MN Accent January:February 2011.pdf - Minnesota Nurses ...

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Feature news: Standing Proud for Patients Nurses were instrumental in electing Governor Mark Dayton who signed an historic health care achievement for the state’s poorest and neediest. On January 5, 2011, MNA member Gen DuPlessis was at Governor Dayton’s side when he signed paperwork officially allowing the state to opt in to Federal Medical Assistance (MA) funds that will provide secure, affordable health coverage for nearly 95,000 Minnesota residents that were unable to obtain health care coverage on their own. It is the biggest expansion of Medicaid in the country under the new federal health care law – the Affordable Care Act. The moment was a significant triumph for nurses who dedicated thousands of hours to influence the political process with their votes and campaign efforts. “Who we elect matters to our patients, our families and our communities,” said MNA President Linda Hamilton. “This victory would not have been possible without the work of MNA members over the past two years.” Hamilton credited the success to passionate grassroots organizing by nurses and coalition partners. She noted energized actions, like the brilliant march on the Capitol during blizzard-like conditions in October 2009, demanding then-Governor Pawlenty to restore funding for the General Assistance Medical Care program. Nurses lobbied tirelessly – and effectively - resulting in compromise legislation. 2 The Minnesota Nursing Accent January/February 2011 When Governor Pawlenty rejected federal funds generated from the passage of the Affordable Care Act, nurse –friendly legislators wisely adopted a provision to allow Minnesota’s next Governor to extend the state’s opt-in deadline through January 15. Nurses knew the lives of 95,000 vulnerable Minnesotans balanced on the Nov. 4 election. The perseverance paid off. With nurses’ votes and support, Dayton narrowly won the election and specifically requested MNA presence at the signing ceremony. On The Cover - Gen Duplessis from Hennepin County Medical Center represented MNA nurses at the historic signing by Governor Dayton to opt into Federal Medical Assistance funding. Minnesota Nursing Accent Minnesota Nurses Association 345 Randolph Avenue, Ste. 200 Saint Paul, MN 55102 651-414-2800/800-536-4662 January/February, 2011 EDITOR Walt Frederickson MANAGING EDITORS Jan Rabbers Chris Reinke BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN 1st Vice President: Eileen Weber, RN, JD 2nd Vice President: Bunny Engeldorf, RN, BS Secretary: Linda Slattengren, RN Treasurer: Dee Dee Bloch, RN Directors: Nancy I. Carlson, RN Greg Dooley, RN, BSN Diane C. Johnson, RN Judy Russell-Martin, RN, BSN Pamela Scott, RN, BSN, BSE Juli Uzlik, RN, BSN Patricia Webster, RN,C Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Subscriptions $25 per year - Published:January/February; March/April; May/June; July/August; August Convention Edition, September/October; November/December Opinions All opinions submitted are subject to the approval of the publisher, who reserves the right to refuse any advertising content which does not meet standards of acceptance of the Minnesota Nurses Association. Minnesota Nurses Association Accent (ISSN 0026-5586) is published seven times annually for $25 per year by the Minnesota Nurses Association, 345 Randolph Avenue, Ste. 200, Saint Paul, MN 55102. Periodicals Postage paid at Saint Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster, please send address changes to: Minnesota Nurses Association 345 Randolph Avenue, Suite 200 Saint Paul, MN 55102.
Headline news One Nurse’s Story: Why Medical Assistance is Better for Patients I am the RN clinical coordinator for patients on the current GAMC program at Hennepin County Medical Center. I am thrilled and delighted that Governor-elect Mark Dayton is opting to enroll GAMC patients into the new MA expansion program--an option made available under the new federal health care law. I strongly believe patients on the MA expansion program will have better access to care, and as a result, their overall health condition will improve over the slimmed-down GAMC program enacted under the Pawlenty administration. Frequently patients on GAMC suffer from significant mental health and chemical dependency disabilities. In addition we have patients who should have had a manageable chronic disease, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx but instead experienced life threatening illnesses because of lack of access to health care. I have seen patients with treatable diseases, like diabetes, progress to kidney failure requiring dialysis. What’s more, the advancement of the diabetes can lead to blindness or other irreversible conditions. Many of these complications occur because people do not have access to care and couldn’t afford the medications needed to control their disease process. As anyone can well imagine the cost of taking care of these patients with progression of their disease is much more costly than would have been with a consistent primary care providers’ attention. I was saddened and disappointed to witness patients having to travel miles and hours to HCMC because huge cuts to the GAMC program closed doors to their previous long term primary care provider in greater Minnesota. I also believe the significant cuts and inadequate funding imposed by the Pawlenty administration, played a major part in reduced nursing hours at HCMC. Not only were nursing hours cut but we saw ancillary staff reductions, included nursing assis¬tants, clerical workers, which further negatively impacted the care of patients. I am hopeful and firmly believe with stable adequate funding we will be able to provide improved cost-effective care under the new MA program and get on with what we do best, taking care of patients. Also, my hope is this will position and allow HCMC to reinstate the hour reduction to nurses and other staff that have been adversely impacted by the reduction in funding. Thank you Governor-elect Dayton for improving the health of all Minnesotans! MNA Mission Statement Promote the professional, economic, and personal well-being of nurses. Uphold and advance excellence, integrity, and autonomy in the practice of nursing.Advocate for quality care that is accessible and affordable for patients and consumers. MNA Strategic Goals 1. MNA works to empower registered nurses to use knowledge and experience to advance their professional practice and leadership skills. 2. MNA advances a positive and powerful image of nursing. 3. MNA promotes effective RN staffing and safe working conditions for both patients and registered nurses. 4. MNA works to maintain and enhance the scope of practice for Minnesota’s registered nurses. 5. MNA membership and participation, as a professional union, increase through effective internal and external organizing. 6. MNA membership and participation, representing all categories of registered nurses, increase through effective member orientation, education, services and mobilization. Organizational Priorities · Position MNA for negotiations from strength across Minnesota. · Organize to increase MNA membership and participation to promote MNA mission and strategic goals through political activism and collective action. · Educate and mobilize members around health care reform and pursue short and long term strategies to achieve a single payer health care system with guaranteed health care for all. · Ensure the integrity of nursing practice, nursing practice environments and advance safe patient staffing standards and principles through collective action, collective bargaining, legislative initiative, grassroots organizing, political action and education consistent with the MNA Strategic Plan and the objectives of National Nurses United. The Minnesota Nursing Accent January/February 2011 3
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Page 5 and 6: Come to the Capitol; Be Influential
Page 7 and 8: Economic and General Welfare Union-
Page 9 and 10: Health & Safety There’s little pa
Page 11 and 12: Nursing & Practice Interruptions an
Page 13 and 14: Governmental Affairs and Political
Page 15 and 16: Take a Mind Adventure The Minnesota

MN Accent January:February 2011.pdf - Minnesota Nurses ...

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