Unsafe Staffing (Page 3)

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In: Action, Board of Nursing, Home, Nurses, Unsafe Staffing

By Carrie Mortrud, RN

MNA Policy Project Specialist

Imagine this scenario.

You arrive at work at 3 p.m. and receive your 4-patient assignment. You begin reading about your patients prior to receiving report from the nurses on the day shift who cared for them before you. From the patient Kardex’s and flow sheets (I just dated myself) it seems as though this 4-patient assignment might be too much, unsafe, unrealistic, and impossible to progress the plan of care for the patients. Still, you reserve judgement until you hear from the nurses who cared for them during the day.

Patient 1 is heavy.
… Read more about: Whose decision is it anyway?  »

On:
In: Allina, Press Releases, Unsafe Staffing

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Contact: Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

 

(St. Paul) – October 11, 2017 – One year after the strike ended, nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association have taken formal steps to redress ongoing staffing issues at Allina Health hospitals in the Twin Cities, which were mutually agreed to in the 2016 contract agreement.

“The contract issue remains the role of the charge nurse,” said Emily Sippola, a charge nurse at Allina-owned United Hospital. 
… Read more about: Press Release: Allina Nurses Ask for Mediator to Settle Unresolved Strike Issues  »

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In: Home, Sanford, Unsafe Staffing

By Mathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Limousine service, upgraded television sets, nurse-to-patient “scripts,” gourmet food service, nurse uniform requirements. Hospitals all over the U.S. are offering more “customer-centric” patient care in order to increase patient satisfaction scores, which are becoming more and more important to raise and maintain Medicare reimbursement amounts.

These efforts, however, often have unintended consequences.

In the first place, customer-centric interventions rarely (if ever) improve the quality of care patients receive. Rather, they merely improve patients’ perceptions of care.
… Read more about: Sanford Health Gets it Backwards  »

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In: Allina, Bargaining, Home, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Unsafe Staffing

Dear MNA Allina nurses,

This is long, but important.  As your Executive Director I was present for the 22 hour marathon bargaining session that just ended mere hours ago. I understand Allina has, as usual, communicated with all of you before we were able to do so (a clear divide and conquer tactic that they have become oh so good at) so I wanted to get this out to you. Please note, that communication from Allina lists the elements of their proposal but not the details because they want you to demand to vote on their proposal without knowing what that proposal will really mean for you – don’t fall for it, it’s Allina trying to cause division within the union.
… Read more about: A Letter to Our Valued MNA Nurses  »

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In: Allina, Bargaining, Home, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Unsafe Staffing

By Mary Turner

MNA President

 

When 5,000 Allina nurses went on strike for seven days last month, I spoke to so many who were determined but anxious. Would the public understand why they made the difficult decision to strike, rather than accept Allina’s demand that they give up their affordable healthcare? Would the public understand that they had to stand up to Allina when they refused to discuss our issues, including safe staffing and violence?

If you had a chance to be at one of the five picket lines during the strike, you know that the public definitely understood why nurses were outside.
… Read more about: Solidarity is Alive and Well  »

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In: Activism, Home, Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Politics, Unsafe Staffing

 

By Eileen Gavin

MNA Political Organizer

There is a saying in politics.  “If you are not at the table you are ON the table.” Don’t let that be case this legislative session. The 2016 Minnesota Legislative Session begins March 8 and is scheduled to adjourn May 23. While the physical landscape is literally different this year with the Capitol renovation still underway, the nature of the work remains the same. When your elected officials get back to work, business leaders, lobbyists, advocacy groups, and Minnesotans from all over the state will descend on the Capitol to advance their respective causes.
… Read more about: Come to the table!  »

On:
In: Activism, Minnesota Nurses Association, Patient Safety Standards, Unsafe Staffing

 

MNA DOH at MNDH web (2)

Inspiring, empowering, and energizing. Those are some of the words MNA members used to describe Day on the Hill 2015.

About 150 RNs from throughout Minnesota stood up for their patients, their profession, and their communities at the February 9-10 event in St. Paul.

Members sat down with their legislators to share their experiences as bedside RNs to show why a Safe Patient Standard and workplace violence prevention legislation are needed. They told their personal stories of instances where patient safety was threatened because of understaffing; and times when they were subjected to workplace violence themselves.
… Read more about: Nurses bring 'passionate commitment' to 2015 Day on the Hill  »