By Marcia Swanson, RN, Essentia Health Duluth/MDMC
Due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, the 2021 MNA Convention went virtual. With a very full agenda for the House of Delegates, we knew we had our work cut out for us.
Sunday included education in the morning, and the afternoon brought us the Legislative Forum and a session for questions on proposed Bylaws and Resolutions.
Spirited conversations were had in the educations that included Commitment to Antiracism, Moral Suffering, and White Privilege and Racism as well as three NNU talks on Endangerment of Nurses & Patients, Queering Care and an update on COVID-19.
There was also a trivia game planned, which was hilarious and much needed after the second day of the convention.
The 2020 and 2021 Honors and Awards ceremony was postponed, and recipients will be honored at MNA’s Virtual Honors & Awards Ceremony on November 11, 2021, from 4:30-6:00 p.m.
On Monday morning, MNA President Mary C. Turner, RN gave the opening speech with a review of the pandemic and its effect. A moment of silence was given to an MNA nurse who lost his battle with COVID-19, prayers to the family of Al Carr (ANW) and all frontline workers/families who lost their lives to COVID-19.
When the house opened on Monday, there were 120 credentialed delegates; on Tuesday evening for the last vote, we were at 135. Thank you to all who participated in the 2021 Convention.
The work of the delegates is never done with the increasing stress we have in our profession. There were many discussions held during the debate with many different points of view.
We all know what we are facing, and we will need to work together. Together we can get a Safe Staffing bill passed and fight the corporatization of healthcare.
As the work of the House was not completed, it will make next year’s Convention schedule very full once again. The MNA Legislative Platform was one piece that was not able to be presented. Please take the time to read over this and all other pieces that were unable to be presented.
As I reviewed my Convention handbook, I noted that many of our Commissions and Committees have more than 1-2 people on them. This is progress!
Next year will be challenging as well, but hopefully Convention will be in person. And mark your calendars, Day on the Hill is set for March 9, 2022!