1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Healthcare workers in Minnesota are facing a crisis that exceeds the strain experienced during COVID, and immediate action is needed to protect both workers and the vulnerable populations they serve. Nursing assistants like Amy, who works in elder-care facilities, are being forced into dangerous schedules that compromise patient safety and worker wellbeing. Amy recently worked three consecutive days of double shifts, each lasting 10 hours, followed by a single shift, sleeping only one hour per night for four consecutive days. This is not an isolated incident but reflects a systemic staffing crisis affecting elder-care facilities across the state. When workers are this exhausted, the risk of medical errors increases dramatically, and the quality of care for our most vulnerable elderly residents deteriorates. The current immigration enforcement policies have exacerbated this crisis significantly. Healthcare workers are either not coming to work or are too frightened to show up, creating dangerous gaps in staffing at facilities that care for elderly Minnesotans. These facilities cannot operate safely when workers are stretched beyond human limits and when fear prevents qualified staff from reporting to their shifts. This situation creates unsafe conditions for both healthcare workers and elderly residents who depend on consistent, quality care. Workers like Amy should not have to choose between their own health and safety and providing care for vulnerable populations. Our elderly residents deserve facilities that are adequately staffed with workers who are not dangerously fatigued. I urge you to take immediate action to address this healthcare staffing crisis. This includes supporting legislation that protects essential workers from exploitative scheduling practices, ensuring adequate staffing ratios in elder-care facilities, and addressing the immigration policy impacts that are driving qualified healthcare workers away from their posts. Minnesota's healthcare workers and elderly residents cannot wait.