MNA Blog

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

On:
In: Action, Healing Greed, Home, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

Contact:

Sam Fettig, 612-741-0662 or Sam.Fettig@mnnurses.org

Chris Shields, 612-839-9359 or cshields@mnaflcio.org

 

On Thursday, April 11, 2024, healthcare workers and patient advocates from Minnesota AFL-CIO member unions will join together at the Minnesota State Capitol to push for passage of the HEAL (Healthcare Employee Anti-Retaliation and Labor) Act (H.F. 4200 / S.F. 4444), a bill that would provide critical protections for workers when they speak up as the last line of defense for safe patient care in our hospitals and other care settings.
… Read more about: Healthcare workers, patient advocates to assemble at State Capitol to push for protections for worker voices and safe patient care  »

On:
In: Action, Corporate Healthcare, HCMC, Hospitals, Nonprofit, Press Releases

CEO Jennifer DeCubellis and current Board of Directors fail to address crisis of patient care, nurse retention, and workplace violence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

WATCH: HCMC healthcare workers speak out on the need for accountability at HHS. [Link]

(St. Paul) – April 2, 2024 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and healthcare workers from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs (HCAPE) today called on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners to initiate dissolution of the Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS) Board of Directors.
… Read more about: Healthcare workers call for dissolution of Hennepin Healthcare board to protect future of Hennepin County Medical Center     »

On:
In: Action, Corporate Healthcare, HCMC, Home, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

CEO Jennifer DeCubellis and current Board of Directors put future of Hennepin County Medical Center at risk with inaction on patient care, nurse retention, and workplace violence crisis
(St. Paul) – April 1, 2024 – On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and other healthcare workers will hold a press conference in the atrium of the Hennepin County Government Center to call on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners to initiate dissolution of the Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS) Board of Directors.
… Read more about: Healthcare workers to call for dissolution of Hennepin Healthcare board ahead of Hennepin County Commissioners meeting  »

On:
In: Home, Legislative Policy, Member Blog

By John Welsh, RN, Chair, MNA Governmental Affairs Commission

Getting help to nurses who have student debt remains a priority for MNA during the 2024 legislative session.

Graduation cap and Student loan forgiveness on page.

Last year, MNA nurses and staff were able to secure $10 million for loan forgiveness for hospital nurses, and we hope to double that amount during the current session, which will end by May 20.

There are no reliable statewide statistics on the debt held by nurses in Minnesota, but we know it is significant. When the state asked nurses in previous loan forgiveness programs how much debt they had, the average was $40,000.
… Read more about: Prioritizing RN Student Loan Forgiveness  »

On:
In: Corporate Healthcare, Healing Greed, Health Care Reform, Home, Legislative Policy, Mayo, Nonprofit, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 26, 2024 – A new study released today by the Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank, finds that 90 percent of Minnesota nonprofit hospitals give back less to their communities than they receive in tax breaks, with Mayo Clinic singled out as among the worst offenders in the nation. This ranks Minnesota among the 10 worst states in the nation for the share of hospitals who avoid their obligations to communities, while states like Texas and Mississippi lead the nation.
… Read more about: Minnesota hospitals ranked among 10 worst in the nation for community spending  »

On:
In: Corporate Healthcare, Events, Healing Greed, Health Care Reform, Home, Hospitals, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

Planned closures of ICU, surgery services, and pediatric inpatient beds at Mercy Hospital and Unity Campus follow a pattern of corporate priorities by Allina executives   

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 25, 2024 – Tomorrow, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) will join patients, community members, and other healthcare providers and workers to speak out on the devastating impacts of the planned corporate closures by Allina executives at Mercy Hospital and Unity Campus.
… Read more about: Nurses, other healthcare providers and workers, patients to testify in public hearing on impact of Allina corporate closures  »

On:
In: Corporate Healthcare, Healing Greed, Home, layoffs, North Memorial, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.orgLauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

Cuts by North Memorial executives will leave vulnerable patients at risk because they cannot pay more     

(St. Paul) – March 20, 2024 – Today, North Memorial Health executives announced their intent to close mental health services and the neonatal intensive care unit in Robbinsdale and to lay off more than 100 hospital employees, including many Registered Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and other healthcare workers.

The following is a statement from the Minnesota Nurses Association:

“While the full scope of the closures ordered by North Memorial executives is not yet clear, these callous cuts will leave thousands of vulnerable Minnesotans at risk.
… Read more about: North Memorial closures, layoffs latest symptom of corporate greed crisis in our healthcare system  »

On:
In: Corporate Healthcare, Healing Greed, Home, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org
MNA-backed bills to put patient needs before corporate greed will be heard in House, Senate committees  
(St. Paul) – March 13, 2024 – Tomorrow, Thursday, March 14, 2024, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) will turn out at the State Capitol to testify for hearings on legislation from the “Healing Greed Agenda,” a nurse-backed plan to put patient needs before corporate greed in our hospitals. Legislation from the agenda continues to advance at the state legislature, following hearings in House and Senate committees earlier this week.
… Read more about: Nurses to turn out and testify as “Healing Greed Agenda” advances this week  »

On:
In: Allina, Corporate Healthcare, Home, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig, MNA
612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Josh Keller, SEIU MN
612-270-2984
jkeller@seiumn.org

Marisa Powell Zengin, Doctors Council
646-599-6038
mrpdoctorscouncil@gmail.com

Planned closures of ICU and pediatric inpatient beds at Mercy Hospital and Unity Campus follow a pattern of corporate priorities by Allina executives 
(St. Paul) – March 13, 2024 – Community members, healthcare providers and workers with the Doctors Council, Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), and SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa today raised the alarm on the devastating impact on patients, workers, and the community of Allina executives’ planned closures at Mercy Hospital – Unity Campus in Fridley and Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.
… Read more about: Healthcare providers, workers sound alarm on impact of Allina corporate closures to patients, community  »

On:
In: Action, Allina, Home, Labor Unions, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig, MNA
612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.orgJosh Keller, SEIU MN
612-270-2984
jkeller@seiumn.org

Marisa Powell Zengin, Doctors Council
646-599-6038
mrpdoctorscouncil@gmail.com

Speakers to address impact of ICU and pediatric inpatient closures at Mercy Hospital and Unity Campus, pattern of corporate priorities by Allina executives   

(St. Paul) – March 13, 2024 – Today, Wednesday, March 13, 2024, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) will join Allina physicians with the Doctors Council and healthcare workers with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa to highlight the devastating impact on patients, workers, and the community of Allina executives’ plan to close the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mercy Hospital – Unity Campus in Fridley, and to eliminate pediatric inpatient beds at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.
… Read more about: Healthcare providers, workers to speak out on impact of Allina corporate closures to patients, community  »