Healthcare (Page 12)

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Joint Press Release

Contact:  Rick Fuentes: 651-414-2863/cell: 612-741-0662
Jan Rabbers: 651-414-2861/cell:  612-860-6658

Minnesota Nurses Association and North Memorial Health Care, Park Nicollet Health Services, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, Fairview Health Services, HealthEast Care System and Allina Health

(St. Paul) – The Minnesota Nurses Association, North Memorial Health Care, Park Nicollet Health Services, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, Fairview health Services, HealthEast Care System, and Allina Health have reached agreement on new three-year-contracts, which are being unanimously recommended by the MNA Negotiating Committee for ratification by the membership.

The new contracts will be effective from June 1, 2013, through May 31, 2016.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement with Twin Cities Hospitals  »

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NOTES ON NURSING

Nurses Top Gallup Ethics and Honesty Poll for 12th Time in 13 Years.     Nurses’ high rating this year is not unexpected; they have scored at the top of all professions every year since they were first included in the list in 1999 — apart from 2001, when Gallup asked about “firefighters” on a one-time basis after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Moms, Nurses Plead to Keep Birthing Center    “Ironically, we were so busy with three births so far today, many of the nurses from the birthing center who were going to speak here today are unable to make it,” Sussman said as he stood in his scrubs, ready to return to the hospital.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, December 5, 2012: RNs tops in ethics again; MN faces $1.1B deficit  »

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NOTES ON NURSING

CDC Says US Flu Season Starts Early; Could be Bad    Flu season in the United States is off to its earliest start in nearly a decade — and it could be a bad one

HEALTH CARE

GOP Counteroffer Would Raise Medicare Age    Republicans are proposing a “fiscal cliff” plan that revives ideas from failed budget talks with President Barack Obama last year, calling for raising the eligibility age for Medicare, lowering cost-of-living hikes for Social Security benefits and bringing in $800 billion in higher tax revenue.

LABOR NEWS

Domestic Workers’ Plight Demonstrates Need for Labor Protection    Twenty-three percent of all domestic workers in the United States and 67 percent of live-in workers, including nannies, housecleaners, and elder caregivers, earn less than minimum wage.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, December 4, 2012: Flu season could be severe  »

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LABOR NEWS

Can you Hear Us Now?  Sugar Workers Reject Contract 4th Straight Time    One of the longest work stoppages in recent Minnesota history will continue as locked-out union workers at American Crystal Sugar Saturday rejected essentially the same contract for the fourth time, with 55 percent voting against.

NY Times Announces Buyouts, Hints at Layoffs    The New York Times said on Monday that it will offer buyouts to some of its newsroom staff, and may lay journalists off if not enough people accept the severance package.

HEALTH CARE

America’s Stunningly Overpriced Health Care System in 2 Charts    It’s no secret that the U.S.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, December 3, 2012: FOUR! Sugar workers reject contract- again; 60 Minutes exposes HMA  »

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NOTES ON NURSING

Simple Measures Reduce Infections Caught in Hospitals   Solutions included having patients shower with special germ-fighting soap before surgery, and having surgery teams change gowns, gloves and instruments during operations to prevent spreading germs picked up during the procedures.

MNA Day, December 6 – As our bargaining team negotiates, let’s show employers how serious nurses are about our profession, our patients and our communities.

Worchester Nurses Forced to Choose Between Flu Shot and Mask   A new hospital flu shot policy is causing controversy among the nursing
staff at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 30, 2012: MNA Day; Flu shot or mask  »

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LABOR NEWS

Unions Mobilize in Opposition to Right to Work as Preventive Measure   Michigan Republicans could decide as early as today whether or not to introduce a “right-to-work” proposal for consideration during the final weeks of the 2011-12 legislative session.

NOTES ON NURSING

Metro Nurses Clue Legislators in on Staffing Issues  The second in a series of statewide Legislative “Meet and Greet” forums was held at MNA offices last night.  Eighteen metro area legislators joined nurses to hear a policy briefing from Government Affairs Specialists Carrie Mortrud, RN and Shannon Cunningham, followed by a lively discussion of MNA’s top priorities, safe staffing and protecting Minnesota’s high nursing standards.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 29, 2012: Metro legislators & RNs talk nursing values  »

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Education, Solidarity, Networking, Community

As MNA’s bargaining team negotiates with Twin Cities contract hospital employers, let’s show how serious nurses are about our profession, our patients and our communities.  Enjoy a day together with colleagues to send a message of solidarity, while honing our advocacy skills.

Free Continuing Education (Drop in for all or any of these classes)
Nursing Contact Hours
These programs for 1.2 contact hours each have been designed to meet the Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements. However, the nurse is responsible for determining whether this activity meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education.
… Read more about: Dec. 6 is MNA Day – features education and a toy/food shelf drive  »

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HEALTH CARE

Fix for the Modern Hospital:  A Design for Healing   Rarely is nurse Cindy Steckel possessed by fantasies of unspeakable revenge. Toilet design, however, does provoke her fury.  Whoever is responsible for the slim-doored, cramped configuration of patient bathrooms in most American hospitals draws her scorn. “I don’t know if there wasn’t such a thing as a walker back then,” she says. “But if I could get my hands on the guy who designed these…!”

Study:  Medicaid Expansion Would Extend Coverage to 21M Americans at Modest Cost to States    Since the federal government will pick up most of the tab for the Medicaid expansion, the states that choose to participate will be able to extend insurance to millions of poor and vulnerable Americans without using much of their own funds.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 27, 2012: A pension deficit disorder; Design for healing  »

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LABOR

Buffet:  A Minimum Tax for the Wealthy  “And, wow, do we have plenty to invest. The Forbes 400, the wealthiest individuals in America, hit a new group record for wealth this year: $1.7 trillion. That’s more than five times the $300 billion total in 1992. In recent years, my gang has been leaving the middle class in the dust.”

In Michigan, New Push for Right-To-Work Law  Pressure is mounting for the Legislature to pass a right-to-work bill with one  group circulating a video it claims proves Gov. Rick Snyder would sign such  legislation.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 26, 2012: Buffet rule-“pay up;” RTW back in Michigan?  »

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HEALTH CARE

Hospitals Spend Big Advertising Bucks to Attract New Patients   But some health care experts question whether hospitals should spend so much money on promotion and advertising, especially the nonprofit health systems that pour tax-exempt funds into these campaigns.

Accretive Pays Harassed Hospital Patients   Minnesota hospital patients who endured abusive billing tactics linked to Accretive Health Inc. have begun receiving restitution payments averaging $4,000 apiece, Attorney General Lori Swanson said Tuesday.

Political Cartoon:  Pilgrim’s Progress

LABOR UPDATES

Support Wal-Mart Workers on Black Friday

Worker Group Says Wal-Mart Management Scripted to Threaten Workers

EEOC Settlements Indicate Employers Pay Big For Sexual Harassment   Recent EEOC settlements demonstrate that when faced with egregious sexual harassment allegations, many employers would rather settle than face bad press, a prolonged trial and uncertain outcomes.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 21, 2012: Accretive pays; Thanks nurses  »