NursingLink

Since this forum is for nurses who want to change the world, I want to be sure you all are aware of a very important effort going on right now.  A small group of concerned nurses have been working hard to create an Office of a National Nurse.  The role of this highly visible nurse would be to spearhead a cultural shift in our nation to focus on prevention.  Nurses know how important prevention is...and know the positive outcomes that can be accomplished.   Nurses are trusted by the public, they have skills to help people make changes in their behaviors.  The National Nurse supporters think that these facts make nurses a logical group to generate and lead more prevention efforts at the local level.  They envision the National Nurse would provide the leadership and guidance to nurses everywhere (including student nurses and retirees) who want to volunteer in their communities to promote prevention activity.  This might be by joining the Medical Reserve Corps, or working with disease specific organizations like the American Cancer Society or the Amercian Heart Association or Diabetic Association.  Many wonderful materials and programs consistent with evidence  based  approaches already exist.... but often lack credible messengers.  Nurses can be those messengers and already have the skills and knowledge to do it  very effectively.  Nurses who volunteer will gain a higher level of personal satisfaction by feeling unified with other nurses and contributing to the health of their community... and they'll enhance the image of nursing and serve as visible role models of the many roles of professional nursing as they work within their community. Youth will see nurses in a new light, as role models for community activism,  as teachers and mentors for community health. Seeing this expanded role of traditional nursing may postitively affect recruitment.  

If this Vision of a National Nurse and campaign for Prevention appeals to you... Please visit the National Nursing Network Organization website at www.nationalnurse.org  See the long list of supporters for this movement... sign up for the newsletter...join the campaign.  Help us make changes that will result in having a National Nurse for Prevention in Washington.  During the current window of opportunity for healthcare reform, the power of nurses can make this happen!  Now is the time.... join us.   Susan Sullivan RN PHN MSN

Susu says ...

Since this forum is for nurses who want to change the world, I want to be sure you all are aware of a very important effort going on right now.  A small group of concerned nurses have been working hard to create an Office of a National Nurse.  The role of this highly visible nurse would be to spearhead a cultural shift in our nation to focus on prevention.  Nurses know how important prevention is...and know the positive outcomes that can be accomplished.   Nurses are trusted by the public, they have skills to help people make changes in their behaviors.  The National Nurse supporters think that these facts make nurses a logical group to generate and lead more prevention efforts at the local level.  They envision the National Nurse would provide the leadership and guidance to nurses everywhere (including student nurses and retirees) who want to volunteer in their communities to promote prevention activity.  This might be by joining the Medical Reserve Corps, or working with disease specific organizations like the American Cancer Society or the Amercian Heart Association or Diabetic Association.  Many wonderful materials and programs consistent with evidence  based  approaches already exist.... but often lack credible messengers.  Nurses can be those messengers and already have the skills and knowledge to do it  very effectively.  Nurses who volunteer will gain a higher level of personal satisfaction by feeling unified with other nurses and contributing to the health of their community... and they'll enhance the image of nursing and serve as visible role models of the many roles of professional nursing as they work within their community. Youth will see nurses in a new light, as role models for community activism,  as teachers and mentors for community health. Seeing this expanded role of traditional nursing may postitively affect recruitment.  

If this Vision of a National Nurse and campaign for Prevention appeals to you... Please visit the National Nursing Network Organization website at www.nationalnurse.org  See the long list of supporters for this movement... sign up for the newsletter...join the campaign.  Help us make changes that will result in having a National Nurse for Prevention in Washington.  During the current window of opportunity for healthcare reform, the power of nurses can make this happen!  Now is the time.... join us.   Susan Sullivan RN PHN MSN

Susu,

Thanks for bringing up this very important topic. I have read about RADM Romano and am in awe of her...I aspire to join the USPHS when my term with the Navy ends. I think that it is very exciting that a nursing will hold  such a prestigous office! I admit, that I have not visited this site since I had heard of it.

I am curious, I did not see an endorsement from ANA. Do you know why they have not stepped up to endorse yet? I will go looking for the answer as well. I assume that there are many who think that this office is unnecessary.

Thank you,

Amy Kovach

 

 

 

Got it, kinda figured it was something to that effect, but didn't know for sure... Thanks, D

susu: sorry I missed this post. I see you put it up 17 days ago. This is good news that you are working so hard on this effort.

annie is a member on here and I am sure that she can give us some feedback on this topic.

chd123 says ...

practitioners.advanceweb.com/Article/National-Nurse-Debate.aspx">nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/Article/National-Nurse-Debate.aspx

OOPS! didn't realize you had to put links in like this...this should work.

I would love any insight she has on this subject...thanks CD!  (May I call you that?)

OK...obviously having issues with the links here, was trying to get away without citing...being tired and lazy! And I forgot how to cite in APA without digging the books out!  Bad Nurse!

www.advanceweb.com

Advance for Nurse Practitioners is the Online Journal, article by Anne Nowlin entitled, " National Nurse Debate"

Thank you very much!

Just reminded me of something my grandmother always said...

You can call me Donna, you can call me Don, you can call me sweetheart, just don't call me late for dinner...

Anyhow, can't wait to hear from her...

How do I feel about a National Nurse (NN)? I feel that we nurses know so much more than we give ourselves credit for. We also know much more than physicians do about certain things. Nursing is a science unto itself. Having said that, there are areas in which nurses should not tread and we have to make sure NOT to step over the nurse practice acts of our states.

I feel that a NN is an idea who's time has come; not gone, but should be given serious thought right now. I see that best use of a NN as a nurse to work alongside the Surgeon General to work with his agenda. Given the massive increase in healthcare expenditures (currently at 17%) over some years, many nurses feel that a greater emphasis should be placed on prevention.

Our country spends 95% of it's health care dollar on treating illness, AFTER it's been diagnosed. In comparison, it only spends 5% of that same health care dollar preventing the illness in the first place; the illness which may have dangerous sequellae, financially devastating side effects, and mortality. It needn't be that way.

Nurses have the ability to teach the prevention of illness of disease. Given that in Gallup polls of the last few years people rated nurses as  'top' or first in trust, nurses should 'use' that for the good of their patients.

Besides working with the Surgeon General on the national level with his agenda, the NN would coordinate the states and a nextwork of volunteers (nurses) who would speak at churches, synagogues, libraries on a regular basis (about 3-4 times yearly, or more if they wanted)  about  how to prevent illness. The NN is not an attempt to replace physicians as teachers, or a way to 'become a junior doctor;'  rather, nurses in favor of a NN feel that patients can benefit from receiving teaching in many settings, from physicians, from their nurses, in the hospitals.

A NN would aim first and foremost to educate people on preventing illness, focusing on wellness strategies and teaching patients reachable and realistic goals to achieve their optimum health.

There is currently a movement underway to establish an office of the NN. For more information, please e-mail: teri@nationalnurse.info or visit the NN website at:

nationalnurse.org/

nationalnurse.blogspot.com/

Annie

chd123 says ...

Susu says ...

I am curious, I did not see an endorsement from ANA. Do you know why they have not stepped up to endorse yet? I will go looking for the answer as well. I assume that there are many who think that this office is unnecessary.

Thank you,

Amy Kovach

Amy, About 1 1/2  years ago, a friend of mine was in touch with each state nursing rep and asked their feelings about the National Nurse (NN).  Initially, she was told that this would be a duplication of what the ANA does, but when they were told that the NN would not be 'pushing anyone aside,' rather augmenting the Surgeon General (at that time), ALL were in agreement with the establishment of an office of the NN. 

A bill was introduced into the 109th (?)  Congress by Lois Capps (CA), herself a nurse and received much congressional support. However, the bill was not moved on to the next Congressional session. Since then, there hare been many changes, and language to the bill changed, but the ANA will still not endorse the NN. The organizers are still flying all over the country, but I'll contact Teri (Mills) and ask  her to post her, clarifying what are likely to be misrepresentations.

Thanks, Annie

 

 

I am not now, nor have I ever been a member of ANA.  They have never represented my interests as a nurse and they turned me against them 30 years ago, when they began the push to do away with team nursing and promote primary care. 

Many of my friends and I began  thinking of  a national nurse over 15 years ago, when CNA in California began to talk about it.  We all thought it was a wonderful idea and we all still do.

Susu says ...

• I fear the  ANA's reluctance to support this growing grassroots effort that seems to appeal to nurses across all specialties may be self serving.  I hope I am wrong and that a strong united collaboration will continue to be developed that will result in an unprecedented action by nurses to move this important agenda forward.  Nursing and society deserve no less.   susu

Susu, I feel you're right about the ANA being reluctant, close to recalcitrant about forming a united collaboration. As you say, nurses and society deserve no less. Unfortunately, that is the SAME quote (mildly different verbage) that Michelle Artz gave me when I wrote an article for Teri on the NN for ADVANCE.

Annie