Nurses to Gather at Capitol Tomorrow as House Votes on Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act in Omnibus Bill

MEDIA ADVISORY

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

(St. Paul) – May 2, 2022 – Minnesota nurses will gather at the State Capitol tomorrow as the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act comes to a vote in the Minnesota House of Representatives as part of the House Health & Human Services omnibus bill.

Nurses will encourage and cheer on passage of the act, which would retain nurses and protect patient care by establishing local, flexible, hospital-based committees of nurses and managers to set staffing levels on a unit-by-unit basis, including a limit on the number of patients for which any one nurse can safely care. The bill would also fund grants to support mental health for healthcare workers and to prevent workplace violence. It would help recruit and retain the next generation of nurses with new funding for loan forgiveness programs.

Nurses will gather outside the House Chamber and will be available for interviews with members of the press. Additional details are included below.

  • WHEN: Tuesday, May 3, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
  • WHERE: House Chamber, Minnesota State Capitol
  • WHO: Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association
  • WHAT: Nurses encourage and cheer on passage of the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act
  • WHY: Because nurses and patients need action to solve the understaffing and retention crisis

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