MNA Blog

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

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In: Press Releases, Uncategorized

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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In: Press Releases

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) – 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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In: Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
​
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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In: Press Releases

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  »

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In: Board of Nursing, Drug Diversion, Health Professionals Services Program, Home

By Jackie Russell, RN BSN JD

MNA Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

“There’s 50 mcgs. missing, that can’t be accounted for. Do you have any idea what may have happened to the 50 mcgs?” asked the nurse manager.

 

“I don’t know,” replied the nurse. “I must have given it.”

 

“But it’s not documented, the nurse manager said, and the pharmacy report doesn’t show it was wasted either.”

 

“Well,” said the nurse, “I could have lost it in my pocket. You know how you can lose drugs from the syringe into the cap?
… Read more about: Employers Are Watching for Drug Diversion  »

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In: Home, Minnesota Nurses Association, National Nurses United, Nurse education, Workplace violence prevention

by Jackie Russell, RN, JD

Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

The Commission on Nursing Practice and Education (“NP&E”) met on September 19 at the MNA office in Saint Paul. At the meeting, NP&E created a workplace violence subcommittee charged with writing a position paper and FAQs about workplace violence prevention and policy. The subcommittee consists of NP&E’s Chair, Lynnetta Muehlhauser, and Commissioners Niki Gjere, Angela Oseland, and Mischelle Knipe. Also, working on the issue with MNA  is Liesl Wolf, Doctor of Nursing Practice Candidate from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. Liesl will do a literature review focused on research around correlations between workplace violence and staffing, nurse fatigue, and nurses leaving the profession.
… Read more about: Nursing Practice and Education Commission Focuses on Workplace Violence  »

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In: Home, Hospitals, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurse Staffing

By Carrie Mortrud, RN

MNA Nurse Staffing Specialist

 

In August, nurses were informed that at least one major healthcare system employer was about to release results from a project they completed on “National Benchmarking.” This project has resulted in drastic proposed cuts to RNs, NAs, and other staff on most of the inpatient care units. At the same time, nurses up north were experiencing the same circumstances when they rejected unsafe assignments.

In response, MNA members asked for more tools and resources to be made available to nurses while in the middle of a staffing crisis.
… Read more about: MNA Quick Reference Card: What Is It And Why Do I Want One?  »

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In: Home, Press Releases

For Immediate Release

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

(Duluth, MN) – September 25, 2019 – St. Luke’s nurses have overwhelmingly voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached between the hospital and the Minnesota Nurses Association. The vote sets in place a new three-year contract for St. Luke’s nurses, which will be considered effective as of July 1, 2019.

“Nurses stood up and fought for solutions to the staffing crisis,” said Pete Boyechko, a St. Luke’s nurse and negotiations team member. “We’re proud that the hospital will have to address short staffing situations, and we hope more nurses will be hired so we can safely care for our patients.”

Nurses and the hospital agreed to add contract terms that provide bonuses for nurses called in when the number of patients or the severity of the patients’ conditions are greater than can be safely handled by the nurses on staff.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Ratify Contract with St. Luke’s Hospital  »

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In: Education, Home, Nursing Practice, Patient Safety

By Kristina Maki, MS RN CNE

MNA Nurse Educator

 

Retention studies show that CPR skills deteriorate quickly after training. Most of the research shows, without consistent use of the skills, there is a significant decline after just three months. Even if a nurse still has a valid BLS certification card, it might be beneficial to refresh your competency. Still, MNA members have expressed concern about several healthcare facilities moving away from the standardized American Heart Association courses such as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Instead, hospitals are moving to facility-created versions.
… Read more about: You Asked for It… And Now You’ve Got It!  »

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In: Bargaining, Duluth Bargaining, Essentia, Home, Hospitals

By Laura Sayles

MNA Government Affairs Specialist

 

Last Tuesday, MNA nurses staged informational pickets at Essentia St. Mary’s and St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth.  The nurses that work at those hospitals have been working without a contract since June of this year.  They’ve been in negotiations with management but because they were unable to make headway to come to a solution that works for nurses and the hospital management, nurses want patients to know the nurses’ contract affects the care they receive.

 

MNA nurses made the decision to stage an informational picket when they felt that their voices weren’t being heard in negotiations. 
… Read more about: The Power of Collective Action: Duluth Informational Pickets  »