Nurses across the Twin Cities are once again sounding the alarm that they’re approaching burnout. Dealing with stalled contract talks between hospital administrators and the Nurses Association, they are now warning that burned out colleagues are prepared to leave the bedside if they don’t start getting their demands met.
Nurses with the Association announced Tuesday that they have voted “No Confidence” in their CEOs and other top executives. They are saying hospitals have not been responsive to their demands.
Hospital administrators have said that they’re sensitive to the shortage of help and issues with burnout, but also have to weigh rising healthcare costs, and the costs passed on to patients.
Nurses Association President Mary Turner, speaking with WCCO’s Laura Oakes, says this isn’t a problem that can be fixed simply by throwing money at nurses.
“They are leaving the bedside in alarming numbers,” says Association President Mary Turner. “We are trying to get a contract where we have put proposals across the number that would help to not only retain nurses, but bring nurses back to the bedside. And they’re not interested.”
A recent national study shows that over half of nurses are considering leaving the profession within the next year citing short staffing and moral distress.
Turner says they have reached a breaking point.
“They’re ready for further action,” Turner said. “I’m not saying what we’re doing, but things are on the table that the nurses are ready for some serious action.”
Nurses are also voting no confidence in Duluth-Superior area hospitals.
In a statement on their website, Twin Cities Hospital Group which represents six of the seven area hospitals (all but Allina), says the nurses salary demands are unreasonable.
“As of July 31, the nurses current wage demands remain over 32 percent over three years. Increases like this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars across Twin Cities Hospitals and are not economically feasible or responsible to our community members who would ultimately pay the price.”
The counter from the hospitals is currently between 10 and 12 percent. They have also said shift demands and staffing demands would make managing hospitals much harder.
Turner says nurses have concerns that run deeper than just salaries.
“They don’t seem to care about our work-life balance, some of our hospitals have safety concerns,” Turner explained. “It’s very frustrating.”
There are no more talks scheduled at this time and Turner says they’re expecting to hold another press conference to lay out their concerns next week.
While Turner wouldn’t commit to a potential strike, she did say it is being considered. “Many, many nurses support it.”
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