Tag Archives: Nurses

Moose Lake’s Mercy RNs Issue Concerns About Merger Negotiations

8 Feb

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

Newborn Screening Update for RNs

1 Feb

Attention, nurses who work in maternal-child health: See this letter (pasted below) from the Minnesota Department of Health regarding storage and use of residual blood spots.

MNA President Linda Hamilton’s Response to Minnesota Adverse Events Report’s Release

26 Jan
MNA President Linda Hamilton

MNA President Linda Hamilton

Have you or a family member ever had the unfortunate experience of suffering from a pressure ulcer? In addition to being extremely unpleasant and painful, pressure ulcers can become so deep that they result in damage to your muscles, bones, tendons and joints.

And pressure ulcers – also commonly known as bedsores – are almost always preventable when proper staffing levels are adhered to.

Yet last week’s release of Minnesota’s Eighth Annual Adverse Events Report noted that incidents involving pressure ulcers spiked more than 19 percent statewide in 2011. What state hospital executives didn’t mention in spinning away that alarming statistic was that numerous national studies have shown a direct correlation between inadequate nurse staffing levels and an increase in conditions including pressure ulcers, pneumonia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, shock/cardiac arrest, urinary tract infections and more.

The numbers don’t lie – safe staffing levels save lives and improve patient outcomes. While many will remember that the Twin Cities nurses’ strike during the summer of 2010 shined a white-hot spotlight on the issue, unsafe staffing has been a problem in Minnesota for decades.

As patients, you deserve better. You and your loved ones should never suffer without need from pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections or other conditions that can be prevented with adequate RN staffing levels.

Money is not the issue. Keep in mind that during the great recession of 2009, Twin Cities hospitals had their largest profit margins (6.5 percent) in a decade! It’s not that hospital executives can’t pay to adequately staff their hospitals. They just don’t want to.

My fellow nurses will continue to remain vocal about the needless suffering we in our patients see as a result. And data such as the recently released Adverse Events Report will continue to lend credibility and credence to our concerns.

Sincerely,

Linda Hamilton, RN
President, Minnesota Nurses Association

MNA RN on Unsafe Staffing Levels: Enough is Enough!

18 Jan

This note from a frustrated MNA RN puts words to the frustration too many Nurses are feeling:

“We are getting tired of working without the safe amount of  nurses. We have enough upper  management to sink a ship and they want to add more COs. We need Bedside  Nurses – the ones that do the work, the ones who take care of the patients, the  ones who work overtime to help out the short staff.  We need a state law telling the hospitals how many patients the nurse can safely take care of. How many RNs don’t even get a break on their whole entire shift? Do the  CNOs ever miss a meal???? Sorry for the editorial, I’m just tired of all this crap.”

Virginia RNs Call for Charter Change; More Nurse Involvement

31 Oct

RNs at Virginia Regional Medical Center Call for Charter Change; Involvement of Bedside Nurses

Virginia, MN (Oct. 25, 2011) – VRMC RNs voted overwhelmingly today to support the City of Virginia’s proposed charter change that would alter the terms of what is considered a sale of the city-owned hospital.  “We believe a partnership agreement may be the best way to ensure a sustainable future for our hospital,” said Dave Perron, RN Chair of the VRMC nurse’s union bargaining unit, represented by Minnesota Nurses Association.

However, the nurses at VRMC have a number of concerns about the process the city has utilized so far in its initial negations with potential partners. Of chief concern for the VRMC RNs is the composition of the committee currently negotiating with a potential partner. Committee members include several with no health care experience, and noticeably absent is a representative from the nursing profession who currently practices at the bedside.  Nurses have repeatedly asked for representation on the committee, but surprisingly, have been told their knowledge and experience caring for patients were not welcome.

VRMC nurses believe a charter change would improve VRMC’s negotiating position as it moves forward in possible partnership talks with outside entities. Any such agreement would require approval by a two thirds vote of both the hospital commission and city council.

“We are mandated patient advocates, but we can’t advocate for our patients when we are being kept out of discussions,” stated Peggy Anderson, a Short-Stay Surgery registered nurse with 26 years experience and MNA Co-Chair. “Nurses vow to continue advocating for their patients and will continue to demand to be included in any process that affects patient care at VRMC,” said Dave Perron.

Founded in 1905, the Minnesota Nurses Association represents more than 20,000 nurses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. MNA is also a founding member of National Nurses United, which represents more than 170,000 RNs across the United States.

Nurses: HealthEast Home Care RNs need your support!

20 Oct

Please take a moment to watch this video and lend some online support to MNA RNs at HealthEast Home Care. They need your support, encouragement and advice now more than ever!

MNA Duluth Nurse Vicki Ross Needs Our Help!

5 Aug

Help a nurse in need!

From MNA Nurse Deanna Bartlam, who works at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth:
My co-worker and friend, Vicki Ross, has been a long time resident of the Cloquet/Duluth area, along with her husband Gary, and two children Courtney and Jeff. She is an employee of St. Luke’s Hospital. Vicki became seriously ill in January, resulting in multiple surgeries and extensive hospital stays. She is currently receiving daily medical treatments at home. There is a possibility of future surgery. Vicki has not worked since January and her return is undetermined.

Her friends and co-workers (like myself) are hosting a benefit to help in her time of need. The benefit will be held on Sunday, August 7 from 4-8 pm at Clyde Iron in West Duluth. 

$10 ticket buys you fabulous Clyde Iron Pizza and salad. Homemade desserts, coffee, punch, or water. Cash bar is of course available! Children 6 and under are free!

$1 raffle tickets for fabulous prizes every hour as well as a silent auction with incredibly creative themed baskets!!

Please come out to eat at the Clyde Sunday evening 4-8. All proceeds go to Vicky Ross!

Patient Testimonial: MNA RNs = Rock Stars!

2 Aug

This came in on our Facebook page, and it could apply to any of our 20,000 RN members!

Last chance to tell OSHA how you feel about MSDs!

14 Jun

Talking Points on MSD rule - National Council for Occupational Safety and Health

Please consider submiting a comment to OSHA by June 16th about the proposed rule to require employers to check a box on the OSHA 300 log to indicate if a recordable injury is a musculo-skeletal disorder. This would be a great step toward demonstrating the true burden of MSDs in nurses among other workers. It seems frivolous but will go a long way to making this data accessible and actionable. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been fighting this rule as “job killing” regulation. The truth is they want to suppress the data from coming out because the data itself speaks to the need for regulation of ergonomic hazards-a measure that was passed in the 1990s and repealed by Republicans.

Background: OSHA is reopening for comment their proposed MSD “checkbox” rule which would revise its Recordkeeping regulations to restore a column on the OSHA 300 Log that employers would have to check if a case they already are required to record is an MSD. They are seeking comment on issues raised during teleconferences on the proposed rule that OSHA held with representatives of small businesses.  However, we believe that comments more generally in support of the proposed rule would be useful, even if they do not address specific issues raised in the teleconferences.

Summary of Proposed Rule:  On January 29, 2010, OSHA proposed to revise its Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting (Recordkeeping) regulation to restore a column to the OSHA 300 Log that employers would have to check if a case they already are required to record under the existing Recordkeeping rule is an MSD. The proposed rule would not change the existing Recordkeeping requirements about when and under what circumstances employers must record work-related injuries and illnesses. Under the existing Recordkeeping rule, employers already must determine whether a case is recordable; that is, whether the case meets the definition of “injury or illness,” is a new case, is work-related, and meets at least one of the recording criteria (e.g., involves days away from work, restricted work, or medical treatment beyond first aid). The only additional requirement the proposed rule would impose is for employers to mark the MSD column box on the OSHA 300 Log if a case they have already recorded meets the definition of an MSD.

How to submit: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the searchbox, enter  OSHA-2009-0044 (the docket number of the proposed rule.) The top item on the list is the current proposal,  with a posted date of 5/17/2011.  On the right side, click on “submit a comment.”  Comments are due by June 16.

Key Points:

  • This proposed rule is a modest, but important step towards ensuring that we have adequate data on the extent and nature of the problem of MSD’s in American workplaces.
  • It is a very modest proposal that does not require employers to record any injuries or illnesses that they are not already required to report. It does not change any of the definitions of what is recordable.
  • The recent teleconference with small businesses did not reveal any specific, legitimate concerns among these employers about the MSD checkbox—the issues raised were almost exclusively related to the issue of recordability of MSD’s. This proposed MSD checkbox rule does not change the definitions of what injuries and illnesses are recordable; thus these concerns are not germane to the proposed rule.
  • Collecting this data on MSD’s would enable OSHA to more effectively target their inspection and compliance assistance activities, ensuring that limited resources are used most efficiently.
  • The costs of this proposed rule—a few minutes of each affected employer’s time each year—are very modest relative to the expected benefits. Most participants in the small business teleconference conceded that the requirement to check a box for MSD’s would constitute a very small burden on employers.
  • OSHA has offered ample opportunity for affected industries, particularly small businesses, to provide their input and feedback on the proposed rule.

Nurse = Lifesaver

25 Apr

In case you missed it, this story ran over the weekend in the Star Tribune:

A 14-year-old boy was rescued from the bottom of a Bloomington hotel pool Thursday by a bystander who, as luck would have it, happened to be a nurse, police said.

The woman jumped into the water and pulled out the boy, who at first had a pulse but was not breathing, said Bloomington police Cmdr. Mark Stehlik. The nurse performed CPR until he was breathing on his own. He was was conscious and talking when he was taken to Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina for observation, Stehlik said.

The incident occurred about 11 a.m. at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 7800 Normandale Blvd.

Stehlik said the boy, a hotel guest from Chicago, had been playing on the side of the pool when he slipped and fell into the water. He did not know what caused the boy to go to the bottom.

Others tried unsuccessfully to rescue the boy before the nurse dove in, Stehlik said.

He said the nurse, who asked not to be identified, works at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He did not know if she was staying at the hotel or attending an event there.

ANTHONY LONETREE

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