Nurses working at five hospitals owned by M Health in Minnesota have overwhelmingly voted that they have "no confidence" in the hospital's response to the COVID-19 crisis.
The nurses work at University of Minnesota Medical Center-West Bank, Fairview Southdale, St. Joseph's, St. John's, and Bethesda hospitals, according to a press release from the Minnesota Nurses Association.
"M Health Fairview is flagrantly violating the safety and staffing protections jointly agreed to by nurses and management, and yet our incredibly dedicated nurses are still throwing themselves into harm's way to protect the public," said Modest Okorie, a registered nurse at Bethesda Hospital quoted in the release.
Nurses at the hospitals, like many other across the country, are looking for proper personal protection equipment and information on reassignments. In the weeks since the crisis hit the nation's hospitals, healthcare workers have expressed concerns about working in units they're not trained to work in and being instructed on the proper safety precautions and having the proper equipment when entering and exiting a patient's room.
The MNA has filed a request for information with the system's management looking for equipment levels and proper procedures, according to the release. The union has also been in continuing negotiations during the crisis.
"The vast majority of nurses within the entire M Health Fairview system have voted that they have no confidence in their leadership, CEO James Hereford and Chief Nursing Executive Laura Reed," Okorie said.
M Health did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
A local TV station received a statement from hospital officials that said, "we share (the nurses) frustration with the national shortage of PPE. We continue to work with state and federal officials to obtain necessary supplies, purchasing whatever is available, and with the support of the community for donated supplies."
