Nursing Network

Mission Statement

The Montana Nurses Association promotes professional nursing practice, standards and education; represents professional nurses; and provides nursing leadership in promoting high quality health care.

Each year, MNA presents multiple awards to honor its members. Below are the criteria for nominations:

NOMINATIONS PROCEDURE

Nominee must be a current member of MNA unless otherwise stated on the below award list.
Nominations must be submitted on this form.
If you are submitting more than one nomination, each nomination must be submitted on separate forms with the applicable award checked.
Must be submitted before September 13th.

Award Criteria and Founders

*Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award* -- Founded in honor of Trudy Malone, RN
This award recognizes a member of MNA for outstanding contributions made to professional nursing. A candidate must:
• Demonstrate dynamic leadership in promoting excellence in nursing,
• Demonstrate the knowledge of current issues in relation to the goals of the nursing profession,
• Show a keen awareness and commitment to professional nursing ethics,
• Initiate positive action toward the improvement of patient care,
• Demonstrate the ability to work well with other members of the health care team.

*Economic & General Welfare Achievement Award* -- Founded in honor of Eileen Robbins, RN
This award recognizes a member(s) of MNA at the local unit level who has influenced their work setting through collective bargaining activities. A candidate must:
• Demonstrate commitment to professional nursing via individual practice competency and continuing educational growth,
• Use contract language to define, monitor, and enhance nursing practice in the work environment,
• Function as an active leader within the local unit through past or present elected office and committee participation.

*Excellence for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse of the Year Award*
This award recognizes an APRN member of MNA who has demonstrated excellence in their practice specialty area and who has made significant contributions to health care and the professional growth of APRNs. A candidate must:
• Demonstrate excellence as an APRN and as a role model for other APRNs and the nursing profession in general,
• Be involved as a preceptor, educator, advocate, in the political arena, etc.,
• Have made a significant contribution to the improvement of health care for individuals, families or communities,
• Be creative in his/her approach to nursing care,
• Have a positive effect on clients and on colleagues,
• Utilize current research in practice.

*Excellence in Nursing Education Award* -- Founded in honor of Peggy Mussehl, RN (Continuing Education) and Anna Shannon, RN (Formal Education)
This award recognizes a member(s)/staff of MNA for professional nurse contributions in the field of either formal education and/or continuing education. A candidate must:
• Have significant involvement and commitment to advancing nursing education,
• Expand the body of nursing knowledge through research or other scholarly activities,
• Challenge learner to achieve optimal level of accomplishment.

*Friend of Nursing Award* -- Founded in honor of Barbara Booher
This award recognizes a non-nurse who has advocated for and/or significantly advanced nursing in Montana. The candidate must:
• Show significant long-term contributions made by a non-nurse to Montana's professional nursing community,
• Facilitate significant accomplishments for the Association,
• Play a key role in assisting major successes within the professional nursing community.

*MNA Historian Award*
This award recognizes an MNA member/staff who has demonstrated a consistent, distinct interest in nursing history. A candidate must:
• Participate in preservation of historical nursing documents,
• Promote interest in nursing history,
• Promote MNA's History & Literary Endowment Fund.

*Political Nurse Leadership Award* -- Founded in honor of Mary Munger, RN
This award recognizes an MNA member/staff who has made significant contributions to nursing practice and health policy through political and legislative activity. A candidate must:
• Promote the nursing profession in political and health care arenas,
• Advance the knowledge of nurses, politicians, and policy makers concerning nursing and health care issues,
• Demonstrates political leadership at the district, state, or national levels,
• Serve as a mentor and role model to other nurses in the political process,
• Seek opportunities to advance Nursing's legislative agenda through grassroots activity.

*Promotion of Nursing Excellence in Media Arts* -- Founded in honor of Lynn Hebert
This award recognizes a MNA member/MNA staff or non-nurse for contributions in the field of journalism. The candidate must:
• Significantly contribute to news print publication(s) of timely articles and/or photographs regarding nurses/nursing;
• Actively contribute to the promotion of excellence in nursing through any or all media modes.

Click the link to be directed to the Award Nomination form: Award Nomination Form

Dear Montana Nurses Association Members,

I want to take a moment to address an important concern that has surfaced regarding MNA’s role in sharing information from our national affiliates, such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and AFT Education/Healthcare/Public Service. Our goal has always been to provide resources and advocacy related to nursing practice and healthcare policy—not to impose personal political views.

As nurses, we come from diverse backgrounds and hold a variety of perspectives. Even within MNA, our members are not always aligned on every issue—and that’s okay. Healthy discussion and professional engagement are what make our association strong. What’s most important is that we focus on constructive dialogue and informed participation rather than allowing misinformation and assumptions to take hold. Instead of engaging in debates online, I encourage members to reach out directly, get involved, or simply call our office to learn more about any issue before drawing conclusions.

MNA members ultimately have the personal freedom to decide whether to engage in state or national actions. Our role is to provide information and advocacy—not to mandate participation. Additionally, if a local unit chooses to take part in any initiative, it must follow internal processes to affirm or deny involvement. This ensures that decisions are made collectively and reflect the interests of those directly affected.

Some have questioned whether politics has a place in healthcare. The reality is that policy decisions—from staffing regulations to public health funding—directly affect our profession. Our government relations platform, approved by our Board of Directors and House of Delegates (HOD), reflects our commitment to “science, evidence-based practice, public health, and the welfare of nurses, patients, and communities”.

For example, one of our core principles is to “advocate for transparent, bipartisan legislation to achieve evidence-based healthcare reform.” We also support “collaborative efforts to ensure healthcare as a right for all” and “protect nurses, healthcare employees, and the public from health emergencies.” These positions align with our mission—not with any single party’s ideology.

MNA members are free to explore and evaluate information shared by our national affiliates as they see fit. MNA does not dictate beliefs, but we do advocate for policies that support nurses, strengthen healthcare access, and uphold science-based decision-making.

I encourage all our members, regardless of political affiliation, to stand together in supporting nursing professionalism, democracy, and evidence-based healthcare. We must ensure that nurses have a voice in shaping policies that affect our work, our patients, and our communities.

Thank you for your dedication to nursing and to the health of Montanans.

Sincerely,

Vicky Byrd, MSN, RN
CEO, Montana Nurses Association

Nurses are entrusted with the responsibility of delivering safe, ethical, and evidence-based care. While the Montana Board of Nursing no longer mandates continuing education (CE) for license renewal, nurses are still expected to maintain professional competence throughout their careers. This shift places greater emphasis on self-directed learning and ethical accountability. This means nurses must take personal responsibility for staying current with clinical knowledge, skills, and professional standards.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines competence as "An expected and measurable level of performance that integrates knowledge, skills, abilities and judgement." (ANA ,2021) The purpose for ensuring competence includes the protection of the public, advancement of the profession through continued professional development of nurses, and to ensure the integrity of the nursing profession.

Standard 12 of the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing states "The registered nurse seeks knowledge and competence that reflects current nursing practice and promotes futuristic thinking." (ANA, 2021)

The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, which was updated in 2025, provides a strong ethical foundation for continuing competence. Provision 5 of the Code states:

"The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth."

This provision emphasizes that maintaining competence is not just a professional expectation, it is a moral obligation. Nurses are called to engage in lifelong learning, stay informed about emerging practices and technologies, participate in interprofessional collaboration, and advocate for systems that support ongoing education and development.

There are many ways nurses can demonstrate continued competence:

Clinical Practice: Regular engagement in nursing practice helps maintain critical thinking and technical proficiency.
Workplace Training: Many healthcare employers offer in-service education, simulation labs, and skills refreshers.
Specialty Certifications: Earning and maintaining specialty certifications that require proof of continuing professional development demonstrates a commitment to excellence.
Academic Advancement: Pursuing higher education or taking relevant courses enhances both theoretical and practical knowledge.
Online Learning and Self-Study: Accessing webinars, professional journals, and evidence-based resources supports lifelong learning.
Accredited Professional Development: Seeking out continuing education (CE) that has demonstrated adherence to rigorous accreditation quality standards.
Professional Development Plans: Intentionally identifying areas lacking in knowledge, skill or competent practice and setting annual learning goals to stay focused and accountable.
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) and Quality Improvement (QI) Projects: Participating in or leading initiatives that improve patient outcomes and system efficiency demonstrates applied competence.
Research and Publication: Contributing to nursing knowledge through research or publishing in professional journals supports the advancement of the profession.
Precepting and Mentorship: Guiding new nurses or students helps reinforce one's own knowledge while supporting the next generation of professionals.
Professional Service: Serving on boards, committees, or task forces, whether within a healthcare organization or a professional association, demonstrates leadership and a commitment to shaping the future of nursing.

Even though nurses are not required to show proof of continuing education for license renewal, it is a good idea to keep a record of how you are maintaining competence. One way to do this is by creating a professional portfolio that can be continually updated. If you are asked to provide proof of how you stay competent, you can easily provide tangible evidence.

The Montana Nurses Association provides a diverse selection of continuing education courses through its online library, https://cnebymna.com/ offering nurses convenient opportunities to support their ongoing competence, professional development, and lifelong learning.

Nurses have autonomy and responsibility to ensure they remain competent in their practice. By embracing a proactive approach to learning and skill development, nurses not only meet regulatory expectations but also uphold the highest standards of patient care.

In today's fast-paced nursing world---where demands are high and distractions constant---self-care is more vital than ever. Too often misunderstood or brushed aside, self-care is not a luxury; it's an essential practice for maintaining health and well-being. It means taking deliberate, intentional actions to support your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. This article explores the importance of self-care and offers realistic ways to incorporate it into your daily life.

The Basics of Self-Care

At its heart, self-care means recognizing your own needs and taking steps to meet them. It's a holistic practice---one that nurtures mind, body, and soul. Whether through physical activity, emotional reflection, or simply quiet time, self-care looks different for everyone and should reflect individual needs, lifestyles, and preferences.

1. Physical Self-Care

Physical self-care includes anything that supports the health and functioning of your body. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, and routine medical check-ups are all foundational. Activities like walking, yoga, or dancing can boost energy, reduce stress, and lift your mood. Nutrition and sleep---often the first to be neglected---play vital roles in preventing fatigue and burnout.

2. Emotional Self-Care

This area of self-care is about acknowledging, expressing, and managing your emotions in healthy ways. Whether it's journaling, talking with a trusted friend, meditating, or making time for activities that bring joy, emotional self-care builds resilience. Setting boundaries, seeking support, and giving yourself permission to feel and process emotions all contribute to emotional balance and prevent overwhelm.

3. Mental Self-Care

Mental self-care supports cognitive well-being and helps reduce stress and mental fatigue. This can involve reading, learning a new skill, exploring creative outlets, or taking regular mental breaks. Even a short walk in nature or deep breathing exercises can help clear your mind. Mental self-care also means challenging negative thoughts and nurturing a mindset of positivity and growth.

4. Spiritual Self-Care

Spiritual self-care connects you to your sense of purpose and the deeper meaning in life. It may take the form of prayer, meditation, reflection, or time spent in nature or service to others. For many, it brings a sense of peace, direction, and belonging, grounding them in what matters most.

The Benefits of Self-Care

Regular self-care has a wide range of benefits:

Reduced stress: Recharging helps prevent burnout and increases resilience.
Better physical health: Healthy habits can reduce the risk of illness and improve energy.
Stronger emotional well-being: Emotional support and reflection build inner strength.
Greater productivity: A well-cared-for mind is more focused, creative, and efficient.
Healthier relationships: When you care for yourself, you're more present for others.

Tips for Incorporating Self-Care

Schedule it: Make time for self-care like you would a meeting---it's just as important.
Start small: Even five minutes of mindfulness or movement makes a difference.
Listen to your body: Honor your physical and emotional cues.
Set boundaries: It's okay to say no when you need to protect your time or energy.
Ask for help: Seek support from others when you need it---there's strength in community.

Final Thoughts

Self-care is not selfish; it's necessary. It's a commitment to yourself---an investment in your health, energy, and longevity. By making space to care for your body, mind, emotions, and spirit, you're better equipped to handle life's challenges and support those around you.

Remember: there's no one-size-fits-all method. Self-care is deeply personal, and it evolves. So take a breath, tune into your needs, and take that first step toward a more balanced, joyful life.

The Foundation of Union Strength: Communication and Engagement

The strength of a union isn't measured by its size, but by the engagement of its members. Whether you're working to bargain a new contract, improve working conditions, or hold a union meeting, the active participation of your members is the key to success. The most effective way to foster this engagement is through communication.

Effective communication is the single most powerful tool a union has to encourage activism. But it's not enough to simply send out messages; you have to meet your members where they are. In today's digital world, that means utilizing a variety of communication methods to ensure your message reaches everyone, no matter their preference or schedule.

Expanding Your Communication Toolkit

The best communication strategy is a blended one, or what I like to call the 'shot gun' approach, combining traditional and modern methods to reach all members.

Digital and Electronic Methods

These methods are essential for quick, widespread, and complete communication. They allow you to share updates, gather feedback, and organize actions in real time.

Text Messaging: For urgent updates or quick reminders, text messaging is a highly effective tool. Use it to send alerts about upcoming meetings, contract votes, or important breaking news. Texting has a high open rate and is perfect for reaching members who may not check email regularly. MNA utilizes a texting program called Hustle, allowing us to communicate with a large number of members within a very short period of time.
Social Media Groups: Creating a private social media group (like on Facebook or a dedicated platform like Slack) can foster a sense of community and facilitate open discussion. Members can share their experiences, ask questions, and collaborate with one another, giving a powerful "bottom-up" voice to the union's leadership. MNA and many of our locals have both private and public Social Media platforms to facilitate communication.
Union Website or Member Portal: A dedicated website can serve as a central hub for all union information. Members can access important documents, view a calendar of events, and find contact information for leadership. MNA and a few of our locals maintain a website as a landing page for easily accessible information.
Email Newsletters: These are great for sharing detailed information, such as summaries of bargaining sessions, meeting minutes, and educational articles. A well-designed newsletter can be a powerful tool for keeping members informed and educated. MNA publishes a monthly newsletter and a quarterly printed newsletter to keep our members and nurses across the state updated.

Traditional and In-Person Methods

While digital tools are crucial, they can't replace the power of face-to-face interaction. Traditional methods are vital for building relationships and ensuring no one is left behind.

Union Meetings: Regular meetings are the cornerstone of union democracy. They provide a forum for members to discuss issues, vote on proposals, and connect directly with leadership. To increase attendance, consider offering different meeting times (e.g., during different shifts) or virtual attendance options.
Physical Bulletin Boards: In many workplaces, a well-maintained union bulletin board is still one of the best ways to reach members who may not be digitally connected. Use it to post announcements, meeting flyers, and contract information.
One-on-One Conversations: Nothing builds trust and engagement like a personal conversation. Union leaders and shop stewards should make time for one-on-one check-ins with members on the floor. This allows for honest, candid feedback and helps leadership understand the issues that matter most to their members.
Informational Leaflets: Handouts are a classic and effective way to share information. They can be distributed in person, placed in common areas, or included in new member welcome packets.

Meeting Members Where They Are

The key to a successful communication strategy is understanding your members. Different generations, work schedules, and personal preferences mean that one-size-fits-all communication simply won't work. By adopting a multi-channel or 'shot gun' approach, you can ensure that your union's message is both accessible and heard.

Fostering a two-way flow of communication is essential. It's not just about leadership talking to members; it's about creating a space where every nurse can voice their issues and have them heard. These issues are what drive the union's actions, and it's from these voices that the union's true power comes.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare —from diagnostic tools and scheduling systems to clinical decision support—nurses must begin to think critically about how these changes will impact their work and how to protect themselves through collective bargaining and their union contracts. While AI offers opportunities to streamline care and reduce administrative burdens, it also raises serious questions about the future of nursing practice, autonomy, and job security. As these tools are beginning to enter healthcare workplaces, we must begin thinking proactively about how AI will impact their work—and how to address these potential changes through collective bargaining.

As we continue to research and determine topics to bring to our local bargaining units, we wanted to share a few important topics at the forefront:

AI Should Support, Not Replace, Clinical Judgment -AI has the potential to aid clinical decision-making by analyzing large datasets and offering recommendations. However, it must never override or substitute a nurse’s clinical experience and professional judgment. Our MNA and our local bargaining units should begin to prioritize developing and bargaining for contract language that affirms the nurse’s role as the ultimate decision-maker in patient care and protects against AI-based directives being treated as orders. This ensures that AI is a support tool—not a command structure
Job Security and Role Redefinition - AI may grow to enhance or take over certain tasks such as charting, triage, or medication reminders. While this potential change could reduce repetitive workload, it may also lead to job restructuring or role compression. Collective bargaining agreements should include protections against job loss, displacement, or downgrading of roles. Provisions for continuing education and training on new technology-integrated roles are essential to protect nurses as the landscape shifts.
Surveillance and Privacy - Some AI tools include real-time location tracking, productivity monitoring, and even behavioral analysis. This is often provided without any actual worker input. This kind of surveillance could contribute to stress, burnout, and even potentially lead to disciplinary action. MNA and our local bargaining units need to prepare and push for clear policies and contract language on what data can be collected, how it is used, and who has access.
Transparency and Accountability - Nurses must be able to learn and understand how AI tools in their workplace function and how it may impact their work in the future. Employers should be required to disclose when and how AI is being used in their facilities and how it may affect care delivery and staffing. One goal should be to bargain provisions for nurse representation on AI planning boards to ensure meaningful oversight to include bedside nursing input into these decisions.

AI is already here. For nurses, it has the potential to bring positive impacts in the workplace, but also new challenges. It is critical for nurses and unions to assert their rights now, ensuring that AI supports our nurses, rather than undermining the professional nursing practice. Collective bargaining can serve as a powerful safeguard, securing job protections, ethical standards, and patient-centered care in an increasingly automated environment. By shaping how AI is implemented on the ground, nurses can ensure technology enhances—not replaces—the human side of healthcare.

The MNA Labor Department has now drafted sample contract language our bargaining units can consider to use. Feel free to contact Robin@mtnurses.org for more information.

To commemorate my one-year anniversary at MNA, I'd like to share a peek behind the scenes with organizing. I've had the honor of getting six successful campaigns to vote to unionize their workplace, or join forces with an existing union (Armour Globe), and we're on the cusp of a seventh!

Whether you've just joined MNA (welcome!) or have been with us for decades, understanding the organizing process is the first step towards building nursing power across the state. Our unions are our nurses coming together to create a collective voice for negotiations with employers.

If you or someone you know is considering organizing their workplace, please give us a call! The following is an overview of the process and some key points to making the organizing effort successful.

How Do We Start?

Most importantly, you need to KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! Both Federal, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), and Montana state laws protect your right to form your nurses' union. The NLRA protects your rights to express your opinions about forming a nursing union, talking to your co-workers, wearing insignia to show your support, handing out literature, posting support messages and information on social media, and attending union meetings.

What Is the Process?

Communicating with your co-workers is the most important step to forming your collective nurses' union. One-on-one conversations allow you to gauge whether your fellow employees are likely to support a union election.
Identify the issues important to your coworkers that need to change or improve. Once these issues are identified, we can share ideas on how forming your Union can impact changes. Take time to educate yourself on the nursing issues important to co-workers and prepare how you will respond to challenging questions.
It is important to have these conversations occur during non-work time. Although the National Labor Relations Act guarantees your right to organize and to discuss union membership during non-work time, keeping these discussions discreet and private will help protect your campaign until you are ready to file for an election.
Gather important information about your workplace by mapping out your facility: identify all the departments, shifts, supervisor names, and any additional clinics or locations outside the main facility.
Collect and organize nursing list with names, departments, shift, contact information, etc. All full-time, part-time, and per diem* RNs are eligible to vote, even if they are on FMLA. (*per diems do need to work an average of about 5 shifts per quarter to qualify).
Utilize the resources available to you and your committee and research your facility, wages and benefits other nurses earn in your state, and be prepared to show good comparison data.

What Can We Expect from Our Employer?

Forming a nurses' union gives our Montana nurses the ability and the power to bargain to improve the nursing voice for better patient care, for better working conditions, and for better wages and benefits. These facts alone often cause employers to discourage nurses from organizing. Common tactics you may see are:

You may see a pay increase or bonus, promises of better communication or treatment in the future, or sudden changes in the relationships between nurses and managers. With these positive changes, your employer hopes that by making small changes, the nurses may lose their motivation to organize. With this, ask yourself why would the hospital oppose unionization?
Your employer may also threaten your wages and benefits by saying they will no longer have control over these economic items. Your employer may say a nurses union will only protect "bad" nurses, and they may even try to intimidate. Always remember that your RIGHT to organize with your fellow nurses is a federally protected right and violating your rights is illegal.

How Do We Get To Vote?

The process for getting to your nurse union election is defined by law, under the NLRA, and governed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). As you build your nurses' union, you need to have the important conversations that will allow you to begin to collect the signatures needed to prove to the NLRB, you have enough support to hold your union election. To petition the NLRB to hold an election, we need to show the NLRB we have enough support, the NLRB requires at least 30%, to do so, and schedule the election.

When MNA organizes nurses, we have set our goals for a higher rate prior to any election. We do this for two reasons:

With only 30% support, we will not win.
Our goal is to assist the nurses with bargaining their first contract, as the election is only one step to the final goal: a voice at the table. We want the nurses to win the election with a large majority to create that impactful voice at the table!

Our Labor department is here to assist you at every stage along the way, from having your first 1-1s to bargaining your first contract. We look forward to hearing from you about organizing and working together to improve nursing practice, wages and benefits, and patient care across Montana!

Whether you're a seasoned nurse or new to your workplace, one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect your rights, improve working conditions, and shape your future is to actively participate in your union. When you engage with your union, you help build a stronger, more unified voice for the nurses in your facility.

What Is a Union?

A labor union is an organization formed by workers to advocate for their collective interests. Unions negotiate contracts (also known as collective bargaining agreements or CBAs) that cover wages, benefits, safety conditions, job security, and more. But beyond contract negotiations, unions serve as a crucial support system for workers facing challenges at work.

Your Participation Matters

1. Your Voice Matters
Participation ensures that your concerns, ideas, and priorities are represented. Contracts and policies are strongest when they reflect the needs of the membership attending meetings, answering surveys, or joining committees helps shape the decisions that affect your work life.

2. Protecting Your Rights
Unions defend nurses against unfair treatment, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. But they're most effective when nurses are informed and involved. Knowing your rights and supporting your coworkers when issues arise strengthens everyone's position.

3. Building Solidarity
A union's strength lies in solidarity --- the principle that united workers can achieve more than individuals acting alone. Participation fosters a sense of community, builds trust among coworkers, and sends a clear message to employers: "We stand together."

4. Developing Leadership
Getting involved provides opportunities to grow personally and professionally. Whether it's serving as an officer, joining the bargaining team, or helping organize events, union work builds skills in communication, negotiation, and advocacy --- all of which can enhance your practice.

5. Making a Difference
Union activism doesn't just benefit your own workplace. Labor unions have historically been at the forefront of social and economic change, pushing for things like the eight-hour workday, weekends, and health and safety regulations. Your participation helps continue this legacy.

It's Easy to Get Involved

You don't need to dive in all at once, dip your toe in the water --- there are many ways to participate, big and small:

Attend union meetings
Read union newsletters and stay informed
Volunteer for committees or working groups
Serve as a unit representative or run for an officer position
Talk with coworkers about union issues and help raise questions/issues to your Local Officers for resolution
Support and vote in union elections
Stand in solidarity during bargaining or advocacy efforts

Remember...

A union is only as strong as its members make it. Passive membership weakens our collective power; active participation strengthens it. By engaging with your union, you are not just protecting your own rights --- you are contributing to a fairer, more respectful workplace for everyone. Your voice, your effort, and your solidarity matter.

So, get involved. Show up. Speak out. Your union needs you --- and you need your union.

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