MNA Blog

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

On:
In: Activism, Education, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nonprofit

By Geri Katz

Manager of Practice, Education and Special Projects

and Megan Gavin

MNA Labor Representative

 

MNA member Hans-Peter de Ruiter, PhD, RN, has retired from the Minnesota Nurses Association Foundation Board of Directors after nine years of service, including five years as chair.

 

Hans has led the MNAF board in awarding scholarships and grants to promising students and nurses whose academic pursuits will help support MNA’s mission and goals and make real improvements in care and building power for nurses. Hans led the MNAF board in expanding scholarship offerings considerably.
… Read more about: Thank you to Dr. Hans-Peter de Ruiter  »

On:
In: Action, Activism, Home, Labor Unions, Nurses, Organizing, Unions

By Cameron Fure

MNA Political Organizer

 

On Monday, July 15, workers at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Shakopee held a picket to bring light to unfair working conditions at their sprawling worksite in the southeast metro. Workers from New York, Seattle, San Francisco and locations across Europe were also holding demonstrations to raise awareness on “Prime Day,” which is one of the largest shopping days of the year.

 

Workers were highlighting issues such as humane workloads, job security around not hiring “temp” workers, stopping unfair write-ups, investment in communities, and ending retaliation.

 

The event was organized by the Awood Center, which seeks to bring power to East African workers.
… Read more about: It’s a Prime Day to Stand up for Workers  »

On:
In: Activism, Bargaining, Essentia, Home

After multiple contract negotiating sessions, MNA nurses in the Twin Ports are turning to the public in their campaign for a fair contract.

Nurses at Essentia and St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth and Superior packed the July 8 Duluth City Council meeting to share their concerns and ask for councilors’ support as they negotiate new contracts. Their current contracts expired June 30.

Nearly 200 nurses filled the council chamber and hallways as four MNA members and MNA Executive Director Rose Roach addressed councilors about their concerns about patient care, scheduling the appropriate number of nurses to care for patients, and workplace safety.
… Read more about: Spectacular show of solidarity  »

On:
In: Home, Member Blog

‘Why not me?’

By Racial Diversity Committee member Dr. Ngozi F. Mbibi, DNP, RNC-OB, FWACN, FAAN

Welcome to the MNA Racial Diversity Committee’s first blog post.

Our committee is only a few months old. We started as a new Racial Diversity Task Force in 2017. (MNA had a similar task force and a work group in the early 2000s.) In 2018, the House of Delegates saw the importance of continuing and expanding our work, and decided we should be a standing committee. Members were appointed at the January 16, 2019, Board of Directors meeting.

We have been meeting monthly ever since and are working on some major projects.
… Read more about: ‘Why not me?’  »

On:
In: Home, Hospitals, Nurse education, Nurses, Patient Safety

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

MNA Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

My middle-aged male patient worked a labor job. He came to our ED Triage from work wearing jeans and work boots. He was active. He had no significant health history but also chest pain. Because he didn’t have a cardiac history, was otherwise healthy, bright and chatty, he was placed on a monitor in a trauma room for further evaluation. I remember he said he was under stress at work, but I didn’t pry and we talked about other, benign things. Funny how we remember apparently insignificant details about our patients.
… Read more about: The More You Know and the Deskilling of Nursing Practice  »

nurse workplace violence

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Home, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurse education, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

The Commission on Nursing Practice and Education (“NP&E”) met on May 16, 2019 at the MNA office in Saint Paul. With so many changes in nursing practice as a result of Lean management and short staffing, the NP&E has recently made it a top priority of the commission to write three position papers or FAQs on relevant nursing practice topics before the end of the year.  The exact topics have not been decided, yet. Is there a practice issue you would like to see addressed? Email me at Jackie.Russell@mnnurses.org.
… Read more about: Nursing Practice and Education Commission Addresses Workplace Violence  »

On:
In: Home, Press Releases

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – June 15, 2019 – Nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with  Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota and withdrew the threat of a nurses’ strike at the hospitals.

The nurses’ and the hospital’s negotiations teams met over a 21-hour session and cooperated to jointly address issues, including the cost of health insurance for MNA nurses.

“Nurses are happy that Children’s recognized that the cost of insurance is a concern that affects the hospital’s competitiveness of attracting and retaining nurses,” said Michelle Cotterell, a sedation nurse at Children’s Minneapolis campus. 
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Reach Agreement with Children’s Hospitals  »

On:
In: Home, Press Releases

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

 

(St. Paul) – June 13, 2019 – Nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer by Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota and authorize the negotiating team to call a strike.

A hospital strike must be authorized by a supermajority of the membership there, and the decision of when a strike would begin and how long it would last will be decided by the elected nurse members of the negotiating committee.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA Nurses Reject Children’s Contract Offer, Authorize Strike  »

On:
In: Events, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses

MNA annually recognizes nurses who made important achievements in practice, research, activism and more at the Honors and Awards Ceremony at the MNA Convention. MNA nurses are doing incredible things in our communities! Do you know a nurse who has gone above and beyond and should receive an award and recognition of their work? The deadline for nominations for the MNA Honors and Awards is July 1.

Submit your nominations here!

*note originally published January 24

 

By Deb Meyer, RN


… Read more about: Don’t Miss Your Chance to Recognize the Outstanding Nurses in Your Life  »Deb Meyer, RN
Practice and Education Commissioner

Practice and Education Commissioner

Nurses are doing great things every day, and we need to recognize these nurses, which we do annually at the the Minnesota Nurses Association Honors and Awards banquet during the annual convention in October. 

nurse workplace violence

On:
In: Action, Activism, Anoka Mental Regional Treatment Center, Home, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Nursing, Unsafe Staffing, Workplace violence prevention

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

and

Carrie Mortrud, RN

Nurse Staffing Specialist

“You need to work more efficiently!”

“You need to work smarter!”

“You need to work overtime!”

 

It’s called blaming the victim and all are highly inappropriate and unacceptable employer responses following an assault. Victim blaming is a poor defense. In fact, there is no good defense for assault. No excuses either.

The employer must stop blaming the employee-victim for an assault. The employer must take responsibility for their employees’ safety.
… Read more about: STOP VICTIM SHAMING! STOP BLAMING THE EMPLOYEES!  »