As the 2013 legislative session opens, a look at what the Minnesota Nurses Association, its members, and allies hope to achieve. From our public website:
http://www.mnnurses.org/policy-and-advocacy/2013-legislative-session
MNA Legislative Preview
Session Begins January 8
The 2013 Minnesota legislative session starts on Tuesday, January 8. With new DFL majorities in the House and Senate, the political climate at the Capitol will be very different than the past two years, and will offer some new opportunities for nurses to work on policy priorities, as well as some new challenges.
In the 2012 election, DFLers won back majorities in both the Minnesota House and Senate. Senate Majority Leader-elect Tom Bakk of Cook and House Speaker-elect Paul Thissen of Minneapolis have stated their top priorities for the 2013 session will be responsibly balancing our state budget, strengthening our education system and creating good jobs .
… Read more about: MNA Legislative Preview-2013 session starts tomorrow! »
http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/185824962.html
Nurses from Bagley, Bemidji, and Thief River Falls gather at Centennial Park in Thief River Falls to ask for patient safety standards.
Northland nurses rally for patients’ safety say “patients are falling through the cracks.” http://ow.ly/gydja
… Read more about: Northland nurses rally for patients’ safety »
Vernice Ferguson, Nursing Advocate, passes away. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/us/vernice-d-ferguson-leader-and-advocate-of-nurses-dies-at-84.html?_r=1&
… Read more about: Vernice Ferguson, Nursing Advocate, pass »
Jodi Jones, a state psychiatric nurse with 25 years of experience, has won her arbitration case with the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, Minnesota, including re-instatement of former rank, position, and back pay. In addition, disciplinary proceedings will also be removed from her personnel record.
Jones was terminated for an alleged error in theraputic judgment. Later, her employer changed the reason to a different reason.
For her judgment and care, Jones was disciplined and let go, but the arbitrator sustained the grievance in every particular on all points and particulars. He even took issue with the state’s case and noted it had failed its burden by “a wide margin.”
“If we didn’t have a (nurses) union,” Jones said, “I would have no chance of getting my job back.
… Read more about: MNA wins job and back pay for St. Peter Nurse »
NOTES ON NURSING
Twin Cities Nurses Ratify Contract Although negotiations between nurses and hospitals in 2010 featured a loud
public debate over nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, the parties didn’t debate
the issue this time.
HEALTH CARE
In Their Own Words: Health Care Industry Leader: “Hospital Care 3,000 Times Less Safe Than Air Travel” “The Harvard Medical Practice Study (of 1991) showed that 1% of hospital patients were injured due to errors judged… to be negligent. That’s a death or injury rate of 10,000 per million. The U.S. airline comparative number is 341 people dead or injured in 95.2 million flights, U.S.
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, December 21, 2012: TC nurses approve 3 yr contract; Hospital care 3k less safe than air travel »
Twin Cities Nurses Ratify Three-Year Contract
For Immediate Release: December 20, 2012
Contact: Rick Fuentes: 651-414-2863/cell: 612-741-0662
Jan Rabbers: 651-414-2861/cell: 612-860-6658
(St. Paul) – Twin Cities nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association ratified its contract today with health care systems represented by the Minnesota Hospitals Association. The three-year agreement is effective June 1, 2013 – May 31, 2016 and impacts 12,000 nurses working in 13 different facilities in the metro area.
Nurses have agreed to a contract that will increase wages by 4.5% over three years “When they approached us, we saw a great opportunity for an efficient process that would be good for our communities and our patients,” said MNAPresident, Linda Hamilton.
… Read more about: MNA Twin Cities Contract is Ratified »
HEALTH CARE
Is Mayo Gaming the System? The CEO of St. Peter’s River’s Edge Hospital and two area physicians have asked the Attorney General to investigate Mayo Clinic Health Systems in St. Peter and Mankato, alleging its doctors and staff are misinforming patients in an effort to funnel patients away from smaller community hospitals and toward Mayo-affiliated facilities.
Advocates for Mental Health Have Momentum After Conn. Massacre Advocates say the most important objective is strengthening community-based mental health services. They are also focused on early diagnosis and treatment of ill children, and efforts to erase the stigma that surrounds mental health problems.
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, December 20, 2012: Mayo games?; 11K new jobs »
