MNA Blog (Page 8)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

On:
In: Elections, Home, Member Blog

By Cassie Snodgrass, RN, MNA Elections Committee Chair

MNA is YOU! You are what makes MNA a union – for nurses, made up of nurses, and led by nurses! Have you thought about running for a leadership position at MNA? There are so many benefits – it gives you a chance to shape policy and organization-wide positions. Do you feel strongly about setting the direction MNA is taking and establishing yearly goals or legislative priorities? Serving in a union leadership position will make your voice even more prominent and help sharpen your interpersonal and communications skills.

Consider serving in an MNA organization-wide leadership position on one of the following bodies:

  • Board of Directors
  • Commission on Governmental Affairs
  • Commission on Nursing Practice and Education
  • Elections Committee
  • Council of Active Retired Nurses (CARn) Leadership
  • MN AFL-CIO Delegate

Even if you don’t win, you’ll gain valuable insight and skills that could help you in your work and interpersonal relationships.
… Read more about: Running for MNA leadership – an experience you won’t regret!  »

On:
In: Home, Member Blog

Written by Mary Kirsling, Retired RN from Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Duluth, Member of Honors & Awards Committee

I have been a member of the MNA Honors and Awards Committee for several years. While I have served on many committees, this is my favorite. We have the privilege of learning about nurses who excel–individuals who mentor, inspire, encourage, lead, educate, and innovate. As a previous recipient, I cannot overstate how thrilling it is and how much it means to receive one of these awards. Most recipients are unaware of the difference they make, and recognition from peers is one of the best honors to receive.
… Read more about: Minnesota Nurses Association Honors & Awards  »

On:
In: Erin Murphy, Home, Legislative Policy, Mary Turner, Nurse Staffing, Press Releases, Unsafe Staffing, Workplace violence prevention

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurse staffing bill, designed to address retention and patient care, moving forward in both House and Senate health omnibus bills 
(St. Paul) – April 4, 2023 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) today celebrated the inclusion of the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act (SF 1561, HF 1700) in the Senate Health and Human Services omnibus bill advanced by the committee today
… Read more about: Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act advances at State Capitol  ».

On:
In: Home, Keeping Nurses at the Bedside, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY 

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org
Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurse staffing bill passed in House committee today as part of health omnibus, Senate to present health omnibus in committee tomorrow 

(St. Paul) – March 30, 2023 – Tomorrow, Friday, March 31, 2023, nurses will hold a media availability on the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act ahead of a key hearing of the Minnesota Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. Earlier today, the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act was approved by the Minnesota House Health Finance and Policy Committee as part of its omnibus bill; tomorrow, the Senate committee will present its omnibus bill for public testimony.
… Read more about: Nurses to hold media availability on Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act ahead of key Senate hearing   »

On:
In: Home, Keeping Nurses at the Bedside, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org
Omnibus also includes nurse-supported legislation to regulate proposed hospital mergers    
(St. Paul) – March 29, 2023 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) today celebrated the inclusion of the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act (SF 1561, HF 1700) and a bill to provide critical public oversight of proposed hospital mergers (HF 402, SF 1681) in the House Health Finance and Policy omnibus bill (HF2930 DE1, bill list
… Read more about: Nurses celebrate inclusion of Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act in House Health Omnibus bill    »).

On:
In: Home, Legislative Policy, Mental Health

By Laura Arnold, RN 

As a pediatric nurse for over 15 years, I have interacted with and cared for many patients and families experiencing various types of mental health needs. I would like to share what I believe Minnesotans need based on my experience as a nurse and as a mother who is walking this journey.

I could spend hours discussing physical and emotional trauma experienced by patients, families, and staff. Bottom line, if we are seeing them in our hospitals, they are already in crisis, and we are only able to put band-aids over serious problems before sending them out the door.  
… Read more about: It’s time to address the children’s mental health crisis in Minnesota  »

On:
In: Home, Legislative Policy, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY 

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

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurses will share stories on the need to pass Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, oppose Sanford-Fairview merger

(St. Paul) – March 16, 2023 – On Friday, March 17, 2023, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association will host a virtual town hall with legislators to press for key issues to retain nurses, protect patient care, and prevent the corporatization of our healthcare system. The town hall comes as nurses’ top legislative priority, the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act (SF 1561, HF 1700), recently passed through key committees in the Minnesota House and Senate.
… Read more about: ADVISORY: Nurses to hold virtual town hall with legislators on key issues for nurses, patients  »

On:
In: Home, Informational Picket, Press Releases, Sanford

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurses have called off their planned picket, and will not file unfair labor practice charges against Sanford Health pending contract ratification by members     

(Bemidji) – March 9, 2023 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center today announced that they have reached a tentative agreement with Sanford Health on a new three-year contract. Nurses have called off the informational picket they had planned for Monday, March 13, 2023, and will not file unfair labor practice charges against Sanford Health pending contract ratification by nurses.
… Read more about: Nurses at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center reach tentative contract agreement with management  »

On:
In: Fairview, Sanford

This blog is an excerpt from a Letter to the Editor written by four MNA nurses and published in the Worthington Globe newspaper. MNA members across Minnesota are speaking out in opposition to the proposed Sanford/Fairview merger.

To the Editor:

The recent delay of the Sanford/Fairview merger and letter from Sanford Worthington CEO Jennifer Weg prompted us, a group of retired Sanford Worthington nurses, to write.  Some of us were at the Jan. 25 meeting held in Worthington, hosted by the Minnesota Attorney General’s office.

While we agree with the numerous Sanford Worthington managers and others who enthusiastically praised Sanford’s contribution to the community, we, as former employees, are perplexed by the lack of attention given to Sanford Worthington hospital itself.
… Read more about: Don’t overlook needs of Sanford Worthington Hospital  »

On:
In: Fairview, Home, Press Releases, Sanford

MEDIA ADVISORY 

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

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 7, 2022 – At 5:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, healthcare workers, patients, and University of Minnesota medical students will hold a media availability to speak out against the proposed merger of M Health Fairview and Sanford Health. The media availability will take place ahead of a 6:00 p.m. Minnesota Senate hearing on the proposed merger.

Since the proposed merger was announced late last year, Minnesotans who work and receive care at potentially impacted facilities have raised concerns that this merger could increase costs and limit access to health services for patients, threaten jobs and working conditions for workers, and consolidate even more corporate control over our healthcare system.
… Read more about: Workers, patients, students to hold media availability ahead of Senate hearing on proposed Sanford-Fairview merger  »