Allina nurses back to work following strike

Allina officials said all the allegations that were investigated turned out to be false.

Protest organizers say they have 750 people picketing outside Allina hospitals. The replacements prompted the union to file a series of allegations with regulatory agencies. Other allegations deal with poor disposal of needles.

Striking nurses at Allina Health are questioning the organization’s spending, including the Minneapolis-based system’s $108 million investment in medical data company Health Catalyst, according to a Star Tribune report.

Tuesday marked the third day of the week-long Allina nurses’ strike.

The Minnesota Nurses Association and its 4,800 members began their strike June 19 after failing to negotiate a new three-year contract with Allina Health.

The Allina Health hospitals include Abbott Northwestern and Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley and Mercy in Coon Rapids.

The union says the nurses are frustrated with Allina Health because they won’t talk with the nurses and answers questions about health insurance plans (one of the major sticking points in negotiations), staffing and preventing workplace violence, the release says.

The state Health Department has sent investigators to assess care at the five affected hospitals, and found no evidence of practices that presented immediate threats to patients.

Kanihan said “there have been no medication errors that caused deaths anywhere” this week.