North Memorial nurses to denounce executives’ cuts to NICU and mental health services

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org
Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – May 2, 2024 – On Monday, May 6, 2024, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at North Memorial Hospital will hold a press conference outside the hospital to condemn recent cuts to services at North Memorial Hospital and clinics. Nurses are inviting community members, healthcare workers and other union members to gather and stand together against these cuts.

On March 14, North Memorial executives announced they would close the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), reduce inpatient mental health beds, and close all outpatient mental health services. North Memorial nurses oppose these cuts because they will reduce access to healthcare, increase wait times, and impact transportation for an already underserved community. These cuts present a risk for mothers giving birth at North Memorial; without a NICU team, any baby born at North Memorial that requires the NICU will have to be stabilized by non-specialized staff, separated from the mother, and transported to a different hospital.In a climate where finding a mental health provider is already very difficult statewide, eliminating outpatient mental health clinics puts more than 3,400 community members at risk of losing mental health services. As a result of these cuts, mental health patients with emergent needs will occupy non-mental health beds that would otherwise be used for patients with medical needs, or will be stuck in the emergency department.

In addition to the press conference, nurses are inviting community members, healthcare workers and other union members to join a community gathering to learn about the impact of these cuts and to organize together to oppose them.

North Memorial nurses Shiori Konda-Muhammad, RN, and Jeanette Iacono, RN, are available to speak with media upon request about this event and the cuts at the hospital.

NORTH MEMORIAL NURSES DENOUNCE SERVICE CUTS

WHEN: Monday, May 6, 2024

Press conference, 2:00 P.M.

Community gathering,1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

WHERE: Manor Park Picnic Pavillion, 3129 Abbott Ave N, Robbinsdale, MN 55422

WHO: MNA nurses from North Memorial Hospital, other healthcare workers and union members, and community members

WHAT: Press conference and community gathering

WHY: To bring community awareness to these cuts, to denounce them, and to stand together opposed to them

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