100-plus Minnesota hospitals to get nursing help due to staff shortages

DULUTH, MN. (CBS 3 Duluth) - More than 100 nurses are officially on their way to help struggling workers at Minnesota hospitals.

That includes Essentia here in Duluth.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz directed $40 million in American Rescue Plan funding to hire emergency staff for certain hospitals hit hard by this COVID case surge.

In a press release on Wednesday, Governor Walz announced the first round of nursing teams will arrive at 23 hospitals this week.

That includes:

• Essentia Health - St Mary’s Medical Center
• Sanford Bemidji Medical Center
• Winona Health
• Lake Region Healthcare
• Alomere Health
• Carris Health - Willmar
• Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center
• Sanford Worthington Medical Center
• Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato
• CentraCare Monticello
• M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center - Wyoming
• M Health Fairview Northland Medical Center - Princeton
• M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital
• Allina Health Clinic - Buffalo
• Allina Health - Cambridge Medical Center
• CentraCare Melrose
• Mercy Hospital
• Abbott Northwestern Hospital
• Regions Hospital
• North Memorial Hospital
• HCMC
• M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center
• United Hospital

We don’t know exactly how many of them are coming to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s.

In addition, 100 more nurses will arrive in Minnesota in the days ahead.

As of Monday, Minnesota hospitals are treating more than 1,600 people for COVID-19, nearly 80 more than this time last week.

There are nearly 250 COVID patients in Minnesota ICUs.

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