People with travel nursing jobs know that they play an important role in promoting public health, and soon they may have someone to officially look up to in this quest. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Congresswoman and registered nurse, introduced the bipartisan National Nurse Act of 2013 on February 4, 2013, and already the bill has garnered support from fellow public servants, physicians, travel nurses and the general public.
Here is what a travel nurse should know about the bill and its effect on the profession.
The bill
At its core, the new bill would designate a nurse to serve as the Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service, a position designed to complement the Surgeon General. The duties of the "National Nurse for Public Health" would include promoting health education, improving healthcare literacy and reducing inequalities in access to healthcare.
"As the first registered nurse in Congress, I know from experience how nurses play a critical role in health promotion and disease prevention," said Johnson.
Chief Nurse Office
The new national nurse position will be filled by the Chief Nurse Office of the U.S. Public Health Service, an existing body dedicated to promoting health initiatives through the government. The current CNO, Kerry Paige Nessler, a former director of the Office of Global Health Affairs, will help midwife this new position into existence. With the new bill in place, Nessler and her colleagues will be able to pick a specific nurse to fulfill and extend these obligations.
An ounce of prevention
According to Johnson, the National Nurse for Public Health's main duty will be to promote prevention, especially among underserved citizens.
"Just as nurses and physicians work together to care for patients, so should they collaborate to promote health," she told the Columbia Journalism Review. "The National Nurse for Public Health would support and expand on the work of the Surgeon General, while helping it to reach a wider audience."
By supplying the Surgeon General with a specific partner, Johnson hopes that the bill will help give voice to nurses across the country and help them preach the values of prevention and regular healthcare.
Importance for travel nurses
The new bill is an important step for all nurses, including travel nurses. When travel nurses join a new team as part of an assignment, they are responsible for providing consistent and high-quality care to a new set of patients. Having a vocal figurehead in the federal government can help travel nurses achieve this goal and better understand their mission to their patients and the cause of public health.