FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, 651-414-2863
ST. PAUL (February 15, 2012) – As Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton delivered his State of the State speech Wednesday, the leader of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) echoed her organization’s support for the Governor’s top priorities – jobs, education and reform.
“What our friends, neighbors and patients do need are good-paying jobs, access to affordable healthcare and great education for our children,” said MNA President Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN. “What they don’t need is a slew of divisive constitutional amendments that do nothing to address the core needs of Minnesotans across the state. We’re glad the Governor continues to focus on what the vast majority of everyday people in our state want and need.”
Hamilton said MNA nurses continue to advocate both at the bedside and in the legislature on issues that directly impact their patients and their profession – especially safe staffing levels.
“We realize the Twin Cities’ nurses strike during the summer of 2010 shone a white hot spotlight on the issue of unsafe staffing,” Hamilton said. “Our nurses see, hear and feel on a daily basis the negative impact unsafe staffing levels have on patients, families and caregivers. We’re going to continue to fight so that more hospital executives and administrators work with us to put patient safety ahead of corporate profits.”
Formed in 1905, the Minnesota Nurses Association represents more than 20,000 RNs in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. MNA is also a founding member of National Nurses United (NNU), which has more than 175,000 members and is the largest RN union in the United States.