Eddie Bernice Johnson was the first nurse practitioner elected to Congress and is about to begin her 14th term in the state’s 30th congressional district. When she was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, she had already been holding a public position and was pursuing a vocation that had its roots in involvement during the Civil Rights Movement (Jones and Winegarten). Her experience was helpful in the campaign to enact the Affordable Care Act. Johnson has participated in groups addressing critical infrastructure, technology, research, the environment, and transportation issues. She is now working on legislation to provide retraining programs for transportation employees who would be replaced when more autonomous cars are used, which is one of her lobbying initiatives.
The National Association of School Nurses’ board of directors is chaired by Lynne Meadows. Every year, officials of school nurses from all 50 states congregate on Capitol Hill to discuss with lawmakers the topics they see as most important. Her activism has focused primarily on ensuring the Children’s Health Insurance Program’s long-term viability (Haynie et al., 2017). She wants school nurses to understand that educating the public about the importance of their position is a part of their advocacy duty. Future advancements might be influenced by recent modifications in nurse practice education standards. As more nurses obtain terminal degrees, they will develop the leadership and communication skills necessary to have a significant impact on nursing and healthcare.
Karen Mercereau accompanies a patient to a physician’s appointment; she often comes armed with two lists of questions. Mercereau started Tucson-based RN Patient Advocates to help fill the gaps in help patients need in times of short appointment times, low literacy levels, and increasing medical errors (Laprade and Murphy, 2017). Mercereau’s ultimate goal is to educate and support patients and give them the tools they need to help them engage in their own healthcare so that they are confident and knowledgeable in asking the right questions and making the right choices for themselves.
References
Haynie, K. M., Mauter, E., Lindahl, B., Simons-Major, K., Meadows, L., & Maughan, E. D. (2017). The role of school nursing in telehealth. Position statement. National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
Jones, N. B., & Winegarten, R. (2021). Eddie Bernice Johnson. In Capitol Women. University of Texas Press. pp. 169-173.
Laprade, P., & Murphy, D. (2017). Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women’s Wrestling. ECW press.