Minnesota: Nurses at M Health hospitals vote “No confidence” on COVID-19 response

Minneapolis, MN – Union nurses represented by Minnesota Nurses Association at five hospitals voted overwhelmingly that they have “no confidence” in M Health management’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospitals where the votes took place are Fairview Southdale, St. Joseph’s, St. John’s, Bethesda, and the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

The nurses are calling for proper personal protection equipment and information on reassignments. Nurses are working in units where they not being given the proper training on precautions to stay safe and do not have the necessary equipment to protect themselves. These nurses are in contact with patients who have COVID-19.

Modest Okorie, a registered nurse at Bethesda, states, “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.”

Okorie went on to say, “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.”