FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shannon Cunningham
(c) 651-269-1418
Shannon.Cunningham@mnnurses.org
Erin Moriarty
(c) 651-202-0845
Erin.Moriarty@mnnurses.org
More than 400 APPs highlight their vital role in healthcare and call for leadership to respect and support their contributions.
(Duluth, MN) – Sept 22, 2025 – This National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Week, more than 400 APPs in Essentia Health’s East Market are celebrating their essential role in healthcare while demanding that Essentia’s leadership finally recognize their contributions. Nearly half of all patients in the Essentia system are cared for by an APP, making them the backbone of care in northern Minnesota.
APPs include Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Physician Assistants (PAs), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists(CRNAs), and Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who function similarly to doctors to increase access to care and improve patient outcomes.
“APPs are proud to celebrate National APP Week by standing up for our patients, our coworkers, and our communities,” said Caitlin Jung Campbell, Nurse Practitioner. “We live here, we work here, and we’re committed to ensuring reliable care for everyone.”
Yet even as APPs care for nearly half of Essentia’s patients, the health system, under the leadership of CEO Dr. David Herman, has refused to recognize their union for more than a year. This stands in sharp contrast to Herman’s testimony to Minnesota legislators that the system stands shoulder to shoulder with labor partners.
The public sees the contradiction as clearly as providers do. Recent polling shows 24 out of 25 community members believe short-staffing is a serious problem, 9 out of 10 say ignoring providers puts patients at risk, and only 1 in 5 defended Essentia leadership after its refusal to negotiate.
“National APP Week is about celebrating the essential role APPs play every day,” said Sara Feldbrugge, Physician Assistant. “But it’s also about making sure that role is respected and supported. Essentia leadership can choose partnership, or they can keep prolonging conflict. Regardless, if they won’t start today, we will. Patients can’t wait for safe care. Standing together is how we make sure our communities get the reliable care they deserve.”
APPs aren’t just healthcare providers — they are neighbors, parents, and community members raising families in the same towns where their patients live. By organizing together, they are ensuring that care stays strong and rooted in the Northland.
This campaign makes one thing clear: APPs are proud of their profession, proud of their communities, and proud to stand together. They will continue to build coalitions with patients, families, unions, and business leaders until Essentia recognizes their union and bargains fairly.
Because when APPs have a voice, patients and communities thrive.
Celebrate APP Week with APPs at Bingo Night
On Saturday, September 27, APPs invite the community to a free family-friendly Solidarity Bingo event at the Duluth Labor Temple. Join us for BINGO, prizes, and a chance to connect with the very providers who care for nearly half of Essentia’s patients. RSVP to attend.
Stand with APPs: Sign the Petition
The fight for recognition isn’t just about APPs — it’s about safe, reliable care for the entire community. APPs are calling on Essentia leadership to meet them at the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith. Community support matters, and you can help by signing the petition demanding Essentia respect the providers who keep the system running. Together, we can make sure the voices of APPs — and the needs of patients — cannot be ignored. Sign the petition today!
Learn More About APPs
APPs are more than initials after a name. They are Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and Certified Nurse-Midwives. They are parents, neighbors, coaches, and volunteers. They are the people showing up every day to keep care accessible in the Northland. To learn more about the role APPs play in your community — and why their fight matters to everyone who relies on Essentia — visit mnnurses.org/APPs.