MNA Legislative Update March 22, 2013 (Page 83)

Standards of Care Update

Last Friday, MNA, in consultation with our legislative allies, revised the Standards of Care Act to shift the focus of the bill to collect Minnesota-specific data on issues of nurse staffing transparency as it relates to patient outcomes.  We continue to strongly believe that every patient in the state deserves a minimum number of Registered Nurses and that any data collected will validate the thousands of nurses in Minnesota who experience unsafe staffing on a daily basis.

We learned that legislators had too many questions about staffing, 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, and tie it to data on nursing-sensitive health outcomes like falls, infections and pressure ulcers. MNA took our proposed staffing standards out of the bill in order to improve our chances at creating the most robust reporting system reflecting real nursing hours per patient day.  In addition, the language now includes a study, developed by the Minnesota Department of Health that will evaluate the correlation between nurse staffing and patient outcomes, to be completed by 2015.

This week, the revised bill was passed by both the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee and the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. The House and Senate versions differ, and we will continue to pursue language that creates reporting requirements that provide the most transparency for patients and a true picture of nurse staffing in Minnesota.

Despite reports that MNA and the hospitals have reached an agreement, we still differ significantly from the hospitals on this bill. So it continues to be very important for nurses to contact our legislators to ask them to support the most robust reporting language possible.

Can you contact your state legislators to ask them to support strong consumer transparency language, nurse staffing reporting and a comprehensive study that gathers real data about the correlation between staffing and health outcomes? Let them know that unsafe staffing is still a problem for Minnesota patients and we need meaningful data collection to protect patients.

Click here to use the MNA Grassroots Action Center to send an email.

Health Insurance Exchange signed into law

On Wednesday, Governor Dayton signed the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange into law. The new program, now called MNSure, will allow Minnesotans to access affordable health care, including the uninsured and employees of small businesses. The exchange will be consumer friendly, transparent and will encourage competition among insurance companies. The exchange is estimated to save Minnesotans and businesses $1 billion by 2016.  Click here to read the Governor’s statement.

Governor’s Revised Budget

Last week the Governor released his revised budget proposal, which dropped sales tax changes but continues the Governor’s commitment to tax fairness. Under his proposal, income taxes will go up on the top 2% of earners (average income of $617,000), leaving the other 98% with no tax increase.

MNA continues to support the Governor’s commitment to progressive taxation and investment into key state priorities including health care and education.

Employer Reporting of Drug Diversion Legislation

This week MNA representatives testified about a bill that would require hospitals to report employees who divert drugs to their professional licensing board. While MNA does not condone drug diversion, chemical dependency is an illness that is best treated through early intervention and ongoing monitoring.   We are concerned that this legislation would discourage health professionals from self-reporting and seeking help from the confidential Health Professionals Services Program.   Legislators on the committee agreed that it is important to add protection for self-reporters that would allow them to seek confidential help for their chemical dependency.

Easter/Passover Legislative Break

The legislature is taking their Easter/Passover Break from March 23 through April 1. There will be no MNA Legislative Update next week. We wish a happy holiday to all who celebrate.

Town Hall Meetings

While legislators are on break, many will be at home in their districts and holding constituent meetings. Please try to attend if there is one in your district.

Saturday, March 23

Senator Greg Clausen and Representative Anna Wills
11:00am – 12:30 PM
Rosemount City Library
14395 S Robert Trl, ROSEMOUNT

Representative Joe Radinovich

8:00am – Coffee & Conversation

1865 County Cafe and Bar – 14072 State Highway 65, McGRATH

Representative Joe Radinovich

11:00am – Hill City Coffee and Conversation

Hill Lake Cafe, 151 Lake Ave, HILL CITY

Representative Joe Radinovich

1:00pm – Emily Town Hall

Emily City Hall, 39811 State Highway 6, EMILY

Representative Peter Fischer

9:00am – Town Hall

Mahtomedi City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road, MAHTOMEDI

Senator Tom Saxhaug and Representative John Persell

9:00-11:00am – Town Hall

Bemidji City Hall, Council Chambers, 317 4th St NW, BEMIDJI

Representative Barb Yarusso

9:00-11:00am – Coffee and conversation

Raz’s Coffee And Ice Cream Cafe, 1048 Highway 96 W, SHOREVIEW

Representative Laurie Halverson

10:00am-12:00pm – Education forum with Jeff Soloman

Dakota Hills Middle School, 4183 Braddock Trail, EAGAN

Representative JoAnn Ward

10:00am-12:00pm – Coffee and conversation

New Woodbury Cafe, 803 Bielenberg Dr., WOODBURY

Representative Paul Marquart and Representative Zach Dorholt

10:00-11:30am

Whitney Senior Center – Olson Room

1527 Northway Dr, ST. CLOUD

Representative Paul Marquart and Representative Joe Radinovich

3:00-4:30pm

Brainerd City Hall

501 Laurel St., BRAINERD

Representative Ben Lien and Senator Kent Eken

10:00-11:00am –Town hall

Oakport Township Hall

1404 28th Ave N, MOORHEAD

Monday, March 25th

Gov. Mark Dayton in Moorhead

6:00 – 7:30pm

Oscar Bergos Center, Minnesota State Community & Technical College

1900 28th Avenue S, MOORHEAD

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

9:00am

Detroit Lakes High School Library

1301 Roosvelt,  DETROIT LAKES

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

11:00am

Hawley High School Media Center

714 Joseph St, HAWLEY

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

2:00pm

Barnesville High School Library

302 3rd Street SE, BARNESVILLE

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

6:00pm

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School Media Center

513 Parke Ave S, GLYNDON

Tuesday, March 26

Gov. Mark Dayton in St. Cloud

6:00 – 7:30pm – Town hall

St. Cloud City Hall, City Council Chambers

400 2nd Street S, ST. CLOUD

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

9:00am

Ulen-Hitterdal Public School Library

27 2nd St N, ULEN

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

11:00am

Norman County East High School

408 Main St W, TWIN VALLEY

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

2:00pm

Norman County West High School Library

225 2nd Ave E, HALSTAD

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

6:00pm

Ada High School Library

604 W Thorpe Ave, ADA

Representative Zach Dorholt

5:00-7:00pm

James W. Miller Learning Resources Center, Rm 114-115, St. Cloud State University

720 4th Ave. South, ST. CLOUD

Representative Barb Yarusso and Representative Jason Isaacson

7:00-8:30pm

MAPE, 3460 Lexington Ave. N, Suite 300, SHOREVIEW

Saturday, March 30

Representative Mary Sawatzky

9:00-10:30am – Coffee and Conversation

The Westwood, 142 Lake Ave North, SPICER

Representative Yvonne Selcer

9:00-10:30am

Caribou Coffee

14444 Excelsior Boulevard, MINNETONKA

Representative Laurie Halverson

10:00-11:30am

The Wescott Library

134 Wescott Rd, EAGAN

Saturday, April 6

Senator Ann Rest

9:30-10:30 am

Robbinsdale City Hall

4100 Lakeview Avenue North, ROBBINSDALE

Senator Lyle Koenen and Representative Mary Sawatzky

8:30-10:00am – Coffee and conversation

Sunberg Creamery Café

403 Central Avenue, SUNBURG

Representative Shannon Savick

9:00-11:00am – coffee and conversation

The Bakery, Retail Room

345 E. Main St., BLOOMING PRAIRIE

Representative John Persell

10:00am-12:00pm – Coffee and conversation

Common Ground Coffee

1428 Hwy 5, LONGVILLE

Representative Barb Yarusso

10:00am-12:00pm

Mounds View Public Library Meeting Room

2576 County Road 10, MOUNDS VIEW

Representative Paul Marquart and Senator Kent Eken

10:00-11:00am

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

1900 28th Ave S, MOORHEAD

Representative Ben Lien

10:00-11:00am

M State Technical School, MOORHEAD

Saturday, April 13

 Representative Zach Dorholt

9:00-11:00am

Whitney Senior Center

1527 Northway Dr., ST. CLOUD

Representative Shannon Savick

9:00-11:00am – Coffee and conversation

Prairie Wind coffee

211 S. Broadway, ALBERT LEA

Representative Mary Sawatzky

9:00-11:00am – Coffee and conversation

Lulu Bean’s, Small downstairs meeting room

1020 1st St. S, WILLMAR

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

Standards of Care Update

Last Friday, MNA, in consultation with our legislative allies, revised the Standards of Care Act to shift the focus of the bill to collect Minnesota-specific data on issues of nurse staffing transparency as it relates to patient outcomes.  We continue to strongly believe that every patient in the state deserves a minimum number of Registered Nurses and that any data collected will validate the thousands of nurses in Minnesota who experience unsafe staffing on a daily basis.

We learned that legislators had too many questions about staffing, 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, and tie it to data on nursing-sensitive health outcomes like falls, infections and pressure ulcers.
… Read more about: MNA Legislative Update March 22, 2013  »

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  »

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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  »

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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  »