MNA President Linda Hamilton hosts health care discussion with national leaders (Page 83)

MNA President Linda Hamilton opened up her home and hosted a special health care discussion on March 23 with Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius, Gov. Mark Dayton, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Betty McCollum and others to talk about the Affordable Care Act and its positive impact in the lives of Minnesota women and their families.

Use the links below to view photos from and read news stories about this amazing event:

In addition, here’s a quick video roundup of some local TV news coverage:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/gaYbPeXkiXs]

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In: Politics

MNA President Linda Hamilton opened up her home and hosted a special health care discussion on March 23 with Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius, Gov. Mark Dayton, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Betty McCollum and others to talk about the Affordable Care Act and its positive impact in the lives of Minnesota women and their families.

Use the links below to view photos from and read news stories about this amazing event:

In addition, here’s a quick video roundup of some local TV news coverage:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/gaYbPeXkiXs]

On:
In: Politics, Right to Work

MNA Legislative Update, March 23, 2012

Today is the second legislative deadline of the session, which means that bills that haven’t passed out of committee by today are effectively dead. March 30 is the third deadline, by which all finance and appropriation bills have to pass the committee process. Because this session’s deadlines are looming, action at the Capitol has been fast and frequent this week.

Right to Work

Since passing the Senate Judiciary Committee by one vote last week, the so-called Right to Work amendment has stalled. It is because of your efforts that attempts by Right to Work supporters to get the bill heard on the House and Senate floors both failed again this week.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, March 23, 2012  »

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Right to Work

The so-called “Right to Work” amendment was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. Over 1,600 union members turned out to watch the hearing and voice their opposition to this unfair, unsafe and unnecessary legislation. Capitol officials reported that this was the largest turnout for a committee hearing in state history.  Abbott Northwestern Hospital Nurse Ursula Tuttle testified before the committee. You can watch Ursula’s testimony here at the 8:35 mark.

After nearly four hours of testimony and debate committee passed the “Right to Work” amendment 7-6. In the end, one Republican joined five DFLers in opposing the amendment, with the other 7 Republicans voting for Right to Work.
… Read more about: Legislative Update March 16, 2012  »

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I could not have a stronger opinion about this issue.

I am an RN and I just returned to MN after working for 4 years in Texas -a “right to work” state.

I have never in my ENTIRE nursing career felt so powerless to protect my patients. We all worked grueling hours, had grossly inadequate numbers of staff, and absolutely no support network.

It was made clear by non-medical management that we were to do the job and not complain. The message was clear:” You are not valued as an employee and we don’t care about the patient’s welfare.
… Read more about: Real RNs Speak Out Against Right-to-Work: Michelle Donovan  »

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In: Activism, Politics

Last Friday you received an email notifying you about the hearing on the National Nurse Licensure Compact (SF230
… Read more about: Breaking News on Important Legislative Issue: National Nurse Licensure Compact  », also known as the Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact) scheduled for today in the Minnesota Senate. We have gotten more specific information on the timing of the hearing: the Compact will be last on the agenda for the hearing, and we have been told by Health and Human Services Committee staff to expect the compact to come up sometime between 5:00 and 6:30 pm tonight. Schedules at the Legislature are very fluid and things may change, so we can’t give you an exact start time, but we believe that if you arrive by 6:00 pm you will be there in time to hear the discussion.

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MNA Nurses Day on the Hill

Nurses from every corner of the state came together on Monday and Tuesday to learn more about legislation at the Capitol that will affect nurses and patients, and to talk to their elected officials enacting policies based on nursing values. Nurses focused on:

  • The unfair, unsafe and unnecessary “Right to Work” legislation that will weaken unions and hurt nurses and patients.
  • Constitutional amendments that will write gridlock and budgeting gimmicks into Minnesota’s Constitution.
  • Threats to nursing practice like the National Nurse Licensure Compact and a proposal to create a redundant and punitive criminal background check specifically for nurses.

    • … Read more about: Legislative Update March 2, 2012  »

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Bemidji RN Sandra K. Nye wrote an amazing essay – published in her area newspaper – recently on safe staffing levels. Please take a few minutes to read and consider what Sandra points out:

There is an alarming pattern of increased adverse events occurring in hospitals throughout the U.S., which includes medication errors, unnecessary deaths, patient falls, and hospital-acquired infections.

A direct relationship exists between the quality of nursing care and amount of time a Registered Nurse spends with each patient. These events are preventable by simply increasing RN numbers each shift. Nurses are the greatest defense for patient safety, so it is vital that safe RN staffing becomes a priority in hospital policy and budget.
… Read more about: RN Essay: The Numbers Don’t Lie – Safe Staffing Saves Lives  »