UNDATED -- As we get more confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the state Minnesota's nurses are feeling anxious.

Mary Turner is the President of the Minnesota Nurses Association. She says more than 50 percent of the state's nurses have been on the job for five years or less, so they haven't been through other similar widespread illnesses.

She says she's been trying to have a sit down meeting with representatives from the Minnesota Hospital Association.

What I've said over and over again is please explain to us, don't keep us in the dark, you need to have a dialogue with those people that are on the front line, it's so important.

Turner says she'd like to see more regular communication between nurses and other departments in the hospitals.

She says they'd also like to know that all of the hospitals are on the same page when it comes to preparing for caring for more COVID-19 patients.

Because elective procedures are not allowed right now, and visitors are not able to go into the hospital, most hospitals are actually very quiet places these days.  Turner says some nurses who work in other specialties have either had their hours reduced or are being retrained to help in the intensive care units.

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