On the labor relations front, more than 10,000 Minnesota nurses are actively negotiating contracts this spring and have targeted staffing levels and competitive compensation as key areas of improvement. With more than 15,500 members, MNA is the leading organization for registered nurses in the Midwest and is among the oldest and largest representative of Registered Nurses for collective bargaining in the nation. A multi-purpose organization, MNA fosters high standards for nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity. It confirms nurses' contention that industry officials are deeply entrenched in the sands of denial about the demand on health care and the impact on patient safety. These statements also demonstrate employers' unmistakable intention of applying increasing pressure squarely on the backs of an already exhausted and demoralized nursing workforce.
Health care is broken.
We strongly urge health care employers in Minnesota to step up and acknowledge the extent of the crisis in patient care. We encourage employers to join us for forthright recognition and public debate of the issues facing patient safety. We have the responsibility and the moral obligation to do what it takes to heal health care now. Patients are waiting 6 - 8 hours in the Emergency Room because there are not enough nurses to meet care needs. Two different times last year, four hospitals in the east metro were closed all at one time to general patient admissions because there was not enough nursing staff to accommodate demand.