MEDIA ADVISORY
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org
CEO cuts healthcare benefits for healthcare workers, receives raise amid nurse retention and workplace violence crisis at Hennepin County Medical Center
(St. Paul) – November 26, 2023 – On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, nurses will hold a press conference in the atrium of the Hennepin County Government Center ahead of the County Board of Commissioners meeting regarding the 2024 fiscal budget for Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). Nurses will announce the results of their vote of “No Confidence” in CEO Jennifer DeCubellis and encourage the County Commissioners to stand with nurses and other healthcare workers at HCMC by working with Hennepin Healthcare to create a budget that retains healthcare workers and keeps workers safe in the hospital. Nurses will be joined by members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2474 and the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs (HCAPE).
“Jennifer has demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety and wellbeing of both employees and patients, she has broken our trust,” said HCMC nurses in their “No Confidence” petition. “We cannot continue like this, we deserve better, our patients deserve better. HHS employees are asking for answers, oversight and accountability.”
After informing Hennepin County Commissioner Board Chair Irene Fernando about the large cuts that were announced to their health plans and the impacts the cuts will have on recruitment and retention in an already understaffed hospital, nurses learned earlier this month that the Hennepin County Board approved an $8 million appropriation to help fix the insurance issues. Though nurses appreciate this appropriation, Decubellis declined to use that entire appropriation as a stopgap for the health plans and it is unclear where nearly half of that funding is going. Without direct intervention from the county board, there may still be a flight of healthcare workers due to the financial challenges this will cause.
NURSE PRESS CONFERENCE
When: Tuesday, November 28, 2023, 9:30 A.M.
Where: The atrium of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th St, Minneapolis, MN 55487
Who: HCMC nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association, healthcare workers with AFSCME Local 2474 and HCAPE
What: Press conference to announce vote of “No Confidence” in Hennepin Healthcare CEO Jennifer DeCubellis
Why: To educate the public about the issues at their hospital and encourage County Commissioners to stand with nurses and other healthcare workers at HCMC
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