Potential MN Nurses Strike?

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Below is video of an amazing, heartfelt and to-the-point statement from Methodist Hospital RN Karen Anderson during today's bargaining session. Please watch and share this video as it sums up what this entire contract bargaining situation is all about!

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

I hope to never need surgery in a hospital with unsafe staffing.

DH spilled his urinal and turned on the call light.

He moved to the dry side and went to sleep. 2 1/2 hours later a man, not a nurse, came in. He said he was asked to answer lights because all the nurses were with a patient who was not doing good.

What if it had been chest pain rather than a wet bed?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, med-surg, post-partum, MH.
I hope to never need surgery in a hospital with unsafe staffing.

DH spilled his urinal and turned on the call light.

He moved to the dry side and went to sleep. 2 1/2 hours later a man, not a nurse, came in. He said he was asked to answer lights because all the nurses were with a patient who was not doing good.

What if it had been chest pain rather than a wet bed?

Any chance this actually happened at a Minnesota hospital?

I'm growing quite tired of anecdotal stories like these, especially when they haven't occurred in the hospitals negotiating right now.

Also, he wouldn't have been left wet for so long if there'd been extra CNAs on the floor.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Neuro-surgery/Med-Surgical/.

And what did the one-day strike accomplish other than disruption to patient care? As far as I can tell nothing.

-The month long campaign informed the public nationwide of the problems that Nurses face, and how it can impede on patient care and outcomes. I have experienced an increase in inquiries from patients and families re: RN to patient ratios since this story has been in the papers, TV and web. Many had verbalized that they were in the dark about such issues UNTIL they became patients or had a loved one in the hospital.

-Walking out and striking showed administration how seriously the Nurses are about the issues of patient safety, fair wages and pensions.

I wouldn't be so quick to state that is 'nothing'.

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I saw 3 retired nurses at a graduation party in Avon Mn yesterday. All 3 of them were fully supportive of the nurses attempts to improve staffing because they all recognize the staffing issues AND remember the old days. My godmother made a point of commenting about how hospitalized patients are much sicker today than they were 30 years ago.

As a labor movement supporter I always honk when I pass a picket line to show my support and solidarity with my brethren and sistern in the labor movement.

As a psych nurse I am absolutely a believer in safe staffing. When things go south in patient care fully trained and competent staff are the key to getting back to patient and staff safety.

How does adding more CNA's in place of nurses get us there? As professionals we need to have the best trained people we can get on our team to met the needs of our patients. The adding CNA argument moves us towards LTC levels of staffing which are unsafe for hospitalized sicker patients. (CNAs are party of the team but we should not replace nurses with CNA's as that lowers the preparedness level for the floor as a whole.)

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Specializes in LTC.

Leyla I would love to come work with you since your staffing levels are so wonderful.

I've seen a very different world in some of the MN hospitals that are striking. I've seen ICU patient's sit on med-surg/tele floors on medications and with conditions that these floors aren't staffed or trained to handle because units with higher levels of care don't have the staff or the bed to take the patient. What is even more frustrating is when these patient's crash and die you can't help but think "what if they were in the ICU would things have gone better?"

As a CNA I will claim that your argument that the floors need more CNA's not nurses in bull. CNA's are good for ADLs and some minor skills. We can't assess or give meds. So if all of the nurses are pulled in different directions with too many patients they aren't going to be able to give pain medications within a timely manor or assess chest pain or shortness of breath.

When all heck breaks loose on a floor CNAs can only do so much.

I fully support the nurses I work with as they go out to vote today.

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BRAVO!!!!

Wonderful commentary. THANK YOU SO MUCH BRAVE NURSE for saying what I know to be true in my daily practice!!!

On behalf of my patients, I thank you for your STRENGTH AND COURAGE! Keep it up Minnesota!!!!!

:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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Specializes in NICU.

Yesterday's vote came through.... 84% voted for an open ended strike.

Wish us luck that the hospitals will come to the table finally and talk before we walk!!!!

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

Just read the paper and read through some of the contract proposals. Go MNA nurses!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, med-surg, post-partum, MH.
Yesterday's vote came through.... 84% voted for an open ended strike.

Wish us luck that the hospitals will come to the table finally and talk before we walk!!!!

84% of those who voted, voted for a strike. That's less than 55% of membership who actually did vote for the strike.

They're going to attempt negotiations again on Thursday. Although with the NNU refusing to budge in any way, shape or form on their staffing policy chances are good a strike will be called within a couple of days.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, oncology, cardiac.

I work in a MNA hospital and to be honest I think staffing is AWFUL as far as all three shifts it is 1:4 (even the night shift). It bugs me how nights only has to have 4 patients as the day shift. 4 on days is fine w/me and I do not believe it is unsafe staffing at all. This strike for patient safety is for the birds! Also, I had issues w/staffing in the past. Do you think MNA helped me? Nope, it took them MONTHS! Then your supposed to stand behind a picket line for what? There is safe staffing ratios right now (at least in my hospital) and my understanding is the pension is "no strike" clause that is up every 4 years. Just happens to be up this year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is what I was told by one of our union reps.

Anyway, I feel in this economic time that we should be lucky to even have a job this is going over board.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

mediator calls nurses union, hospital back to bargaining table

by joe carlson | june 22, 2010 |

modern healthcare.com

free registration required.

a federal mediator has called negotiators from the minnesota nurses association and 14 twin cities hospitals back to the bargaining table this week after an overwhelming vote by the nurses monday to give union leaders permission to declare an ongoing strike of 12,000 nurses.the two sides are scheduled to convene with the mediator thursday in what would be the first meeting since the nurses went on a one-day walkout june 10, twin cities hospitals spokeswoman maureen schriner said. union officials did not return calls for comment.

full story »
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I am not a nurse, but my wife and I have several friends who are, and they suggested checking this site out to voice our support.

. I am a former ALPA Board member, and sympathize with all of you. The Airline management wrote the blueprint on how to bust the unions. Where they went wrong was each separate airline had a different contract. Lucky that hospitals cant shut down one day and open under a new name the next.

Keep the faith.

Jim

MN

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