Nurses Rising

Nurses are legion. We populate almost every corner of the healthcare industry, and we are the largest segment of the global healthcare workforce. In terms of hands-on care, we're at the bedside, in the home, caring for residents of long-term care facilities, taking care of schoolchildren, ministering to the dying, and tending the wounded on the battlefield. Like I said, we are legion, and our importance to society cannot be underestimated.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Introduces the National Nurse Act of 2013

Since the issue first came to my attention several years ago, I have strongly supported the passage of the National Nurse Act and the establishment of a National Nurse for Public Health. The following is a press release distributed on February 4th by the National Nursing Network Organization Board of Directors. It is reproduced with their kind permission.

National Nurse Act of 2011 Signatory Letter

The following letter is being sent to all members of Congress to enlist their support of The National Nurse Act of 2011. If you would like to be a signatory to this letter, please contact Terri Mills, President of the National Nursing Network Organization, whose contact information is listed below. 

-----

To The Members of the United States Congress:

We, the undersigned, urge you to support HR 3679 The National Nurse Act of 2011. This legislation would designate the Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Public Health Services as the "National Nurse for Public Health" to elevate the authority and visibility of this position. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, obesity, and others pose the single greatest threat to the health of Americans and our nation's economy. Nurses provide key services for the prevention and management of these conditions and this legislation is necessary to support further work needed to promote prevention, improve outcomes, and guide national, state and local efforts in addressing the nation's health.

This is the ideal time to make a National Nurse for Public Health a reality. The current administration and Congress have a clear commitment to wellness promotion and illness prevention. There is convincing evidence that the health of our country can be dramatically advanced by deploying our greatest and most trusted national health resource, America's nurses. Establishing a National Nurse for Public Health would be a practical step forward in publicly acknowledging the need for a focus on wellness and prevention. This legislation would provide the nation with a trusted professional representative from nursing to kickoff the move to prevention in whatever form of health-care system our lawmakers deliver.  

The National Nurse for Public Health would provide a visible nurse leader to advocate for enhanced prevention efforts for all communities. Further, we recognize the potential of having the National Nurse for Public Health as a representative who would meet with health care leaders to determine ways to address continued health disparities and poor health literacy.

We, as organizations and individuals, support this legislation as a means to achieve the goals of better health, decreased health disparity and improved health literacy and look forward to working with you on this important issue. We applaud your efforts in highlighting the important contribution of nurses and in your advocacy of improvement of the nation’s health. We strongly urge your support of The National Nurse Act of 2011.

Thank you for your consideration and please call upon us if we can be of further support as this bill moves forward.

Teri Mills MS, RN, CNE

teri@nationalnurse.info

President National Nursing Network Organization

503-320-2385

http://nationalnurse.org

National Nurse Act of 2011 Introduced

PRESS RELEASE

Washington, DC – (Friday, December 16) – Yesterday, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced the National Nurse Act of 2011, HR 3679. The bill, co-led by Congressman Peter King (R-NY), has garnered eighteen original co-sponsors. It would designate the Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service as the “National Nurse for Public Health.”

The National Nurse would function alongside the Surgeon General and focus on health promotion, improving health literacy, and decreasing health disparities.

“The National Nurse Act of 2011 is an important piece of legislation that would establish a focal point for promoting health and disease prevention. There are currently 3.4 million nurses, making the demographic the largest sector of healthcare workers in the United States.

“As the first registered nurse in Congress, I believe that having a National Nurse focused on prevention activities will help reduce illnesses and decrease the costs for care and services,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

The National Nurse Act of 2011 is currently endorsed by dozens of prominent nursing organizations and key stakeholders.

Press Release: The National Nurse Act of 2011

Every American Needs a Nurse: The National Nurse Act of 2011 introduced in Congress

Washington D.C.-- On March 16, 2011 Congressman Anthony Weiner (NY-9), on behalf of nurses across the country, introduced The National Nurse Act of 2011 into Congress to establish a National Nurse for Public Health. HR 1119 will designate the existing position of the Chief Nurse Officer of the US Public Health Service to serve as the National Nurse for Public Health. This nurse will continue to work alongside the Surgeon General and focus on the priorities of health promotion, disease prevention, improving health literacy, and decreasing health disparities.

“Nurses play a vital role in the well-being of our country and their contributions should be recognized accordingly,” Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) said. “It’s important that we create a National Nurse for Public Health to help better organize our efforts to combat the many pressing health issues we face today.”

Teri Mills RN, MS, CNE, a nurse educator at Portland Community College, who serves as President of the National Nursing Network Organization (NNNO) introduced the concept for a National Nurse in an op/ed published in The New York Times May 2005. "Agreement abounds on the nation's need for more emphasis on prevention in our quest for social justice and improved health outcomes, and the concept of having a publicly recognized nurse leader for prevention is the basis for the movement to create a National Nurse for Public Health," said Mills. "Members of Congress agree and already eleven US Representatives have agreed to co-sponsor this legislation."

A January 2010 Gallup Poll, conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation revealed that 86 percent of those surveyed stated they would like to see nurses have more influence in promoting wellness and expanding preventive care. According to the Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, more nurse leaders are needed throughout healthcare." Mills also believes that under the guidance provided by the National Nurse for Public Health, many nurses, including students and retirees, will be inspired to volunteer and advocate for prevention efforts in their local communities.

Alisa Schneider MS, RN, Vice President of the NNNO said the National Nurse could be instrumental in the fight against obesity. "Americans across the country and of all ages are struggling with obesity and its complications. With the cost of obesity projected at $300 billion per year, prevention must continue as a priority for this country. A National Nurse for Public Health would add an important voice in this discussion."

There are currently 3.4 million nurses who work on the front lines of practice in the United States healthcare system. Even though nurse are the largest group of healthcare providers in the nation, nurses hold too few positions of influence to have a national voice that is loud enough to impact the nation’s health.

Currently HR 1119 has the support of over 100 prominent organizations and nurse leaders. Four state legislative bodies (Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Vermont) have passed resolutions urging Congress to enact legislation in order to establish a National Nurse.   

If this campaign inspires you to get involved and become a part of this grassroots effort, please: 

• Contact your US Representative and ask that they become a co-sponsor of The National Nurse Act of 2011.

• Write the NNNO Board of Directors (teri@nationalnurse.info) for talking points and a copy of the signatory letter (PDF).

• Publish an article about The National Nurse Act of 2011 in your organization’s newsletter to educate others about the bill.

• Request professional organizations that you belong to become an endorser of HR 1119.

• Stay updated by signing up to receive the National Nurse Newsletter

• Become a fan of the National Nurse Campaign on Facebook.

For more information please visit http://nationalnurse.org

HR 1119, The National Nurse Act of 2011

After many years of tireless advocacy on the part of some very dedicated individuals, the push to establish the position of a National Nurse for Public Health under the Office of the Surgeon General has gained considerable Congressional support (currently nine co-sponsors in the House of Representatives) and is now known as H.R. 1119: The National Nurse Act of 2011.

For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, here is some history of the Office of the Surgeon General and the drive for the establishment of the position of a National Nurse for Public Health (adapted from a previous post here on Digital Doorway):

Since 1871, the Surgeon General of the United States---the nation's "chief health educator"---has overseen and guided the health of Americans. Charged with overseeing the U.S. Public Health Service, the Surgeon General is appointed by the President and approved by Congress for a four-year term. According to the official website of the Surgeon General, this individual's duties include, but are not limited, to:

• Protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public's health
• Articulate scientifically based health policy analysis and advice to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the full range of critical public health, medical, and health system issues facing the nation
• Provide leadership in promoting special Departmental health initiatives, e.g., tobacco and HIV prevention efforts, with other governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestically and internationally
• Administer the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, which is a uniquely expert, diverse, flexible, and committed career force of public health professionals who can respond to both current and long-term health needs of the Nation
• Provide leadership and management oversight for PHS Commissioned Corps involvement in Departmental emergency preparedness and response activities
• Elevate the quality of public health practice in the professional disciplines through the advancement of appropriate standards and research priorities, and
• Fulfill statutory and customary departmental representational functions on a wide variety of federal boards and governing bodies of non-Federal health organizations, including the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the National Library of Medicine, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the American Medical Association.

From a nurse's perspective, what is missing from the Surgeon General's overall equation is the more robust input of a nurse who would serve more as an equal to the Surgeon General in terms of his or her ability to effect and implement health care policy in the interest of the American people. At this time, the U.S. Public Health Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) serves as Assistant Surgeon General, representing the Surgeon General's interests and opinions, and otherwise working in a subjugated role that the medical community might deem fit for a nurse.

The goal of the organizations and individuals behind the drive for a National Nurse of Public Health is "to elevate and enhance the Office of the PHS Chief Nurse to bring more visibility to the critical role nursing occupies in promoting, protecting, and advancing the nation's health."

The proposed role of the National Nurse for Public Health would be to:

• Assist in the initiation of a nationwide cultural shift to prevention.
• Bolster efforts to focus the public on healthy living.
• Intensify roles for nurses, including students and retirees, in community health promotion.
• Provide greater support to the Surgeon General in calling for improvements in health literacy and reduction in health disparities.
• Encourage all nurses to spread prevention messages in their communities.
• Encourage participation of nurses in Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units.
• Provide leadership to network with existing volunteer health promotion efforts.
• Strengthen linkages with providers, nursing programs, and public health leadership.
• Serve as a visible national spokesperson for professional nursing.
• Increase public awareness of nursing roles and contributions.
• Enhance nursing recruitment and education throughout all communities.
• Support and justify additional funding for nursing education, research and service.

The National Nurse for Public Health would work to slow the growth of preventable diseases; promote health awareness, increase health literacy, and reduce health disparities; promote health careers and increased resources; enhance visibility and public recognition of nursing.

It is the opinion of many involved in the call for the establishment of a National Nurse for Public Health that it is time for nursing to have a equal seat at the nation's health care table. While some might argue that the aforementioned Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Department of Public Health already adequately fulfills that role, most still see that role as one of subservience to the Surgeon General rather than one of professional equality. Just as nurses are rarely consulted by the media for their expert opinions vis-a-vis the various challenges faced by the nation and its beleaguered health care system, the government also fails to fully utilize nursing's unique and crucial input to the fullest extent possible, in the interest of the health and well-being of the American people.

The establishment of the position of the National Nurse for Public Health would set a new standard for a more accurate and realistic recognition of nursing's importance to health and health care in the United States. If the federal government enthusiastically and publicly embraced nursing, making its crucial contributions crystal clear, perhaps the public, the media and the private sector would all then have a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the multitudinous ways in which nursing positively impacts the health of millions of Americans.

Most importantly, however, the establishment of this position would certainly bring an important voice even more strongly to the ongoing conversation about health and health care in America. A National Nurse for Public Health could, in effect, deliver a unified message of preventive health at a time when millions of Americans---including millions of children---live without health insurance or access to regular primary care. At a time of crisis and uncertainty vis-a-vis the health of the country, the National Nurse could very well be a welcome, stabilizing and empowering voice of reason and prevention.

I fully support the passage of HR 1119, and I urge readers of Digital Doorway to contact their representatives in order to urge them to support this important health care legislation. For more information, please visit the website of the National Nurse Campaign, join their Facebook page, or visit the take action page on the National Nurse website.

Change of Shift, Santa Fe Style!

Well, after a long hiatus, I'm finally hosting Change of Shift once again, and I'm happy to do so from the comfort of our new home here in Santa Fe, New Mexico! (For those of you unfamiliar with Change of Shift, it is a nursing blog carnival wherein nurses from around the blogosphere are featured in an "online magazine" that is hosted on a different nursing blog every two weeks.)

For those readers who are new to Digital Doorway, my wife and I sold our home in Massachusetts last summer, sold or gave away most of our things, bought an RV, and have been traveling the country for seven months and almost 10,000 miles in search of a new place to call home.

For the moment, we've settled (perhaps temporarily, perhaps not) here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and you can read about our travels here. That said, this episode of Change of Shift (that most venerable of nursing blog carnivals) will be peppered with photographs from around northern New Mexico for no other reason than the fact that they're nice to look at, entertaining, or simply a visual break from all of those pesky words that I'm making you read (unless, of course, you just look at the pictures!).

My thanks, as always, to Kim (of Emergiblog fame) for making Change of Shift a reality, and for putting nurse bloggers on the blogosphere map. Let's hear it for Kim (cue virtual applause, please).

So, without further ado, here are the participants in this week's edition of Change of Shift, Volume 4, Number 26..........

For whatever reason, it seems that lists are incredibly popular these days, whether it be for iPad apps or the best ways to darn socks, so here's a list of blog posts that feature lists about things that their authors think are worth our while to peruse........

At NursingSchools.net, we learn 50 things you never knew about babies (who would have thought that babies cry before they're born?); while over at The Health Harbinger, we are privy to 25 online startups that are democratizing medical data and information.

Speaking of iPad applications, CNA Class Online shares 5 Excellent iPad apps for "Dr. Mom".

And while we're talking about new technology, RN to MSN Programs submitted a list of 10 awesome Android apps for nurses (Android being Google's answer to Internet-based applications for cellular phones, more or less).

Sadly, we all do indeed need to think about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and NursingSchools.net submitted a sobering list of the 10 biggest health dangers behind the oil spill, which includes neurological disorders (and chemical sensitivity, I'll add) among the workers dealing directly with this toxic nightmare of the century.

Thinking globally, The Health Hawk shares with us 17 intriguing infographics about global health, which, apropos of the oil spill, describes the fact that the average American driver uses 500 gallons of gasoline per year! (And we wonder why we're still addicted to oil?)

And the lists go on.......

Aging Healthy submits a list of the top 50 aging and gerontology blogs for those of us who want to prolong our time on earth (oil spills or no oil spills....), and NursingSchools.net submits yet another post for our enjoyment and enlightenment, this time with 100 entertaining and inspiring quotes for nurses, one of my favorites being "Health is the state about which medicine has nothing to say" (W.H. Auden).

And speaking of NursingSchools.net, we received yet another list (don't they work over there?), this time regarding the 100 best blogs for exploring alternative medicine.

Moving away from lists towards actual prose (cue English teachers cheering in the background), we were happy to receive a submission from Barbara Olson of Florencedotcom fame, this particular piece on "Good Reads About Medication Misadventures" being recently published on Medscape (for which a username and password may be necessary in order to gain access).

And when it comes to those of us who might like a career change from direct care, Master of Health Administration shares with us "The Ultimate Guide to Health Administration Careers" (and the salaries don't seem half bad.......). Alternatively, Online LPN to RN delivers The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Agencies for those nurses who would like some assistance in landing their next job or plotting a career move.

Nurse Teeny at The Makings of a Nurse offers a very personal post about "transition shock" and a new job, something we can all probably relate to.

And over at Nurse Me, the author struggles with a situation wherein a patient's religious beliefs impact her ability to deliver the care that's needed in a post entitled Science vs Jesus.

Author Peggy McDaniel at The American Journal of Nursing's Off The Charts blog chimes in for a post entitled "Protection or Harm----What Are You Doing at the Bedside?", and there is much sobering food for thought here vis-a-vis poor hand hygiene and hospital-acquired infections.

In a post entitled "Fingerprints, Ad Nauseum", yours truly posits that there is utter bureaucratic insanity behind the need to be fingerprinted for every job application and license change that one must undergo (especially here in the Western US). Can't there be a central databank of fingerprints, or does the FBI just adore receiving multiple fingerprint cards for the same person over and over again? (It's your tax dollars hard at work, folks!)

And from the Land Down Under, Nurse In Australia shares a post entitled "Sheepish, Demure Nurses Pander to Inflated Egos". The nurse-doctor relationship is always something worth talking about, isn't it?


Our final two posts for this edition of CoS are well-written missives that address two very important issues worthy of our individual and collective attention.

First, Katie Morales of NursesNetwork.com (where my blog currently feeds automatically via RSS) discusses the legal and ethical notion of how companies profit financially with the use of our tissue and blood, whether we donated it willingly or not. In her post entitled "Not Much Has Changed, Katie offers several examples wherein companies benefited significantly from the cells or tissues of private citizens who then have no rights whatsoever to also benefit from the millions of dollars made from tissues harvested from their own bodies. What's the matter with this picture?

And last but certainly not least, our beloved Kim McAllister, the maven of Emergiblog and the creator of Change of Shift itself, delivers a passionate and convincing open letter to the American Nurses Association that rightly questions the ANA's refusal to endorse the creation of the Office of the National Nurse.

HR 4601 is an important piece of legislation currently making its way through Congress that would elevate the Chief Nursing Officer of the Public Health Service to the position of The National Nurse, a move that would bring nursing to the fore in terms of preventive health and the public's understanding of what nurses actually do. In March of this year, I wrote a blog post delineating how the National Nurse would benefit the country in myriad ways, and I invite you to read that post, read Kim's letter, visit the website of The National Nurse organization, and get involved in this important fight for recognition of nursing's rightful place at the American health care table.

Teddy Roosevelt once coined the term "the bully pulpit" to signify a position of authority or rank that gives it's holder the right and privilege to pontificate and share his or her opinions without reserve. While I hold little authority or rank in society as a simple nurse and writer, this blog is my own bully pulpit, and hosting Change of Shift is yet another opportunity to speak my mind and reach a larger audience, if only for a fleeting digital moment. I am grateful for your attention, and I urge you to contact your member of Congress about wholeheartedly supporting HR 4601!

Thank you to Kim for this opportunity, thanks to those of you who are taking the time to read this, and a special thanks to the bloggers and writers whose contributions made this edition of Change of Shift what it is.

And in the words of Garrison Keillor, "Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

The National Nurse Act of 2010: HR 4601

Unbeknownst to many Americans, a grassroots campaign to create an Office of the National Nurse has been underway for several years. While many in the nursing community recognize that the Surgeon General plays an important role in managing and overseeing the health and health education of the nation, it is also recognized that nurses are woefully underrepresented when it comes to our national priorities vis-a-vis healthcare and prevention.

Now, a bill has been introduced (HR 4601) before the House of Representatives, calling for the establishment of the Office of the National Nurse. This bill before the 111th Congress---is named "The National Nurse Act of 2010, and will serve as an amendment to Title XVII of the Public Health Service Act.

Some history of the Surgeon General and the drive for an Office of the National Nurse:

Since 1871, the Surgeon General of the United States---the nation's "chief health educator"---has overseen and guided the health of Americans. Charged with overseeing the U.S. Public Health Service, the Surgeon General is appointed by the President and approved by Congress for a four-year term. According to the official website of the Surgeon General, this individual's duties include, but are not limited, to:

• Protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public's health
• Articulate scientifically based health policy analysis and advice to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the full range of critical public health, medical, and health system issues facing the nation
• Provide leadership in promoting special Departmental health initiatives, e.g., tobacco and HIV prevention efforts, with other governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestically and internationally
• Administer the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, which is a uniquely expert, diverse, flexible, and committed career force of public health professionals who can respond to both current and long-term health needs of the Nation
• Provide leadership and management oversight for PHS Commissioned Corps involvement in Departmental emergency preparedness and response activities
• Elevate the quality of public health practice in the professional disciplines through the advancement of appropriate standards and research priorities, and
• Fulfill statutory and customary departmental representational functions on a wide variety of federal boards and governing bodies of non-Federal health organizations, including the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the National Library of Medicine, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the American Medical Association.

From a nurse's perspective, what is missing from the Surgeon General's overall equation is the more robust input of a nurse who would serve more as an equal to the Surgeon General in terms of his or her ability to effect and implement healthcare policy in the interest of the American people. At this time, the U.S. Public Health Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) serves as Assistant Surgeon General, representing the Surgeon General's interests and opinions, and otherwise working in a subjugated role that the medical community might deem fit for a nurse.

The goal of the organizations and individuals behind the drive for an Office of the National Nurse is "to elevate and enhance the Office of the PHS Chief Nurse to bring more visibility to the critical role nursing occupies in promoting, protecting, and advancing the nation's health."

The proposed role of the National Nurse would be to:

• Assist in the initiation of a nationwide cultural shift to prevention.
• Bolster efforts to focus the public on healthy living.
• Intensify roles for nurses, including students and retirees, in community health promotion.
• Provide greater support to the Surgeon General in calling for improvements in health literacy and reduction in health disparities.
• Encourage all nurses to spread prevention messages in their communities.
• Encourage participation of nurses in Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units.
• Provide leadership to network with existing volunteer health promotion efforts.
• Strengthen linkages with providers, nursing programs, and public health leadership.
• Serve as a visible national spokesperson for professional nursing.
• Increase public awareness of nursing roles and contributions.
• Enhance nursing recruitment and education throughout all communities.
• Support and justify additional funding for nursing education, research and service.

The National Nurse would work to slow the growth of preventable diseases; promote health awareness, increase health literacy, and reduce health disparities; promote health careers and increased resources; enhance visibility and public recognition of nursing.

It is the opinion of many involved in the call for the establishment of the Office of the National Nurse that it is time for nursing to have a seat at the nation's healthcare table. While some might argue that the aforementioned Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Department of Public Health already adequately fulfills that role, most still see that role as one of subservience to the Surgeon General rather than one of professional equality. Just as nurses are rarely consulted by the media for their expert opinions vis-a-vis the various challenges faced by the nation and its beleaguered healthcare system, the government also fails to fully utilize nursing's unique and crucial input to the fullest extent possible, in the interest of the health and well-being of the American people.

The establishment of the Office of the National Nurse would set a new standard for a more accurate and realistic recognition of nursing's importance to health and healthcare in the United States. If the federal government enthusiastically and publicly embraced nursing, making its crucial contributions crystal clear, perhaps the public, the media and the private sector would all then have a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the multitudinous ways in which nursing impacts the health of millions of Americans.

Most importantly, however, the establishment of this office would certainly bring an important voice even more strongly to the ongoing conversation about health and health care in America. A National Nurse could, in effect, deliver a unified message of preventive health at a time when millions of Americans---including millions of children---live without health insurance or access to regular primary care. At a time of crisis and uncertainty vis-a-vis the health of the country, the Office of the National Nurse could very well be a welcome, stabilizing and empowering voice of reason and prevention.

I fully support the passage of HR 4601, and I urge readers of Digital Doorway to contact their representatives in order to urge them to support this important health care legislation. For more information, please visit the website of the National Nurse Campaign, join their Facebook page, or make a donation to the campaign.

I fully support the passage of HR 4601, and recognize that the time for a National Nurse has indeed come. Perhaps 2010 will see this campaign finally come to fruition, and we will all benefit greatly from such a long-awaited outcome that will positively impact the health and well-being of the entire nation.

The Office of the National Nurse and the Obama Administration

Now that Barack Obama has been elected and some changes in the trajectory of American healthcare are on the way, those of us who support the creation of an Office of the National Nurse are asking that citizens supportive of our cause please communicate that support to the Obama team. For a review of the importance of such an office, please see my previous blog post on the subject. To communicate your opinion to the Obama-Biden team, please click here.

While the current Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) of the United States serves as Assistant Surgeon General, many of us feel strongly that it is time for nurses to be taken seriously as key players in the development of far-reaching preventive measures to improve the health and well-being of the American people. Rather than have the CNO remain in a subservient role to the Surgeon General, giving the National Nurse a prominent, autonomous and equal part in the government's efforts vis-a-vis preventive healthcare would send a clear message that the nursing profession has finally received the recognition it deserves.

Nursing has a great deal to offer to the American healthcare system and to policy discussions vis-a-vis the changes that are needed to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. The establishment of the Office of the National Nurse would be a major step towards recognizing the profession of nursing for its contributions to medicine and health (separate and autonomous from the medical profession), and for moving the United States and its citizens towards improved self-care, improved health outcomes, and renewed standing as a country that views the health of its citizens as a true measure of "national security".

To send the Obama-Biden administration a message regarding this issue---or any issue close to your heart---simply click here to visit a special page for communicating your vision of America to the incoming administration. Your support for the establishment of an Office of the National Nurse would be greatly appreciated.

The Office of the National Nurse

(Note: This is my seventh post under the auspices of the nurse blogger scholarship which I recently received from Value Care, Value Nurses.)

Unbeknownst to many Americans, a grassroots campaign to create an Office of the National Nurse has been underway for several years. While many in the nursing community recognize that the Surgeon General plays an important role in managing and overseeing the health and health education of the nation, it is also recognized that nurses are woefully underrepresented when it comes to our national priorities vis-a-vis healthcare and prevention.

With a global nursing shortage in full swing at this pivotal historical time, we still see that neither presidential candidate in the current race fully acknowledges (or plans to adequately address) the shortage and its potentially devastating effects on the health and healthcare of the country. Many involved in the campaign to create an Office of the National Nurse feel that the office "would strengthen efforts by nurses in every community to assist in initiating a nationwide shift to prevention to yield improved health outcomes" nationwide.

Since 1871, the Surgeon General of the United States---the nation's "chief health educator"---has overseen and guided the health of Americans. Charged with overseeing the U.S. Public Health Service, the Surgeon General is appointed by the President and approved by Congress for a four-year term. According to the official website of the Surgeon General, this individual's duties include, but are not limited, to:

• Protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public's health
• Articulate scientifically based health policy analysis and advice to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the full range of critical public health, medical, and health system issues facing the nation
• Provide leadership in promoting special Departmental health initiatives, e.g., tobacco and HIV prevention efforts, with other governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestically and internationally
• Administer the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, which is a uniquely expert, diverse, flexible, and committed career force of public health professionals who can respond to both current and long-term health needs of the Nation
• Provide leadership and management oversight for PHS Commissioned Corps involvement in Departmental emergency preparedness and response activities
• Elevate the quality of public health practice in the professional disciplines through the advancement of appropriate standards and research priorities, and
• Fulfill statutory and customary departmental representational functions on a wide variety of federal boards and governing bodies of non-Federal health organizations, including the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the National Library of Medicine, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the American Medical Association.

From a nurse's perspective, what is missing from the Surgeon General's overall equation is the more robust input of a nurse who would serve more as an equal to the Surgeon General in terms of his or her ability to effect and implement healthcare policy in the interest of the American people. At this time, the U.S. Public Health Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) serves as Assistant Surgeon General, representing the Surgeon General's interests and opinions, and otherwise working in a subjugated role that the medical community might deem fit for a nurse.

The goal of the organizations and individuals behind the drive for an Office of the National Nurse is "to elevate and enhance the Office of the PHS Chief Nurse to bring more visibility to the critical role nursing occupies in promoting, protecting, and advancing the nation's health."

The proposed role of the National Nurse would be to:

• Assist in the initiation of a nationwide cultural shift to prevention.
• Bolster efforts to focus the public on healthy living.
• Intensify roles for nurses, including students and retirees, in community health promotion.
• Provide greater support to the Surgeon General in calling for improvements in health literacy and reduction in health disparities.
• Encourage all nurses to spread prevention messages in their communities.
• Encourage participation of nurses in Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units.
• Provide leadership to network with existing volunteer health promotion efforts.
• Strengthen linkages with providers, nursing programs, and public health leadership.
• Serve as a visible national spokesperson for professional nursing.
• Increase public awareness of nursing roles and contributions.
• Enhance nursing recruitment and education throughout all communities.
• Support and justify additional funding for nursing education, research and service.

The National Nurse would work to slow the growth of preventable diseases; promote health awareness, increase health literacy, and reduce health disparities; promote health careers and increased resources; enhance visibility and public recognition of nursing.

It is the opinion of many involved in the call for the establishment of the Office of the National Nurse that it is time for nursing to have a seat at the nation's healthcare table. While some might argue that the aforementioned Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Department of Public Health already adequately fulfills that role, most still see that role as one of subservience to the Surgeon General rather than one of professional equality. Just as nurses are rarely consulted by the media for their expert opinions vis-a-vis the various challenges faced by the nation and its beleaguered healthcare system, the government also fails to fully utilize nursing's unique and crucial input to the fullest extent possible, in the interest of the health and well-being of the American people.

The establishment of the Office of the National Nurse would set a new standard for a more accurate and realistic recognition of nursing's importance to health and healthcare in the United States. If the federal government enthusiastically and publicly embraced nursing, making its crucial contributions crystal clear, perhaps the public, the media and the private sector would all then have a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the multitudinous ways in which nursing impacts the health of millions of Americans.

Most importantly, however, the establishment of this office would certainly bring an important voice even more strongly to the ongoing conversation about health and health care in America. A National Nurse could, in effect, deliver a unified message of preventive health at a time when millions of Americans---including millions of children---live without health insurance or access to regular primary care. At a time of crisis and uncertainty vis-a-vis the health of the country, the Office of the National Nurse could very well be a welcome, stabilizing and empowering voice of reason and prevention.

I fully support the drive to establish such an office, and hold out hope that a new administration will recognize nursing's contributions to the health of the nation, and give thoughtful consideration to an idea whose time has come.