twin cities nurses say 'no'

We care... about ourselves, and ourselves only. Get the new contract that YOU want and get ready for lay-offs, because they won't be far behind.

Many people have lost their puny 2% 401k matches. Many people have either been laid off or left in a work environment that puts more work load on fewer people. Many people can't afford their health insurance increases given to them from their employer or afford paying for private health insurance. That is why people roll their eyes in their comments in this article. If your average pay is 79K a year and your contracts only require you to work 8 hour days and you still get a pension (wow, I didn't know they existed except for the railroad!!).... how much sympathy do they want! I understand their argument about risk to patients.... but I also feel they are using that as leverage more than they want to believe. If they don't get what they want, step aside, I hear a bunch of new nursing grads are having a difficult time finding a job.

Bravo for the courageous nurses. Keep standing tall.

The nurses are correct and caring about patient care as well as their very tough jobs.

Float and pool nurses cannot do the same job well enough to give good health care.

For the important critical and demanding work that they do the regular staff nurses deserve our thanks and support.

Hospitals are to care for the sick and not to make money for some administrator's glory.

Well, the economy is in the tank, the state has just slashed funding for these hospitals to the bone - it's the perfect time for the union to bleed them dry, isn't it?

Bufford: Read the statistics regarding unsafe staffing ratios and patient mortality. Also, did you know Nursing has the highest burn out rate for any career in the US? And there are so many other factors besides money. For example, we are fighting to keep our unit as a whole, so we don't have to work in other units where we are not trained, and the patient is at risk for human error. Working in an ICU, a new grad doesn't have the experience a senior nurse has, which is far better than "book-smarts" in our field. Most nurses work 12 hours, sometimes up to 16, and no..our salary average is not 79k.

Kenneth Gorelick wrote:

We care... about ourselves, and ourselves only. Get the new contract that YOU want and get ready for lay-offs, because they won't be far behind.

Hahaha...did you know there will continually be a nursing shortage for an estimated 45+ years? Lay-offs? False. If we had enough nurses, they wouldn't be having us take on more patients.

tinfoil hatter wrote:

Well, the economy is in the tank, the state has just slashed funding for these hospitals to the bone - it's the perfect time for the union to bleed them dry, isn't it?

The facility I work at just expanded, and spent billions of dollars to put in flat-screen TVs in EVERY PRIVATE patient room. We achieved "magnet status," and have the best premature baby outcomes in the midwest. Oh, and our CEO makes a whopping $600+ dollars. AN HOUR. And the main caretakers? Those who cares for the patients 24 hours/day? Yup. nurses.

What this story fails to mention is that the MN union is taking orders from the national, California based union, which is instructing them to create as big of a wreck as possible to further their national political agenda.

The "not for profit" hospitals ALL have excess revenue... they aren't being "bled" dry- It's a hoax... just watch-- the CEO will give himself a 20% raise + bonus for "saving the hospital" all this money. As for new grads wanting to swing in- who do you presume will train in these nurses? Who can they ask if they have a question? For the BILLIONTH time- we do not make anything NEAR $79K/yr. And just because no one else has a pension anymore makes it ok for ours to go? Everyone ought to have one- let's not be jealous- let's keep our focus on the REAL issue- corporate greed.... that's what's preventing everyone from pensions and 401K matches. Just because something is the status quo doesn't mean it has to be or should be accepted.

Go nurses wrote:

<quoted text>
The facility I work at just expanded, and spent billions of dollars to put in flat-screen TVs in EVERY PRIVATE patient room. We achieved "magnet status," and have the best premature baby outcomes in the midwest. Oh, and our CEO makes a whopping $600+ dollars. AN HOUR. And the main caretakers? Those who cares for the patients 24 hours/day? Yup. nurses.

Poor thing. How much did you make last year? I hope you weren't having to swipe food from the kitchen

tinfoil hatter wrote:

What this story fails to mention is that the MN union is taking orders from the national, California based union, which is instructing them to create as big of a wreck as possible to further their national political agenda.

how insightful of you- way to go on staying on top of your current events! THE ENTIRE COUNTRY is going to change because nurse's aren't waiting any longer- We're setting the standards... we're united, organized and committed. it's not a wreck- it's progress... don't resist it.

Bring in the scabs!! Maybe this will finally break the strangle hold of the union madness.

If they go on strike, fire and replace them. Enough with these unions running rampant.

Hillarious! Fire and replace them? Who is going to replace 12,000+ nurses? Who is going to keep the twin cities hospitals "among the best in the nation" -?

Here's a different perspective: a new grad makes about $28/hour. Divide that by 4-5 patients on a day/eve shift=$5.60-$7.00 per patient.
Or, how about,($28+$4=$32) and divide that by 6-7 patients a night=$4.00-$4.66 per patient on a typical medical/surgical unit.
Improved staffing ratios will save the hospitals money. Medicare no longer pays for costs incurred from falls or pressure ulcers. So, nursing is expected to turn patients every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers and stay with high falls risk patients who are on the potty until they are done. You, along with the other nurses, have 4-6 patients a piece and the nursing aide is responsible for 15-20 patients. How can a patient be expected to be turned every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers, along with passing meds, assessing pain, checking vital signs, helping patients get out of bed, into the bathroom, cleaning them up, charting head-to-toe assessments on each of our patients, collaborating with the physician to facilitate the patient's healing and eventual discharge, required education of patients and family regarding discharge care and new medications, answering the phone to talk to lab, radiology, and everyone else under the sun?
Yes, Minnesota is known for our high quality health care-partly due to the nurses at the bedside in the hospitals. Why, as a state, would we want to lower the quality of care here to a mediocre level? I agree there are nurses that lack the ability to critically think. But, there are people like that in every field.
I work at both a union and non-union hospital. I have to work both places because the hospital is only hiring nurses to work 40-60 hours every two weeks to save money and have more staff on hand. So, in order to have a full time position, I have to work two jobs. Many nurses would like to work full time. Many can't because the hospital won't increase their work agreement hours.
Absolutely, I love what I do. Safe staffing is a must anywhere you go. Why would you expect anything less for yourself or your loved one?

just realized, when i added the night differential, i forgot to adjust the other half the equation. $32/hour divided by 6-7 patients = $4.57-$5.33.

It was a simple fix wrote:

If they go on strike, fire and replace them. Enough with these unions running rampant.

And hopefully you will be admitted to a hospital and have a scab take care of you. Good luck.

Dam Demthuglicrat wrote:

I hope everyone is paying attention to this preview of life (or more precisely, death) under Hussein Care.

traitor, unamerican were at war and your giveing aide and comfort to oue enemies by talking trash.

It was a simple fix wrote:

If they go on strike, fire and replace them. Enough with these unions running rampant.

the day will come when you or your family will need care from this union nurses

Mr. Tinfoil,

What national political agenda? Oh, the one to safe guard the rights of American citizens to survive their hospital stay....or should I say the rights of the right AND the left AND everyone inbetween?

Can you spell PARANOID.....