HCMC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amber Smigiel
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.orgLauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

Hospital has the highest adverse health events in Minnesota, recently fined for workplace violence prevention violation 

(St. Paul) – June 22, 2024 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are fighting for safer staffing at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) as the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reports the hospital had the highest number of adverse health events in the state last year. The hospital was also recently fined by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Occupational Safety and Health Division (MNOSHD) for failing to provide an effective workplace violence program to protect employees.
… Read more about: Nurses fight for safer staffing as adverse health events, workplace violence incidences continue to rise at Hennepin County Medical Center  »

MEDIA ADVISORY

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

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

Forum will bring community together to envision a better future for our healthcare system 
(St. Paul) – April 22, 2024 – Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, patients and other community members will join nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), Allina physicians with the Doctors Council, and healthcare workers with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa for a town hall meeting on the devastating impacts of Allina executives’ plan to close the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and surgical services at Mercy Hospital – Unity Campus in Fridley, and to eliminate pediatric inpatient beds at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.
… Read more about: Patients, healthcare providers and workers to hold community town hall on impact of Allina hospital closures  »

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     »

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  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

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

Nurses lack confidence in CEO Jennifer DeCubellis to correct decisions driving caregivers from the bedside  
(St. Paul) – January 10, 2024 – After the resignation of two members of the Hennepin Healthcare board of directors was made public yesterday, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) employed by Hennepin Healthcare today reiterated their call for increased accountability and oversight of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).

“Hennepin Healthcare leadership have made clear their disdain for oversight and accountability to their patients, employees, and the public.
… Read more about: Hennepin Healthcare leaders resign under pressure by nurses to hold CEO accountable to workers and patients  »

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact:  Amber Smigiel
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

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

 

CEO cuts healthcare benefits for healthcare workers, receives raise amid nurse retention and workplace violence crisis at Hennepin County Medical Center

(St. Paul) – November 26, 2023 – On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, nurses will hold a press conference in the atrium of the Hennepin County Government Center ahead of the County Board of Commissioners meeting regarding the 2024 fiscal budget for Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). Nurses will announce the results of their vote of “No Confidence” in CEO Jennifer DeCubellis and encourage the County Commissioners to stand with nurses and other healthcare workers at HCMC by working with Hennepin Healthcare to create a budget that retains healthcare workers and keeps workers safe in the hospital.
… Read more about: Nurses to hold press conference to announce vote of “No Confidence” in Hennepin Healthcare CEO Jennifer DeCubellis before Hennepin County Commissioners meeting  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amber Smigiel
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

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

Nurses shared concerns to Hennepin County Board that pushed them to appropriate funds

(St. Paul) – November 6, 2023 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) employed by Hennepin Healthcare today announced they were able to gain assistance to lower their healthcare costs from the Hennepin County Commissioners through their strong advocacy.

After informing Hennepin County Commissioner Board Chair Irene Fernando about the large cuts that were announced to their health plans and the impacts the cuts will have on recruitment and retention in an already understaffed hospital, nurses learned late last week that the Hennepin County Board approved an $8 million appropriation to help fix the insurance issues.
… Read more about: Nurses at Hennepin County Medical Center win changes to planned insurance price hikes but need more help  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

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

Hennepin nurses have been in wage reopener negotiations with the county health system for months, win 2022 wage increases competitive with other metro-area hospitals

Nurses continued their campaign to hold executives accountable to protect staff and patient safety this week, sending a letter with other union workers to hospital leadership 

(St. Paul) – December 8, 2022 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association at Hennepin Healthcare today announced that they have reached a tentative agreement in wage reopener negotiations with the county health system, setting wage increases for 2022 equal to the 7 percent increase won by other Twin Cities nurses in tentative agreements
… Read more about: Hennepin nurses win tentative agreement on wages, continue push for action on workplace safety   » announced this week.

MEDIA ADVISORY

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

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

Hennepin nurses are currently in wage reopener negotiations with the county health system, seeking fair wages competitive with other metro-area hospitals
… Read more about: Nurses to hold first-ever picket at Hennepin Healthcare over retention, management inaction    »

(St. Paul) – August 17, 2022 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association at Hennepin Healthcare today announced their intent to picket on Monday, August 22, 2022, outside of the hospital. The first-ever picket by MNA nurses at Hennepin County Medical Center comes as nurses have raised concerns to Hennepin leadership over retention and under-staffing which have gone unaddressed by hospital executives.

By Sarah Simons, RN; and Kathy Everson, RN,  Janell Johnson Thiele,  MNA HCMC Tri-Chairs

When you know something is wrong, it’s worth a fight. Earlier this year, we saw that management was violating the contract in calculating annual wage increases and decided to correct that wrong.

The hospital was basing the calculations on a rolling 365-day year instead of a calendar year as required by the contract.

Our visiting nurses, who became part of MNA in 2016 and were directly affected,  first noticed the discrepancy in their paychecks and alerted us.

When we pointed out the issue and told management that the contract clearly called for basing the increases on the calendar year, HCMC claimed nurses agreed to the rolling 365 days in the past.
… Read more about: Nurse tenacity results in HCMC agreeing to correct faulty wage increase process  »