Mediation is often used to settle issues that arise related to contract disputes between organizations and their workers’ unions, and the field of nursing is no exception.   Now, a year after a strike ended against Allina Health, the nurses’ union is asking that a federal mediator intervene to resolve issues.  

The nurses involved work at several different Twin Cities hospitals.    According to the Minnesota Nurses Association, Allina pledged to make an effort to end mandatory patient care assignments for nurses in charge of running a ward.   The union claims the charge nurses do not have the time it takes to care for individual patients, while also being in charge of the oversight of the entire ward and the nurses on duty.  

The union claims it not only places too much of a burden on the charge nurses, it also puts patients at risk.   According to Emily Sippola, a United Hospital charge nurse, “For patient safety it just is not appropriate for a charge nurse to be responsible for those charge nurse roles and also be responsible for delivering excellent patient care”.

David Kanihan, a spokesperson for Allina, said that charge nurses only have an occasional responsibility for patients, and that it occurs on the night shift.   In many cases, the charge nurse’s prefer to care for patients.   Night shift can be notoriously slow and working with patients give nurses something to keep them occupied during their shifts.   Some also just like the reward of providing patient care – it was one of the primary reasons they chose nursing in the first place. 

Kanihan explained, “We are disappointed the union has chosen to disregard the constructive dialogue we have had, and instead return to their divisive tactics”.