Patient Safety

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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  »

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org
Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Bipartisan, compromise Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act designed to protect care for all patients, at every hospital in the state, by retaining and staffing enough skilled nurses

On Friday, reporting revealed Mayo threat to withdraw billions in public investments if “blackmail” demands not met

(St. Paul) – May 8, 2023 – Nurses working for Mayo Clinic Health System today spoke out on conditions for nurses and workers at the corporate health chain to highlight the need for statewide legislation to protect patient care by retaining and staffing enough skilled nurses.
… Read more about: Mayo nurses, legislators denounce corporate threats, affirm need to protect patient care and transparency at all hospitals  »

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org
Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Mayo threatens state leaders with billions in withdrawn investments if corporate demands are not met, reporting reveals   

(St. Paul) – May 5, 2023 – Reporting from the Minnesota Reformer today reveals that Mayo Clinic Health System has resorted to blackmail tactics, threatening to withdraw billions in investments from the state if its corporate demands are not met to kill provisions in the Health and Human Services omnibus bill behind closed doors, including the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, a bill to retain and staff nurses to protect patient care.
… Read more about: Statement on Mayo Blackmail Tactics to Kill Bill to Protect Patients and Retain Nurses  »

On:
In: Home, Minnesota Department of Health, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

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

Chronic short staffing and poor retention by hospital executives contribute to more adverse events for patients

Total adverse events and those which caused harm to patients have increased for years, pandemic impacts amplified systemic issues in Minnesota hospitals

(St. Paul) – August 3, 2022 – A new report released today by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) highlights worsening patient impacts in Minnesota hospitals as the crisis of short staffing and retention continues unabated and unresolved by hospital executives. The new report documents increases in the total number of adverse events suffered by Minnesota patients in 2021, as well as in the number of events which caused harm to patients.
… Read more about: New MDH Report Shows Worsening Patient Impacts as Staffing, Retention Crisis Continues  »

On:
In: Action, Home, Nurse Staffing, Patient Safety, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

MNA nurses delivered opening offers to hospital executives this week, seeking to retain nurses and prioritize quality care at the bedside

Nurses are donning buttons and stickers this week announcing “We Are Ready” to fight to put patients before the profits of hospital CEOs

MNA also launches new paid digital advertising campaign highlighting the crisis patients and staff are facing in Minnesota hospitals 

(St.
… Read more about: Over 15,000 nurses launch new campaign for Patients, Not Profits in Minnesota hospitals  »

On:
In: Activism, Essentia, Hospitals, Patient Safety

Late last year, nurses in North Dakota and northern Minnesota learned of a plan from Essentia Health to pursue acquisition talks with CHI/Common Spirit Health Care. The plan was for Essentia Health to acquire 14 facilities and take over management and services they provide to mainly rural communities across northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

From the start, MNA members were concerned about the implications this deal would have on patient care in many critical access facilities. Nurses were familiar with the past dealings of Essentia in Moose Lake, taking over the small community hospital and immediately shuttering services and sending patients to the system hub in Duluth.
… Read more about: Nurses celebrate a win as CHI/Essentia merger falls through  »

On:
In: COVID-19, Home, Member Blog, Patient Safety, Patient Safety Standards, PPE

By Todd Trigg, CRNA

MNA Steward

A few days ago, I was out to do my bi-weekly run for essentials. I had my lists, my route planned, my homemade cloth mask, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes to wipe things down. I was ready. I started by going to my local membership warehouse. Once there, I notice a majority of people wearing cloth masks and practicing good social distancing. I saw a few with N95 masks on, and I wondered where they got them and why they choose to wear this mask since it has become such a sacred, very limited, and treasured item to healthcare providers.
… Read more about: Save the N95s for Those Who Need Them  »

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In: COVID-19, Home, Member Blog, Patient Safety, PPE

By Megan Chao Smith, RN

MNA Member

 

As a nurse, I am in fear for my life, and feel like I am the only one taking my safety into account. I am less frightened about contracting the virus as I am shaken by the prospect of entrusting my safety to the current, irresponsible thinking and policies of my employer. In the face of a callous disregard for nurse safety, I am forced to weigh self-preservation with the real needs of patients in a time of national crisis. I have to choose between serving my oath, which risks my life and family’s health, and leaving my job and co-workers.
… Read more about: Who’s Got My Back?  »

On:
In: Education, Home, Nursing Practice, Patient Safety

By Kristina Maki, MS RN CNE

MNA Nurse Educator

 

Retention studies show that CPR skills deteriorate quickly after training. Most of the research shows, without consistent use of the skills, there is a significant decline after just three months. Even if a nurse still has a valid BLS certification card, it might be beneficial to refresh your competency. Still, MNA members have expressed concern about several healthcare facilities moving away from the standardized American Heart Association courses such as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Instead, hospitals are moving to facility-created versions.
… Read more about: You Asked for It… And Now You’ve Got It!  »

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In: Home, Hospitals, Nurse education, Nurses, Patient Safety

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

MNA Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

My middle-aged male patient worked a labor job. He came to our ED Triage from work wearing jeans and work boots. He was active. He had no significant health history but also chest pain. Because he didn’t have a cardiac history, was otherwise healthy, bright and chatty, he was placed on a monitor in a trauma room for further evaluation. I remember he said he was under stress at work, but I didn’t pry and we talked about other, benign things. Funny how we remember apparently insignificant details about our patients.
… Read more about: The More You Know and the Deskilling of Nursing Practice  »