A Message From the Chief Nurse
Nurses,
There has been much activity this past month as we continue our renewal as the protectors of the Nation’s health. Here are some updates to keep you informed.
Policy Update
President Bush announced the Administration's efforts to advance the cause of Social Justice in the Western Hemisphere. New initiatives include a partnership with HHS and DOD to provide health care to Latin America via the USNS Comfort. The mission involves visits to 12 countries from mid June to mid October. There will be a need for 8 nurses to be part of the mission. The deployments will be approximately 1 month. A similar mission of about the same size, duration, and time period also is being planned for the western Pacific. This is for your information only. A call for volunteers will be forthcoming though the Agencies.
Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu announced his call to action on underage drinking (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/). He laid out recommendations for government and school officials, parents, and others to stop America's 11 million current underage drinkers from using alcohol, and to keep other young people from engaging in this activity.
The Secretary has signed the Commissioned Corps Directive on Accommodation of Religious Practices. The Department values the rights of officers to observe their respective religions. The policy defines the process for approval of requests for accommodation when these do not compromise our mission.
A new working integrated policy team was established to address revisions to our uniform policy. Nurses working on this initiative are LTJG Kyle Lyons, LCDR Sherry McReynolds, LCDR Veda Perkins, and LT Linda Lea.
Nursing Leadership and Outreach
I was invited to meet with Congresswoman Lois Capp (D-CA) on March 8 to brief her on the role of the Chief Nurse Officer, USPHS and to inform her concerning her policy initiative to establish an Office of the National Nurse. I was accompanied by OSG Chief of Staff, a rep from HHS legislative office and the PAC Chair CAPT David Kelly. Our meeting went very well and we shared the important role of nurses in public health. She appreciated receiving our nursing coin.
I celebrated the accomplishments of PHS and Civil service nurses at CDC in a nurse recognition ceremony in Atlanta on March 19. The CDC Director, Dr Julie Gerberding joined me in the presentation of individual and group Chief Nurse Officer Awards. Dr Gerberding expressed her value of the work of nurses and appreciated receiving our nurse category coin. I applaud the work of Pat Drehobl and Beth Stover, the nurses who facilitated the event and champion the work of using nurses to extend the public health mission of HHS to the grassroots of our nation and the globe.
A report by Alliance for Health Reform indicated quality improvement programs could achieve even better results if they paid more attention to the contribution of nurses. Efforts to develop standards and incorporate nursing into pay-for-performance reward programs can be found in a 2 page report at www.allhealth.org/publications/Quality_of_care/Rewarding_Quality_Performance_Nursing_51.pdf
I attended a meeting of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties to address competencies for advanced practice nurses in emergency preparedness and all hazards response. An education stakeholder’s panel made significant progress towards developing competencies using recommendations from HRSA. CAPTs Lynn Slepski and Roberta Lavin and CDR Michelle Pointdexter attended this meeting with me and offered outstanding leadership to the panel.
I also met with the American College of Nurse Midwives to discuss partnership opportunities and education initiatives. CAPT Sheila Mahoney was our nurse midwife representative. The American College of Nurse-Midwives has been working to highlight the special contributions of their members in the uniformed services. A new web page has been launched to salute midwives in uniform: http://www.midwife.org/about.cfm?id=996 and a Uniformed Services Committee has been established. It would be wonderful to see more members of the Commissioned Corps on the web page!
Transformation
The Commissioned Corps’ public awareness campaign has begun and new recruitment ads and exhibits are being implemented. A new design for the PHS web site and the electronic call to active duty is expected to be available in April. The work redesign for the PHS recruitment processes is also progressing and will include a call center with web site information resources. We anticipate that the role of the associate nurse recruiter in following up with potential nurse applicants will be emphasized. I also ask each of you to embrace the responsibility that “every nurse is a recruiter”.
CAPT David Rutstein, MD, MPH, was appointed as the Director of the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD), Office of the Surgeon General. CAPT Rutstein will oversee the readiness and response activities of over 5,900 active duty officers and the over 118,000 volunteers of the Medical Reserve Corps.
I remind you to maintain your readiness status; it is a matter of law for all officers. The issue of Corps readiness reached prominence when the Pandemic All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) was signed into law by the President on December 19, 2006. Section 203A requires that members of the Corps who fail to meet or maintain the readiness requirements be subject to disciplinary action as prescribed by the Secretary.
Congratulations to the 82 nurses who qualified for the Field Medical Readiness Badge this quarter. OFRD will process these awards and assess on a quarterly basis those who meet the qualifications. This change in approach eliminates the need to submit a request/packet as in the past.
I attended a Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication training session for Senior Health Officials on March 16. A key message was that in crisis situations individuals process information differently. Empathy, accuracy, credibility and honesty are critical to our communications with all.
Comment
Spring is upon us and symbolizes the beginning of new life in nature. I am reminded of the life that each of you brings to those you serve. As nurses you symbolize new beginnings for many who suffer in the shadows of illness, injury and vulnerability. May you also focus on personal renewal and new beginnings in your own journey through springtime. We have much to do and our Nation needs you! Thank you for the gift of hope and the promise of health that you bring to others.
Carol A. Romano, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Surgeon General
Chief Nurse Officer, US Public Health Service
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