Rallies to Protect Saturday Mail Delivery and Strengthen the Postal Service (Page 81)

Media Advisory from AFL-CIO

Happening in Minneapolis and Duluth on March 24

WHAT: Concerned citizens of Minnesota will rally on March 24 to protect Saturday mail delivery and demand that Congress deliver a better plan to strengthen the Postal Service for the future. Two rallies will take place in Minnesota.  One rally will take place at Minneapolis Main Post Office on Sunday, 3/24/13 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the intersection of 1st Street S and Marquette.  Another rally will be held at the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street in Duluth on Sunday, 3/24/13 from noon to 1:00 pm.  All members of the community are invited to attend.

The Postal Service’s plan to shrink the Postal Service and end six-day service is an attack on the future of this great institution, on the customers who need it and on the employees who support it. Many Americans — especially small-business owners, senior citizens and rural residents — would suffer if the strength and reach of our Postal Service is compromised. In addition, cutting Saturday mail would delay important household and business transactions, including bills, invoices and personal communications, and may force customers to shift to high-cost competing services.

The U.S. Postal Service is America’s only universal communications network, reaching every address in America six days a week. Established by the Constitution and using no taxpayer funding for its operations, the Postal Service is a vital public institution that Minnesota cannot afford to see dismantled.

FEATURED SPEAKERS: The Honorable Gov. Mark Dayton, Majority Leader Rep. Erin Murphy, AFL-CIO State Retirees Council President Bill Moore and Rev. David Guttermann have confirmed that they will attend and speak at the Minneapolis rally.

WHERE:
Mpls:  1st Street South between 2nd Avenue and Marquette
Duluth:  Corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street

WHEN:
Mpls:  Sunday, March 24, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Duluth:  Sunday, March 24, noon to 1:00 pm

CONTACT:
MPLS:  Lisa O’Neill, (763) 957-0395, msalcpresident@comcast.net
DULUTH:  Scott Dulas, (218) 260-8976, scottadulas@gmail.com

On:
In: Labor Unions

Media Advisory from AFL-CIO

Happening in Minneapolis and Duluth on March 24

WHAT: Concerned citizens of Minnesota will rally on March 24 to protect Saturday mail delivery and demand that Congress deliver a better plan to strengthen the Postal Service for the future. Two rallies will take place in Minnesota.  One rally will take place at Minneapolis Main Post Office on Sunday, 3/24/13 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the intersection of 1st Street S and Marquette.  Another rally will be held at the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street in Duluth on Sunday, 3/24/13 from noon to 1:00 pm. 
… Read more about: Rallies to Protect Saturday Mail Delivery and Strengthen the Postal Service  »

On:
In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Nursing, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

NOTES ON NURSING

Healing the Hospital Hierarchy   Most people in health care understand and accept the need for clinical hierarchies. The problem is that we aren’t usually prepared for them; nor are we given protocols for resolving the inevitable tensions that arise over appropriate care.

LABOR UPDATE

Income Inequality Shapes MN Tax Debate   Even in middle-class, middle-American Minnesota, income inequality is rising. It’s not a new phenomenon.

HEALTH CARE

New Database Reveals Thousands of Hospital Violation Reports    Hospitals make mistakes, sometimes deadly mistakes. A patient may get the wrong medication or even undergo surgery intended for another person.
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, March 20, 2013: Hospital hierarchy; Error reporting  »

On:
In: Minnesota Nurses Association, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

Last Friday, MNA, in consultation with our legislative allies, agreed to amend the Standards of Care Act to create a procedure which will provide Minnesota-specific data on issues of nurse staffing transparency as it relates to patient outcomes.  We agreed to language in the House with an understanding that we would work on adding more detail with respect to reporting requirements.

We learned that legislators had too many questions about the staffing situation, and not enough hard data specific to Minnesota hospitals. So we shifted our focus to a framework that would improve transparency by requiring hospitals to report their staffing on a quarterly basis.
… Read more about: Standards of Care Act Update  »

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Patient Safety, Politics, Unsafe Staffing

Standards of Care Update

The Standards of Care Act, our bill to establish patient assignments limits, had its third hearing today in the House Health and Human Services Policy committee. The bill passed with amendments, despite serious objections from the hospitals. As amended, the bill has a narrower focus than its original version, but a delivers a victory for patients and nurses by laying a strong foundation for documenting the crisis of patient risk in Minnesota that nurses witness every day. In fact, Committee Chair Rep. Tina Liebling of Rochester offered a strong endorsement of MNA’s concerns when she stated “there is broad agreement that there is a problem.”

By no means, however is the work done.
… Read more about: MNA Legislative Update, March 16, 2013  »

On:
In: Nurses, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

New Amendments empower patients, require hospital reporting

 

(St. Paul) – March 15, 2013 – The Standards of Care Act passed the Minnesota House Health and Human Services Policy Committee with amendments.  Negotiations between the Minnesota Nurses Association and the Minnesota Hospital Association resulted in an agreement that recognizes the crisis of patient safety and creates a plan to add transparency to patient care.

“It’s the consumers of health care that really benefit from this,” said Walt Frederickson, RN, MNA Executive Director.  Right now this data has been non-existent to us and the public.”

During a brief recess of the committee, the nurses union suggested that hospitals would report online the actual direct patient care hours for regulators as well as consumers to examine. 
… Read more about: Press Release: Standard of Care Act moves on  »

On:
In: Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses

MNA-NNU-spot-logo (WEB)

MNA’s Ethics Committee presents

Substance Use Disorder: Implications for Nurses

Addressing Substance Use Disorder on Our Own Units

Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:45 – 4:00 p.m.

It could be you or a colleague, but it is likely within your career that you will be challenged by Substance Use Disorder. It is a growing crisis.

Like any addiction, Substance Use Disorder is a disease
and deserves to be treated as such. This program, designed for the unique circumstances posed to health care professionals, offers a path of awareness,
admission and action.
… Read more about: Substance Use Disorder: Implications for Nurses  »

On:
In: Minnesota Nurses Association, Nursing, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/261298/group/Opinion/

I am perplexed how some hospitals seem to fear having standards imposed on them when nurses comply to professional standards every day. (Our View: “Steer state clear of nursing mandates,” March 7).

Nurses know that hospital claims of safety records mask a precarious workplace filled with errors and near-misses. Patients suffer and die because we’re taking care of three patients even though our standards, knowledge and ethics tell us one patient needs our exclusive care.

Duluth does have a great reputation for great hospitals, and we deliver quality health care. But we’re holding on by the skin of our teeth to guarantee that care.
… Read more about: President Hamilton responds to the Duluth News Tribune  »

On:
In: Uncategorized

The Standards of Care Act has received its next hearing date.  MPR listeners may have heard recently that the bill to set a minimum standard of care for patients across Minnesota would not get an important hearing in the House health policy committee, but pressure on legislators has resulted in nurses, patients, and policy experts getting an opportunity to be heard.  Please support the Standards of Care Act by attending the hearing or sending a message to your state legislator that patients deserve a minimum standard of care, regardless of where they’ve chosen to receive care.

Contact your Legislator here:  https://votervoice.net/MNA/Address

Join the Wednesday lobbying sessions at the Capitol and meet your legislators.
… Read more about: Next Standard of Care Act Committee Hearing Scheduled  »

On:
In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics, Unsafe Staffing

Standards of Care Act Update        

   The Standards of Care Act, MNA’s bill to establish patient assignment limits for nurses passed the Government Operations committee 8-7. The committee passed an amendment to the bill to exempt Critical Access Hospitals (rural hospitals with 25 or fewer beds that meet certain federal criteria) from the legislation. MNA continues to believe that all patients in Minnesota, regardless of their geographic location, are entitled to the same standard of safe nursing care.
  In the House, the bill is now headed for the Health and Human Services Policy Committee. We will alert you when a hearing date is scheduled.
… Read more about: MNA Legislative Update, March 8, 2013  »

On:
In: Activism, Health Care Reform, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Nursing, Patient Safety, Unsafe Staffing

NOTES ON NURSING

One Step Further.  Standards of Care Act Passes Another Legislative Committee   Patients and families are closer to having their risks reduced in hospitals, as the House Committee on Government Operations gave its endorsement of the Standards of Care Act today.  The bill requires hospitals to provide staffing according to nationally-established standards.

Nurses Courtney Lucht, Eric Tronnes and Juli Uzlik testifed about the need to have a foundation of standards because hospitals are not providing even the minimum staff they promise.  Tronnes described fruitless meetings with hospital management in Staffing Advisory Committees because “productivity invariably trumps safe nursing care.”

Next step for the bill is likely to be the House committee on Health Policy.
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, March 6, 2013; Standards of Care Act moves forward; MI nurses propose staffing legislation  »