Nurses (Page 45)

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In: Activism, Labor Unions, Nurses, Politics, Right to Work

MNA RNs are weighing in about the devastating impact the so-called “Right to Work” legislation would have on everyday Minnesota families. Here’s just one of the heartfelt letters MNA RNs are sending to their local legislators:

 

I urge you Senator Vandeveer to vote No on the right to work issue.

I have been a RN for almost 20 years and have been supported by my union for as many years.  I also have family and friends who are nurses in southern states and I hear on a daily basis their horror stories.  Unrealistic patient work loads, no support staff, monthly turnover and constantly living under the threat of losing their license if something goes wrong. 
… Read more about: Real RNs Speak Out Against Right-to-Work: Selena Running  »

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In: Activism, Labor Unions, Nurses, Politics, Uncategorized

“Right to Work” is Wrong for Minnesota!
·       Right to Work legislation is unnecessary: it doesn’t actually create any jobs. Minnesota’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average and lower than in Right to Work states. Nurses in Minnesota earn an average of $16,000 more than those in Right to Work states.
·       Right to Work is unfair. It would force dues paying union members to pay for the representation of coworkers that don’t pay anything.
·       Right to work is unsafe: Having a strong, collective voice allows nurses to advocate for safe staffing, safe patient care, and safe working conditions.
… Read more about: Call Your Senator Today to Oppose Right-to-Work  »

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In: Bargaining, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

Minnesota Nurses Association Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Media Contact:                      Jan Rabbers  (612) 860-6658 or jan.rabbers@mnnurses.org

Mercy Hospital (Moose Lake) RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations

(Moose Lake, MN – February 8, 2012) As Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake moves toward a possible merger with Duluth-based Essentia Health, registered nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association met last week to discuss concerns regarding impact on the community and on the work environment at the hospital.

The meeting highlighted the nurses’ apprehensions about the overall process of merger negotiations, especially noting the lack of advice and involvement of patient care providers, patients, and potential patients.
… Read more about: Moose Lake’s Mercy RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations  »

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In: Activism, Nurses

MNA Nurses fill out hundreds of Concern For Safe Staffing forms online each month. The story below is just one example of how unsafe staffing conditions inside Minnesota hospitals continue to have negative – and sometimes even deadly – consequences for patients and nurses. (Note: Due to HIPAA privacy laws for patients and concerns for potential workplace retaliation by employers against RNs, we do not identify the specific nurse and/or patient(s) involved in each story in this space.)

Today’s Story: (From a hospital unit dealing exclusively with infants) – Working three nurses short in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is very unsafe.
… Read more about: Unsafe Staffing Story: Kids’ ICU Dangerously Thin on RN Staffing  »

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

Have you or a family member ever had the unfortunate experience of suffering from a pressure ulcer? In addition to being extremely unpleasant and painful, pressure ulcers can become so deep that they result in damage to your muscles, bones, tendons and joints.

And pressure ulcers – also commonly known as bedsores – are almost always preventable when proper staffing levels are adhered to.

Yet last week’s release of Minnesota’s Eighth Annual Adverse Events Report noted that incidents involving pressure ulcers spiked more than 19 percent statewide in 2011. What state hospital executives didn’t mention in spinning away that alarming statistic was that numerous national studies have shown a direct correlation between inadequate nurse staffing levels and an increase in conditions including pressure ulcers, pneumonia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, shock/cardiac arrest, urinary tract infections and more.
… Read more about: MNA President Linda Hamilton’s Response to Minnesota Adverse Events Report’s Release  »