Solvay Hospice House to temporarily pause care in Duluth during impending nurses’ strike

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - The Solvay Hospice House in Duluth will temporarily pause care and transport existing patients when union nurses walk off the job next week.

The hospice house relies on Essentia Health staff to help them provide care for their patients, according to Solvay leaders.

Because of the MNA’s plans to begin an open-ended strike at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8, amid ongoing contract negotiations, the hospice house will be without nursing staff.

Related: Advanced Practice Providers with Essentia intend to strike

“In light of the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the strike, and with the utmost concern for the well-being of our patients and families, Miller-Dwan Foundation and Essentia Health have jointly made the very difficult decision to temporarily pause care at Solvay beginning July 8,” according to a statement released by the Solvay Hospice House.

According to Solvay leaders, the Essentia Health hospice team is working closely with families to ensure stable residential patients are safely transitioned to appropriate long-term care facilities.

For those very near the end of life, care will continue at Solvay, uninterrupted. Patient care will resume once the work stoppage comes to an end.

Essentia Health also released a statement:

Essentia Health continues to prioritize progress at the bargaining table because that’s where we have the best chance to reach an agreement with the MNA. At the same time, we must prepare for a strike. While we are doing everything possible to minimize disruptions to patient care, we recognize there will be operational impacts. We are continuously evaluating those impacts across all of our facilities, including Solvay Hospice House, where staff availability will determine our ability to care for patients, as we finalize plans.

Essentia will continue to put the care of our patients at the center of every decision we make.

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