A National Nurse to Help Reform Health Care?

It has been proposed that an Office of a National Nurse be established in Washington. The National Nurse would be empowered to lead an army of nurses into a national campaign of disease prevention and health education.

How did the idea for a National Nurse get started?

The National Nurse initiative was started by a nursing instructor and Nurse Practitioner in Oregon named Terri Mills (though we have the same last name, we are not related). Teri has worked tirelessly to promote the establishment of the Office of a National Nurse and has enlisted the support of a wide range of nursing organizations. Click here to see a list.

But if the initiative is to succeed it needs popular support by the public (and that’s where you come in). If you agree a National Nurse would be a good thing, click here and sign the petition, then forward it on to family and friends to sign.

What would the goals of a National Nurse be?

The goal of the National Nurse would be to lead a massive disease prevention effort across the country and help shift the health care system from a culture of “sick” care to a culture of prevention and “health” care.

America already has a Doctor – the Surgeon General. The National Nurse would work in collaboration with the Surgeon General enlisting an army of nurses who would carry the mission and message of prevention and self-education to local communities and individuals. You can get much more information about exactly how this would be carried out at the National Nurse website.

Who would the National Nurse be?

The idea is to have Congress formally bestow a new and singular title of National Nurse on the current Chief Nurse Officer of the United States Public Health Service. (That position is currently only part time and does not carry the stature, authority or public recognition a National Nurse would).

Why do we need a National Nurse?

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are epidemic. Chronic conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are common. Millions of us struggle with behaviors such as smoking, lack of exercise and poor nutrition. Most of these problems are preventable and all of them are controllable – but you have to know what you are doing. We all need to learn to take better care of ourselves, but there are too many students and not enough teachers.

As a new kind of health leader, a National Nurse will put nursing’s patient-centered, patient-empowering care to work against chronic disease. This would fill a critical gap that currently exists in our health care system.

Once again, here’s a link where you can sign a petition calling for Congress to enact legislation to create the Office of a National Nurse.

And please share your comments and thoughts about the National Nurse idea. Is this something you support?

This information is offered for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or treat. For that please seek direct care from a health professional.

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