Frontline workers paying the price of COVID-19 (Page 29)

Note: the content below is the opinion of the creator or signed authors.

By Ashley Haverland, RN

Never in my seven years as an RN did I imagine I would be working amid a pandemic. With everything we did not yet know about COVID-19, I was shocked to find out that we would be affected where I work, in rural Perham, Minnesota. Despite the risks, my fellow nurses and I show up to work every day because it is our job to care for our community.

We pack bags to bring to the hospital so that we can shower and change out of scrubs, wipe down our cellphones, badges, Chapstick — you name it. We do this before entering our homes because our greatest fear is spreading COVID-19 to our family.

Nurses are exposed to this virus for 8 to 16 hours per day, caring tirelessly for patients. I work in the Emergency Room – this means that I am exposed to multiple patients per day that could be carriers. I cannot stress enough how stressful it is, fearing the worst while doing our best to follow the safety guidelines. For example, there are many steps I must take to ensure my safety and the safety of my coworkers when intubating a COVID positive patient. But what if the equipment fails? Or what do we do when we find out after the fact that the patient had COVID?

Last year was supposed to be the “Year of the Nurse.” Instead, it’s become the year we’ve been forgotten. Over the last 12 months, far too many nurses and other essential workers have been left in a financial bind. We don’t qualify under the federal legislation, which means we don’t get paid or covered for time off for COVID-related absences. So if a COVID test result comes back as negative, we do not qualify for any assistance in missed work hours. This means using up our accrued time off when we need to quarantine while waiting days for COVID test results to come in. The alternative is we just don’t get paid.

I have been tested six times. Four of those six times, my COVID tests were sent out and took six days for me to get the results. That cost me time off. I also have a 17-month-old son who attends daycare. My husband travels for work and could not respond when daycare closed. What is a mother left to do? Again, this cost me time off.

Nurses took the oath of “do no harm.” To me, that means being honest when reporting to work. On multiple occasions, I called our Infectious Control nurse to inform them that I did have symptoms of COVID-19. I did this despite knowing that I did not have enough remaining accrued paid time off to cover my missed shifts — meaning I would have to go without pay. In my case, I missed three 12-hour shifts. That’s 36 hours or almost a full week of pay because I quarantined responsibly. My coworkers have been “donating” some shifts to each other, so we could continue to draw a paycheck during this time off.

All in all, the lack of emergency leave has created a financial burden and unnecessary stress for essential workers. We feel like the systems we provide care in have failed us. We need more than kind words – we need action from the legislature.

There needs to be a plan in place that supports essential workers, ensuring that we are financially protected from the time we go without pay while on leave — whether we are waiting on our personal test results or have COVID-19 ourselves, are taking care of a family member with it, or because our children are distance learning because of a COVID-19 outbreak at school.

There is a bill in the legislature – the Essential Worker Emergency Leave Act. My coworkers and I are pleading with our lawmakers to pass it.  Nurses are leaving the bedside because they fear that they will not be able to provide care to their own families. Without having Emergency Leave in place for essential workers, we are left with two options: leave bedside nursing entirely to find a job with less COVID exposure or to show up to work with COVID symptoms because you are out of paid time off and you must feed your family. This is not something nurses are willing to do.

We, the beloved frontline workers of Minnesota, demand action. We need the support you promised us at the beginning of this pandemic. We are tired. We are frustrated. We need help to continue to have the ability to provide for our families so that we can care for you — our patients.

Never in my seven years as an RN did I imagine I would be working amid a pandemic. With everything we did not yet know about COVID-19, I was shocked to find out that we would be affected where I work, in rural Perham, Minnesota. Despite the risks, my fellow nurses and I show up to work every day because it is our job to care for our community.

Note: the content below is the opinion of the creator or signed authors.

By Sara Buchanan, RN

It was an honor and a privilege to represent Minnesota and rural Minnesota Nurses at the White House recently on a conference call with first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff! Even small-town nurses face big-time problems in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Although our rural COVID-19 surges hit later and are starting to get better, things are still difficult.

Lack of testing, nursing shortages, personal protective equipment shortages, and COVID-19 exposures remain.
… Read more about: Sharing the experience of rural nurses during COVID-19 with the White House  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

February 10, 2021 (St. Paul) – Minnesota Nurses Association President Mary C. Turner has been selected to serve on the national Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. Turner is the only Registered Nurse to serve on this advisory board to advise the White House on how to ensure all Americans have access to COVID-19 resources. She was personally selected by President Joe Biden.

“I’m both honored and humbled to serve the country,” Turner said.
… Read more about: MNA President Turner Proud to Support Nurses on Biden-Harris COVID-19 Task Force  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

February 9, 2021 (St. Paul) –

“Minnesota Nurses are again shocked and saddened by the news of another incident of workplace violence at a healthcare facility in the state. As caretakers of victims of gunshots and other violent injuries, nurses and healthcare workers are acutely aware that violence could easily come to the doors of their workplace too. Seeing other workers become victims shakes any hospital worker to their core.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Statement on Workplace Violence at Buffalo Clinic  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – February 4, 2021 – Nurse members of the Minnesota Nurses Association have alerted Allina Health of the intent to hold an informational picket in Faribault near District One Hospital on Friday, February 12.

MNA nurses have been negotiating a new contract with Allina for months, but productive talks have deteriorated over safety and staffing issues. While Allina has agreed to match wages with a nearby hospital, management has refused to improve staffing measures, add health and safety protections, or match compensation for calling nurses in during short-staffing crises. 
… Read more about: MNA Nurses File Notice to Picket Allina District One Hospital  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

January 26, 2021 (St. Paul) – Minnesota nurses explained to legislators that, like other essential workers, they’ve lost thousands of dollars in pay and benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they’re asking lawmakers to support HF41, the Essential Workers Emergency Leave Act, which will make it right.

Many essential workers, including nurses, were either exempted from receiving federal COVID leave covered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) or their employers were not subject to FFCRA due to their size.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Testify in Support of Essential Workers Emergency Leave Act  »

By Susan Kreitz, RN, MNA Board of Directors, CARn Chair

This question is being asked by many people. People from all walks of life, race, young and old. The truth is everyone who can, should be vaccinated. The virus doesn’t know who we are, where we live, or how old we are.

We need to look at the science of this medication. mRNA technology was discovered over 30 years ago and the vaccine has been studied for nearly 2 decades. The benefit of mRNA vaccines, like all vaccines, those who are vaccinated gain protection without ever having to risk serious consequences of getting sick with COVID-19.
… Read more about: Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine?  »

Note: the content below is the opinion of the creator or signed authors.

By Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN

Nurses always respond during disasters, war, and now a pandemic. Unfortunately, while this pandemic has become a political football, as nurses, we know this virus is no game. Our most vulnerable and even those with no risk factors are losing their lives every day. Our hospitals are at capacity, and nurse staffing makes it impossible to provide care in many areas of our state. Many patients are told they have to get care hundreds of miles from their homes.

Now that the election is over and the virus is still raging, we must educate and enforce proven strategies we use in our workplaces and in our communities to stop the spread of this virus.
… Read more about: Our First Line of Defense  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

January 11, 2021 (St. Paul) – Minnesota nurses are excited to support a Minnesota House bill that would provide emergency paid leave for essential workers that they currently don’t receive. The Essential Workers Emergency Leave Act, or HF41, chief authored by Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), would ensure that the frontline and essential workers during this pandemic are able to quarantine, care for a loved one with COVID, or care for a child who is distance learning without financial burden.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Urge Lawmakers to Pass Emergency Leave Bill  »