ANA advocates for critical RN representation on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Vermont Nurse Connection, May-July, 2008

SILVER SPRINGS, MD--In advance of a series of regional hearings being convened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to discuss the objectives for "Healthy People 2020," the American Nurses Association (ANA) is calling for representation of the nursing profession and nursing community on the HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020. The advisory committee is charged with developing a vision and a plan for improving the nation's health by the year 2020.

"The Advisory Committee is comprised of several distinguished physicians, academicians, and health administrators. However, the failure to appoint a representative from the single-largest health profession--which is at the forefront of health promotion and disease prevention--represents a failure to recognize both the crucial role that nurses play as well as the need to integrate nurses into any health promotion and disease objectives and plans, and send the wrong message to the nursing and public health communities," said Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR, President, ANA.

ANA urges its members to call upon HHS to name a registered nurse to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 through the federal government's public comment Web site, http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/comments/default.asp.> Comments received through this site by May 1, 2008 will be reported at the June 2008 meeting of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020.

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