OJNA IN A NUTSHELL: OJNA is a non-profit organization that provides support, networking events, career development, and job opportunities for frum nurses.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO LAUNCH YOUR ORGANIZATION? In 2008, when Rivka Pomerantz, BSN, RN, graduated
from nursing school, she felt a need to connect to other frum nurses. In her search for support and the proper forum to discuss topics related to nursing and halachah, including Shabbos, she created an online forum for discussion. Over time, this evolved into our very active and busy Facebook forum, which now has close to 1,800 members. Over the years, Rivka, along with other nurses, organized annual nursing conferences in New York and New Jersey, and in 2016, OJNA became incorporated as a non-profit organization. In the last few months, OJNA has become a very active and supportive organization that offers many services, such as continuing education, networking events around the country, writing and resume assistance, and a job board. It has recently published the inaugural issue of a quarterly nursing journal. The highlight event of OJNA is the annual nursing conference. This year it will be held at the Lander College for Women, on May 10, 2018. We are offering 6.8 contact hours and a full day of educational and interactive sessions on relevant topics to Orthodox Jewish Nurses. This year’s topics include: genetic testing, PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep), anti-vaccination, legal issues related to nursing, transformational leadership, women’s health, reproductive technology, and atopic dermatitis. All nurses have continuing education requirements in order to maintain their licenses and certifications, but many conferences are held over weekends, presenting difficulties for frum nurses. Our conference now offers a significant portion of the credits a nurse needs to attain each year.

Wellspring Magazine May 2018