NOTES ON NURSING
Nurses Call for Action on Nation’s Ravaged Mental Health Services “This is a massive tragedy that is being played out on a smaller scale every day in emergency rooms, in mental health facilities, and on the streets across our country, where, with sometimes devastating consequences, mental health is underfunded to a shocking, and sometimes deadly degree,” said Deborah Burger, RN, co-president of National Nurses United, the largest U.S. organization of nurses.
RN Senator Named to MN Senate Leadership Team On Monday, incoming Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, completed his leadership team by picking Sen. Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and Sen. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, to be his Senate whips.
HEALTH CARE
Court of Appeals Rules in Favor of Care Assistants The Minnesota State Court of Appeals said Monday it is unconstitutional for the state to pay less for in-home care when the provider is related to the person receiving the care.
Funding for Mental Health Lacking Families with a mentally ill family member say it’s difficult to get them adequate care. In the Twin Cities, for example, the shortage of beds in local hospitals for the mentally ill is so bad patients Twin Cities patients are often sent to Duluth or other places for acute care.