MNA Blog (Page 102)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Health Care

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Nurses, Politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. PAUL (May 8, 2012) – The President of the Minnesota Nurses Association issued an official statement of support today for Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and her ongoing investigation of Accretive Health.

“On behalf of our 20,000 nurses, I want to thank Lori Swanson for ignoring political pressure and corporate influence and continuing to stand up for the patients we care for,” Hamilton said. “What Accretive is doing seems to be the epitome of the ‘profits-before-patients’ type of health care delivery that needs to stop, and we’re grateful Attorney General Swanson is having none of it.”

Earlier today, news reports detailed how Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the unusual move of publicly pressuring Attorney General Swanson’s office to “back off” its ongoing investigation of Accretive, which began in April 2012.
… Read more about: MNA Statement of Support for Attorney General Lori Swanson  »

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In: Uncategorized

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Notes on Nursing

OpEd:  Why Nurses Need More Authority   Allowing nurses to act as primary-care providers will increase coverage and lower health-care costs. So why is there so much opposition from physicians? 

Statement in Support of Attorney General Lori Swanson   “On behalf of our 20,000 nurses, I want to thank Lori Swanson for ignoring political pressure and corporate influence and continuing to stand up for the patients we care for,” Hamilton said.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, May 8, 2012 – Doc says nurses need more authority; Kudos to AG Lori Swanson; Rally with SEIU  »

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Notes on Nursing

  • Happy National Nurses Day! U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is among those voicing their thanks for the work nurses do each and every day.

Labor Updates

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In: Uncategorized

National Nurse Licensure Compact

The National Nurse Licensure Compact bill passed both the House and the Senate last week, and this week a Conference Committee of House and Senate members met to iron out differences between the two bills. MNA opposes the resulting conference report, which did little to address our concerns with the original bill. Signing on to the Compact will be bad for Minnesota patients, bad for our high nursing standards, and bad for nurses who want to organize or bargain fair contracts. Please use the link below to contact your state senator and state representative and ask them to vote against the Compact when it comes to a final floor vote.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, May 4, 2012  »

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In: Activism, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

What’s Going On?
The Minnesota Board of Nursing wants to significantly change the Nurse Practice Act to alter scope of practice language.

This is NOT a friendly change.

Their proposals reflect a corporate health care employer’s dream to muddy the lines of responsibility between RNs and LPNs – allowing health care facilities to get more work for less money. It also pits our two practices in a fabricated fight that will only result in jeopardizing public safety.

With that in mind, MNA has serious concerns for the safety of patients and nurses regarding the Board of Nursing’s proposal to expand the scope of licensed practical nurses.
… Read more about: Urgent: Board of Nursing, LPN Scope of Practice issue and YOUR input needed!  »

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Health Care

  • Op/Ed: CEOs, it’s time to take ownership of the problems at your hospitals.

Notes on Nursing

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Health Care

U.S. Health Care Spending “Dwarfs” That of Other Countries   The U.S. spent nearly $8,000 per person for health care services in 2009, the  study found, confirming that “health care spending in the U.S. dwarfs that found  in any other industrialized country.”

Notes on Nursing

Debate on Who Administers Anesthesia Moves to Courts   The debate pits nurse anesthetists, who specialize in administering anesthesia and maintain that they are well equipped to treat patients on their own, against anesthesiologists, who are physicians and say nurses lack the necessary training.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, May 3, 2012 – Who Administers Anesthesia; U.S. HC Spending “Dwarfs” Others  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

ALERT:  Rally for Jobs

The clock is ticking on the 2012 Legislative session. Despite being in session for months, the Legislature has failed to act on real job creation projects like a large infrastructure bill and a Vikings stadium.  These projects would create thousands of family sustaining, union jobs to help Minnesota’s economy recover.  Let’s tell Legislators to act now and create jobs!      RSVP Here

WHERE: State Capitol Steps (75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, St. Paul)
WHEN: Thursday, May 3, 11:00 AM

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Health Care

“The System Really is Not Failing – Failure IS the System”   At a recent Association of Health Care Journalists meeting, Dr.
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, May 2, 2012 – Rally for Jobs!, “Permanent Patients,” Increased Retirement Age  »

On:
In: Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Health Care

$18 For A Baby Aspirin? Hospitals Hike Costs For Everyday Drugs For Some Patients    Sudden chest pains landed Diane Zachor in a Duluth, Minn., hospital overnight, but weeks later she had another shock – a $442 bill for the same everyday drugs she also takes at home, including more than a half dozen common medicines to control diabetes, heart problems and high cholesterol.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan May 1, 2012 CA Nurses on Strike; $18 for baby aspirin; more fallout from Fairview debt collection debacle  »