Moose Lake's Mercy RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations (Page 113)

Minnesota Nurses Association Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Media Contact:                      Jan Rabbers  (612) 860-6658 or jan.rabbers@mnnurses.org

Mercy Hospital (Moose Lake) RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations

(Moose Lake, MN – February 8, 2012) As Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake moves toward a possible merger with Duluth-based Essentia Health, registered nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association met last week to discuss concerns regarding impact on the community and on the work environment at the hospital.

The meeting highlighted the nurses’ apprehensions about the overall process of merger negotiations, especially noting the lack of advice and involvement of patient care providers, patients, and potential patients.

The group unanimously drafted and approved this statement reflecting the nurses’ issues.

“Mercy hospital has been a part of this community for decades, and the registered nurses at Mercy are proud to be a part of the outstanding patient care that patients have come to expect. We would like to see Mercy remain a place for our neighbors to receive high quality patient care for decades to come.

“The laws and ethics of our profession direct us to be mandated patient advocates.  From the patient room to the boardroom, we will advocate for our patients, our community, and our hospital. As such, even though we do not have a firm position on the outcome of merger talks, we cannot in good faith, support any merger or affiliation unless the following issues are answered in a way that benefits our community and our patients:

  1. What will be the composition of the hospital governing board, and how will community members have influence regarding the future operation of our hospital?
  2. Why have patient care providers (doctors and nurses) been shut out of the negotiating process?
  3. Will Essentia commit to, at a minimum, maintaining the level of services provided at Mercy?
  4. What guarantees would be in place to protect employees and maintain existing employee contracts?
  5. What are the specific details regarding the future of local community doctors?
  6. Why, in detail, does Mercy need to affiliate in light of a history of profitable operation?
  7. What capital and operational investments will be made by Essentia to provide for the hospital; for the community?

“We value the people of this community.   We hear the concerns of patients and their families every day on the hospital floor.  We implore our hospital board to take the time as we do to listen to their input and advice.  Then communicate, respectfully and consistently, with community members before any action is taken about the details of this process.”

Respectfully submitted,
The Mercy Hospital Registered Nurses, represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association

On:
In: Bargaining, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

Minnesota Nurses Association Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Media Contact:                      Jan Rabbers  (612) 860-6658 or jan.rabbers@mnnurses.org

Mercy Hospital (Moose Lake) RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations

(Moose Lake, MN – February 8, 2012) As Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake moves toward a possible merger with Duluth-based Essentia Health, registered nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association met last week to discuss concerns regarding impact on the community and on the work environment at the hospital.

The meeting highlighted the nurses’ apprehensions about the overall process of merger negotiations, especially noting the lack of advice and involvement of patient care providers, patients, and potential patients.
… Read more about: Moose Lake’s Mercy RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations  »

On:
In: Uncategorized

MNA Legislative Update February 3, 2012

 

Right to Work Bill Introduced

Yesterday Senator Dave Thompson (R-36, Lakeville) announced he will introduce a so-called “Right to Work” constitutional amendment. This legislation, backed by employers, will weaken unions, cut pay and benefits, and worst of all, will take away nurses’ power to advocate for our patients’ safety and our practice. “Right to Work” doesn’t create any jobs, and workers in Right to Work states actually earn significantly less than workers in collective bargaining states. Learn more about this legislation at the MNA website. While Governor Dayton strongly opposes Right to Work, he does not have the right to veto a constitutional amendment if it passes both houses of the Legislature.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, Feb. 3, 2012  »

On:
In: Uncategorized

Legislation to define the Community Paramedic services that are eligible for Medical Assistance reimbursement was introduced in the Senate by Senator Rosen (R-24, Fairmont) as SF 1543 and by Representative Mack (R-37A, Apple Valley) in the House as HF 2060. Here is a link  to MNA’s letter in opposition to this bill.  mna position community paramedic


… Read more about: Medical Assistance Reimbursement and Community Paramedics  »

On:
In: Activism, Nurses

MNA Nurses fill out hundreds of Concern For Safe Staffing forms online each month. The story below is just one example of how unsafe staffing conditions inside Minnesota hospitals continue to have negative – and sometimes even deadly – consequences for patients and nurses. (Note: Due to HIPAA privacy laws for patients and concerns for potential workplace retaliation by employers against RNs, we do not identify the specific nurse and/or patient(s) involved in each story in this space.)

Today’s Story: (From a hospital unit dealing exclusively with infants) – Working three nurses short in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is very unsafe.
… Read more about: Unsafe Staffing Story: Kids’ ICU Dangerously Thin on RN Staffing  »

On:
In: Activism

MTN/Channel 16 is broadcasting a 30 minute program of State Representative Frank Hornstein being interviewed by Lara Norkus-Crampton, RN regarding the capacity increase proposed for the Downtown Garbage Burner (the HERC) by Covanta and Hennepin County.

Don’t have cable?  Livestream @ http://www.livestream.com/mtnstudios16.

(There may be some initial commercial interruption so log in a few minutes before the start of the scheduled time.)

Representative Hornstein has been a staunch opponent to garbage incineration for many years and has played an important role in fighting this increase in the HERC burning capacity from 1000 tons per day to burning 1200 tons of mixed garbage per day.
… Read more about: MNA RN Speaks Out on Community Health Issue  »

On:
In: Uncategorized

First Week of Session

The 2012 Legislative Session began this Tuesday, with commitments from legislative leaders that it will be a short session, with the goal of ending by April 2. The biggest issues of this session are likely to be constitutional amendments, a bonding bill, and a Vikings stadium.

Of most concern to MNA are constitutional amendments that will hurt working families. We are again dealing with a divided government, with the Senate and House in Republican control, and a Democratic governor. The legislative majorities, anticipating that Governor Dayton would veto a number of their more controversial priorities, have chosen a strategy that bypasses the Governor and asks the voters to write policy changes directly into the constitution.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, January 27, 2012  »