Scab nurses called in to work Minnesota hospitals during strike can make up to $8,000 in five days

Nurses filling in for strikers in Minnesota are being paid $8,000 for five days’ work, it has emerged — as locals on strike warn that their replacements pose a risk to patients.

An estimated 15,000 Minnesota nurses went on strike Monday to protest wage and staff shortages, in the largest private sector nurse strike in US history.

In response, hospitals engaged nurses from other states and recruiters sought quick replacements.

At Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis, a busload of substitute nurses was seen arriving just as striking nurses were preparing their barricades.

Online recruiters advertised for registered nurses, who would be paid $8,000 for the duration of the Minnesota protest, CBS reported: the three days of the strike in addition to two days of training.

Standout nurses said the replacement healthcare professionals were not up to scratch.

“They don’t know our policies and protocols,” said Angela Becchetti, a registered nurse at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

“They don’t know where stuff is, how our department works, how our patients work and you don’t learn that in a few days of training and that’s a problem for us.”

Still, the hospitals said the fill-in nurses were qualified and skilled.

Allina Health said in a statement, “The replacement RNs are high-quality, experienced nurses who are licensed by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and meet the same reference guidelines as our staff nurses.”

The nurses’ strike is supported by Squad member Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota in Congress, and Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Waltz.

“Overwhelmed by the passion and commitment of these nurses,” Omar tweeted. “I’ll stay with you @mnnurses as long as it takes to get you the treatment you deserve!”

Waltz added: “Nurses have risked their lives to care for Minnesotans during this pandemic. They deserve to be safe at work and to be paid fairly.’

Minnesota’s problem is particularly acute, The Washington Post reported, due to an aging population – putting additional pressure on departments – coupled with a low unemployment rate, with fewer incentives for people to enter the demanding and underpaid profession.

The average registered nurse in Minnesota earns $84,030 per year, or an hourly wage of $40.40 — making the state the 13th state in the nation, according to Nurse Journal.

In California, registered nurses earn $124,000; The states in the South and Midwest pay the least, with nurses in Alabama at $61,000.

But Minnesota is far from the only state experiencing strike action: In Oregon, 7,000 health workers have also authorized a work stoppage, while a strike among University of Wisconsin nurses was narrowly averted this week. In Hawaii and California, mental health professionals are currently on strike in protest against understaffing.

In response to the Minnesota strike, hospitals have deployed substitute nurses to care for emergency patients and canceled non-essential appointments.

Chris Rubesch, the vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association and a nurse at Essentia Health in Duluth, said he stabbed because he was angry at not being able to care for his wards.

“I can’t give my patients the care they deserve,” he told The Washington Post.

‘Call lights go unanswered. Patients should only wait a few seconds or minutes if they have soiled themselves or if their oxygen is disconnected or if they need to go to the toilet, but that could take 10 minutes or more. Those are things that can’t wait.’

Some nurses said their shifts were too short for up to ten additional employees.

Kelley Anaas, 37, a nurse who works in the ICU at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis, told the paper that staff shortages plagued her every day and her workload has steadily increased over the 14 years she has worked at the hospital.

She said nurses on her team were trying to see two patients at a time and that chief nurses were appointed with less than a year of experience.

“It eats you up,” she said.

“If that was my relative in that bed, I wouldn’t want to leave their side.”

Representatives from Minnesota’s private hospitals accused the unions of not doing enough to seek a solution.

The contracts expired in May and June and the union has been negotiating with the hospitals and health authorities since March.

“Nurses have steadfastly refused to go to mediation,” said Paul Omodt, a spokesperson for the Twin Cities Hospital Group, which represents four hospital systems where nurses are on strike in Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

“Their choice is to strike. This strike is aimed at the nurses.’

Conny Bergerson, a spokeswoman for Allina Health, another hospital system in the Twin Cities where nurses are on strike, said “rushing to a strike before all options are exhausted, such as calling in a neutral federal mediator, will not benefit our employees, patients or the communities we have. serve.’

Still, the Minnesota Nurses Association said hospital administrators have continued to refuse solutions for understaffing and safety in contract negotiations.

It said nurses are increasingly being asked to take on more patients for bedside care to help cope with labor shortages, worsening burnout and high staff turnover.

The Minnesota Nurses Association has proposed a 30 percent wage increase over the next three years, noting inflation has been high for 40 years.

Healthcare groups have proposed a 10 to 12 percent pay increase.

“Union wage demands continue to rise 29 and 30 percent in three years, which we believe is unrealistic and unaffordable,” Omodt said.

The nursing shortage is not new.

However, the pandemic has left many in the profession due to stress or health problems: as a result, the number of health workers in the United States has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Analysts calculate that the profession is missing 37,000 employees, compared to February 2020.

And the shortfall comes because the demand for health care has steadily increased, trailing people who have postponed care and are now seeking medical attention.

“We are very sad and disappointed that the strike has come to an end,” said Brianna Hnath, a nurse at North Memorial in Robbinsdale.

She told The Washington Post: “But we feel like this is all we can do to show the administration how incredibly important a strong nursing unit is to a hospital.

“Hospitals tell us it’s our fault, but we’ve been actively involved and are getting nowhere.”

The nurses’ union said Monday evening it was happy with the response.

‘Day 1 was a great success and we’ll be back for you tomorrow!’ they tweeted.