Administrative History

The New York State Nurses for Political Action (NYS-NPA) has its origins in the Nurses for Political Action (NPA), an organization formed in 1971 by a group of nurses from New York City and Long Island “concerned and disenchanted about trends in Health Care and the impact or lack of impact of nursing on these trends.” Shortly thereafter the organization formed a liaison with the American Nurses Association (ANA). In 1974 ANA established its own political action committee, the Nurses Coalition for Action in Politics (N-CAP), and the NPA subsequently went out of existence as an independent organization. NPA’s remaining funds were held by N-CAP and earmarked for assisting the organization of a New York State political action committee (PAC).

In 1975, with N-CAP’s encouragement, the New York State Nurses Association’s Board of Directors endorsed the concept of a New York State PAC. The NYS-NPA was officially organized in May 1976 as an independent PAC and political action arm of NYSNA. Liaison was via the NYSNA Board and the Legislative Program and the NYS-NPA Board of Trustees. NYS-NPA had two functions: (1) to further the political education of nurses, including registration and voting and (2) to raise funds and make contributions to candidates for political office in New York State. NYSNA supplied start-up money and provided mailings lists, office space, and other assistance.

Scope and Contents Notes

The records of the New York State Nurses for Political Action (NYS-NPA) document its function as a political action committee and one-time political action arm of the New York State Nurses Association. Records predate formation of the organization in 1976, starting in 1971 with the formation of a group called the Nurses for Political Action. The bulk of the records cover years 1976-1978.

NYS-NPA’s relationship with the New York State Nurses Association is revealed throughout the collection in meeting minutes, correspondence files, records on the organization of the NYS-NPA and N-CAP and files on lobbying legislation financial and personnel matters.

In addition to minutes and correspondence the collection includes copies of the NYS-NPA newsletter NEWSBEAT, flyers and notices of meetings, materials on NYSNA legislation and lobbying strategies (handouts, correspondence with legislators, workshop materials), testimonies, speeches, reprints and photocopies of articles on political action and the role of nurses in the political process, N-CAP communications, endorsement materials (correspondence lists guidelines), bibliographies. Also included are drafts of speeches on the importance of political involvement and handwritten notes of Chairman Diane Powell on organization activities and miscellaneous meetings. A photograph of Marilyn Goldwater nurse legislator from Maryland ca.1978 and a group photograph of NYS-NPA leaders dated October 1979 are the only photographs in the collection.

The following records of the New York State Nurses Association contain additional information on the NYS-NPA: AC 4 – Board of Directors Liaison Activity; A90-28 – Other Nursing Organizations.

Series Descriptions

Series 1: History and Official Organization Records
Box 1, folders 1-16Records on predecessor organizations and origins of the NYS-NPA; Board of Trustees; committees; chairman’s journal entries and handwritten notes of miscellaneous meetings and organization activities; publications; photographs; general correspondence.
Series 2: Subject files
Boxes 2-4, folders 17-46Subject files address endorsement activities and guidelines, lobbying, political education of nurses, liaison activities with various organizations and NYSNA’s District 13.
Photographs
Housed in the Bellevue Alumnae Center for Nursing History Photograph Collection, Box 1