Patient Safety

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In: Action, Corporate Healthcare, Home, Nonprofit, Nurse Staffing, Nurses, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Shannon Cunningham
(c) 651-269-1418
shannon.cunningham@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – May 20, 2025 – Nurses and community members across the Twin Cities are raising urgent concerns over worsening patient care and understaffing in local hospitals—even as the major health systems benefiting from tax-exempt status fail to meet their basic obligations to the public.

Since the 1950s, hospitals have been required to give back to their communities with the savings they receive in lieu of paying taxes. Yet, a new report by the Minnesota Nurses Association and National Nurses United found that major Minnesota hospitals are breaking their bargain with the public.
… Read more about: Nurses sound the alarm as Twin Cities hospitals pocket tax breaks, cut patient care  »

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In: Bargaining, Duluth Bargaining, Home, Metro Bargaining, Nurse Staffing, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – May 1, 2025 – Over 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Duluth recently launched contract negotiations with one clear priority: improving staffing levels to ensure better care and safer hospitals.

Nurses are demanding action as hospitals continue to operate with unsafe staffing, compromising care and driving experienced nurses out of the profession. While hospital executives blame a “nurse shortage,” nurses know the truth: we have more licensed nurses than ever, but too many are unwilling to work in conditions created by corporate hospital leadership.
… Read more about: As bargaining continues, nurses share stories of ongoing crisis in Minnesota facilities.  »

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In: Issues, Metro Bargaining, Nurse Staffing, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

Lives are at risk when nurses are required to care for too many patients at one time. That’s not just what nurses say—it’s what the data proves.

Two studies involving over 600,000 patients in New York and Illinois examined how nurse workloads affect patient outcomes and hospital finances. The results were staggering:

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In: Healthcare, Home, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Patient Safety, Patient Safety Standards, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org 

(St. Paul) – March 27, 2025 – The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) is raising the alarm about devastating impacts that will come because of the $226 million federal funding cut to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). This funding loss threatens to create an immediate and significant public health crisis across our state.  

As a leading voice of public health and patient advocacy in the state, the duty of nurse extends far beyond the bedside. Nurses are advocates for public health and committed to protecting our patients and the communities we serve.
… Read more about: Minnesota nurses stand against devastating cuts to public health funding     »

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In: Allina, Home, Nursing, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 

Contact:  Lauren Bloomquist

(c) 651-376-9709 

lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

 

New study from MNA includes review of Allina Health’s surrender to for-profit companies impacting workers, patients, and Allina’s business.

(St. Paul) – September 26, 2024 – The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) today released a new report on the how Allina Health’s ties to financial parties have comprised the healthcare giant’s mission, business, and patient care. The 23-page report includes a review of the two interconnected players influencing patient care, Allina Health System and Piper Sandler; studies the growing corporate influence in local healthcare at Allina; and analyzes how the profit-driven approach of executives has failed in large part.  
… Read more about: New report highlights consequences of Allina Health’s financial ties compromising its mission, business, and patient care       »

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In: Allina, Home, Nurse Staffing, Patient Safety, Press Releases, Unsafe Staffing, Workplace violence prevention

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

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

 
The plan is in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and could be counter to the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act
… Read more about: Nurses from Allina’s Abbott Northwestern Hospital release statement on new unsafe patient admissions plan, send cease-and-desist to management  »

 
(St. Paul) – July 3, 2024 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are releasing a statement about their concerns regarding a new patient admissions plan that Allina’s Abbott Northwestern Hospital plans to begin on July 11, 2024. The hospital announced they will implement a “15 Minutes to Comfort Plan” that unilaterally seizes the authority of charge nurses to determine the number of patients a unit can safely care for and allows management to force patients onto unprepared units.

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In: Action, CHI, Home, Informational Picket, North Dakota, Patient Safety, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

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

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

Nurses take action as hospital management refuses to address safe patient care and nurse retention during contract negotiations

(Bismarck) – November 9, 2023 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association have filed an intent to picket on Tuesday, November 14, outside CHI St. Alexius hospital in Bismarck, N.D. Nurses are speaking out because negotiations with hospital management have been unproductive when it comes to the issues nurses are most concerned about.

“Since bargaining began in July, CHI St.
… Read more about: Nurses at CHI St. Alexius hospital in Bismarck to hold informational picket  »

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In: Home, Mayo, Patient Safety, Press Releases

Mayo Clinic Health System is a name that conjures up images of world-class healthcare and cutting-edge medical treatment for many people in Minnesota. However, a troubling trend has emerged, as the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported that Mayo Clinic Health System had the highest number of adverse health events in the state last year. We know that the root cause of this problem lies in their profit-driven business decisions that include high nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.  

In 2003, Minnesota became the first state to require hospitals to report, conduct a root cause analysis on and submit the findings and corrective action plan(s) on 28 “never events” that are considered preventable errors in hospitals.
… Read more about: The Costs of Profit-Driven Healthcare: Mayo Clinic Health System Leads the State in Adverse Healthcare Events   »

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In: Corporate Healthcare, Healthcare, Home, Hospitals, Issues, Keeping Nurses at the Bedside, Legislative Policy, Mary Turner, Minnesota Department of Health, Nurse Staffing, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lauren Nielsen(c) 651-376-9709lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.orgAmber Smigiel(c) 651-202-0845amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – September 27, 2023 – Nurses are once again speaking out after the Minnesota Department of Health’s report
… Read more about: Nurses call on MN legislature to act after report of increasing adverse patient events  », released today, details an increasing number of reported adverse health events in Minnesota hospitals. This news comes at a time when at least one major health chain in the metro area is proposing even further reductions to the number of nurses caring for patients.Nurses continue to sound the alarm that there is a crisis of patient care and retention by hospital executives in Minnesota’s hospitals.

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In: Action, Home, Keeping Nurses at the Bedside, Legislative Policy, Mayo, Patient Safety, Press Releases, Unsafe Staffing

MEDIA ADVISORY 

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org
Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org
Nurses to stand with Governor Walz, legislators against threats to democratic process by corporate health executives 

(St. Paul) – May 9, 2023 – Tomorrow, Wednesday May 10, 2023, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association will continue their sit-in at the State Capitol to tell Governor Tim Walz and legislative leaders that nurses have their backs as they stand up to corporate bullies. Tomorrow, nurses will set up an empty hospital bed in the State Capitol hallway to show the consequences for patient care when hospital executives fail to staff and retain enough nurses.
… Read more about: Nurses to display empty hospital bed to show impact of understaffing, lack of patient care as sit-in continues at State Capitol  »