MNA Blog

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

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The upcoming Minnesota presidential primary is a chance for MNA nurses to have their voices heard to elect the next president and to bring nurse priorities that protect patients and the profession into the voting booth. In 2016, legislation passed to make Minnesota a presidential primary state for the first time since 1992. Only the two major parties of the state, DFL and Republican, will participate in this primary this year.

While MNA does not endorse candidates on the national level, NNU’s elected national leadership, representing 150,000 registered nurses in all 50 states, has a comprehensive process that is intended to emphasize extensive involvement of its leadership and NNU members.
… Read more about: Have you made your plan to vote in the MN presidential primary by March 3?  »

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Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – February 19, 2020 – Minnesota nurses support making prescriptions more accessible to patients and making pharmaceutical companies more transparent and accountable. As bedside eyewitnesses to the consequences of patients who can’t get the drugs they need, nurses support the Minnesota Attorney General’s Task Force on their recommendations for making this overly complex market easier for consumers.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison appointed the task force last year, and the group, which includes Minnesota Nurses Association Executive Director Rose Roach, has been working on reforming the cost of drugs for Minnesota patients.
… Read more about: Minnesota Nurses Support AG Task Force Recommendations to Lower Drug Costs  »

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Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – February 6, 2020 – On the day that Fairview hospitals will cut Bethesda Hospital by half the number of beds, city leaders and patient advocates will announce a resolution to oppose the cuts and demand transparency from the hospital corporation.

Fairview set February 10, 2020, as the date Bethesda would drop from 90 beds to 50 and layoff hundreds of workers, including respiratory therapists, nurses, and healthcare aides.
… Read more about: St. Paul Council Press Conference to Announce Resolution Against Hospital Closure  »

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The Minnesota Wild held a Salute 2 Scrubs night on Monday, January 20, to honor the work healthcare providers do to keep the State of Hockey strong and healthy. MNA nurses attended to represent the nursing profession and have a little fun while supporting MNAF.

MNA member Linda Jessen-Howard of St. Joseph’s Hospital received recognition for her volunteer work with National Nurses United’s RN Response Network (RNRN) deployment to the Bahamas in response to the devastation of Hurricane Dorian. She also started the game with a spirited “Let’s play hockey!”
All attendees who purchased tickets through a special link received a gift bag, raffle prizes, and the opportunity to go on to the ice after the game for a photo.
… Read more about: MNA nurses and other healthcare providers go Wild  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – January 28, 2020 – The No Cuts on Quality Care coalition of concerned community members, organization leaders, nurses, doctors and patients is holding a community forum Tuesday night to discuss the potential cuts and closures at Bethesda and St. Joseph’s hospitals. M Health Fairview CEO James Hereford has been invited to attend but has not responded.

These cuts will have ripple effects at all metro Twin Cities hospitals.
… Read more about: Nurses, Doctors, Patients to Hold Town Hall on HealthEast Hospital Cuts  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – January 22, 2020 – A coalition called “No Cuts on Quality Care” of nurses, doctors, faith leaders, and patient groups are inviting Fairview Health CEO James Hereford to a community forum to discuss cuts to Bethesda and St. Joseph’s hospitals. Advocates plan to deliver the invitation to Hereford at a forum on the future of healthcare Thursday morning at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown St. Paul.

“The coalition wants to ensure you have a chance to hear from real community members and patients about the impact that cuts and closures will have on us all,” the invitation reads.
… Read more about: Nurses, Healthcare Workers, Patient Groups Invite Hospital CEO to Forum about Cuts  »

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Only a Single Payer, Medicare for All System Can Cut Costs

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
​

(St. Paul) – January 10, 2019 – Minnesota nurses are calling for legislators to take the advice of nurses, doctors, and now healthcare researchers to save healthcare by streamlining the system into a “single payer” program, such as Medicare for All that would cut administrative costs by 80 percent.

A recent report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that the U.S.
… Read more about: The Prescription for Minnesota is to Streamline Healthcare  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
​

(St. Paul) – December 18, 2019 – Nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, people of faith, and St. Paul neighborhood residents will gather in Mears Park at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, December 19 to demand transparency by M Health Fairview and HealthEast hospitals on cuts to Bethesda and St. Joseph’s hospitals.

Hospital management plans to reduce the number of beds in Bethesda from 89 down to 50 by February 10, 2020 while St.
… Read more about: Media Advisory: Healthcare Workers, Neighborhood Groups March for Transparency in Bethesda, St. Joseph Hospital Cuts  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

(Mankato) – December 4, 2019 – Mankato members of the Minnesota Nurses Association will hold an informational picket around the Mayo Mankato hospital on December 5, 2019 to take their contract issues straight to their employers. Nurses are demanding hospital management come to the bargaining table with the entire negotiating team of nurses to discuss a new contract. Mayo, at this point, has refused to bargain with all the nurses.

Nurses and Mayo Clinic Health Services, which runs the Mankato hospital, have been bargaining since September over a new contract, but nurses have felt their voices have not been heard on critical issues, including: workplace safety, staffing, wages, and benefits.
… Read more about: Media Advisory: Mankato Nurses to Hold Informational Picket Around Mayo Hospital  »

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Picket Scheduled for December 5

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

(Mankato, MN) – November 25, 2019 – Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association will take to the streets on Thursday, December 5, 2019 to tell Mayo Clinic Health systems they want hospital management to bargain with nurses in the same room. Nurses have been in negotiations with Mayo on a new three-year contract since September, but management has refused to negotiate with nurse members in the room.

“We’ve repeatedly asked Mayo to negotiate so our nurses can be part of the process,” said Jammie Meyer, a Mankato Registered Nurse and part of the negotiating team.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses to Picket outside Mayo Mankato Hospital  »