After Katrina: How to Volunteer

**NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN** · Sep 7, 2005

From

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nancy J. Webber, 518.782.9400, ext. 224

NY RNs can volunteer for emergency relief effort through "NurseResponse"

LATHAM, September 2, 2005-As a health emergency unfolds in the Gulf Coast region, many New York registered nurses are wondering how they can volunteer to help the thousands who need health care.

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is recommending that RNs sign up for "NurseResponse," a database of New York licensed RNs who are willing to volunteer in public health emergencies. The resource was set up with federal grant funds in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health.

Nurses may sign up for NurseResponse at the NYSNA Web site (www.nysna.org) and must have their New York RN license numbers in order to register. All personal information is secure and confidential and will be shared only with public health officials. State officials will use this database to contact individual RNs when their services are needed in the Gulf Coast region.

Hurricane Katrina is the first major public health emergency to occur in the U.S. since NurseResponse was created in 2003. As of Friday, Sept. 2, more than 1,000 New York RNs have registered with the program.

With more than 34,000 members, NYSNA is the oldest and largest state nurses' association in the nation. It is an influential union for RNs, representing nurses in New York and New Jersey. Offering a wide range of services to its members, NYSNA fosters high standards of nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity. It is a constituent of the American Nurses Association and of the United American Nurses, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.