular medical care, care that could prevent disease, including Covid, from stealing their health and their lives. Hagans said it is so important to bring more people of color and people from all backgrounds and economic levels into the nursing profession. She has seen firsthand how patients of color are too often not taken seriously when they bring up their concerns. "We need to make nursing school more attractive and help some- one like me who didn't have the money and didn't qualify for aid," said Hagans. "We need to invest in public schools as well, and edu- cate high school students so they are ready for nursing school." Hagans said that hospitals must recognize the value that nurses with associate degrees bring to the profession and see them as an asset, "These nurses have the same number of clinical hours and pass the same boards as BSNs," said Hagans. And when it comes to growing NYSNA and NNU, Hagans has a simple response: She imagines a time when every nurse in every state is affiliated with NNU. Hagans knows her agenda is an ambitious one but telling her it's not possible to achieve would just fire her up. "For me, when someone tells me I can't do it, it gives me more of a challenge that I am going to do it," beamed Hagans with a broad and determined smile. Rachel Berger is a communications specialist for National Nurses United. J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y | M A R C H 2 0 2 3 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 17 From left: Family photo from Thanksgiving 2016; Hagans with Sydney and Gigi in 2021 for Sydney's sweet 16 celebrations.

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