By Christina Orlovsky, senior staff writer
For the past two years, Teri Mills, RN, a nurse practitioner
with 32 years of nursing experience, has been batting around the idea of a
national spokesperson for the profession she so respects. In May, Mills’
idea went public, thanks to an op-ed piece, titled “America’s Nurse,” published
in the New York Times. In the past six months since Mills talked, America has
been listening.
“It was the third-most e-mailed story from the New York Times
in the first 24 hours of printing,” said Mills, who is currently a nurse
educator at Portland Community College, in Portland, Oregon. “It probably has
nothing to do with me, but rather America’s love for its nurses.”
Mills is counting on this national admiration for the nursing
profession to help advance her cause: the appropriation of a bill calling for
the appointment of a National Nurse office, a role that would work hand in hand
with the United States Surgeon General and Department of Health and Human
Services to educate the American public on prevention and wellness and, in turn,
improve the health of our nation.
Appointed by the president, the National Nurse, per Mills’
description, would be the “spokesperson for the nursing profession.” Mills does
not see herself in the role.
“It would be someone with experience working on the national
level in public health—not me,” she said. “This person may even already exist in
the government and just needs a title to be tweaked.”
The National Nurse would appoint an expert nurse as a policy
advisor. Together, they would make a public address each week on ways for the
American public to stay well. They would raise awareness about disease and
prevention and organize public screenings for epidemic diseases like diabetes.
They would also offer the opportunity for all nurses nationwide to volunteer for
a National Nurse Corps, which would “organize activities to enhance the health
of people in their communities.”
When asked if she believes the Office of the National Nurse
will ever come to fruition, Mills answered in the affirmative.
“I don’t think it’s impossible or improbable—we certainly have
the need,” she said.
Indeed, others—not only in the profession, but also in
government positions—seem to agree. Shortly after the op-ed was published, a
congressman from Mills’ state of Oregon, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, made her New York
Times piece part of the Congressional Record. This move caught the attention of
the three nurses in Congress, and a month later, Mills flew to Washington, D.C.,
to meet with fellow nurse Rep. Lois Capps of California, who expressed interest
in writing a bill. Mills sent Capps the details of her bill and is currently
awaiting further action.
Still, she remains hopeful as momentum and support grows among
organizations across the country, including teachers associations and the
American Association of Community Colleges.
Plus, “it is really catching the imagination of nurses around
the country,” she added.
Having a nurse in a high-ranking government position only
makes sense, Mills explained.
“Who are the most-trusted professionals? Nurses,” she said.
“Why don’t we get a nurse up front and center and stop talking about and
studying all the problems we have with our health care system? It’s a disaster,
but we can stand up as nurses and do something about it.”
As nurses, Mills believes it’s a professional and moral
obligation to also be advocates for the health of our society.
“We teach political activism to our nursing students,” she
added. “It’s so important that we all start standing up for our patients,
because as nurses, we are the front line of health care.”
For more information about Mills’ cause, visit the National Nurse Web site.
© 2005. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved.