Nurses Serving in Congress: Health Care Policy Discussion

Option 1:

a) First Registered Nurse Elected to Congress

The first registered nurse elected to Congress was Eddie Bernice Johnson, who was elected to the House in 1992. Johnson’s groundbreaking achievement opened the door for nursing professionals to have direct representation in federal legislative processes, bringing invaluable healthcare expertise to Capitol Hill.

(b) State Affiliation

Eddie Bernice Johnson represented Texas’s 30th congressional district and served from 1993 to 2023. Her representation of this Texas district allowed her to advocate for both state-specific and national healthcare initiatives throughout her distinguished career.

(c) Policy Contributions

     One of Johnson’s most significant policy contributions was her co-sponsorship of the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act. The FAAN Act was introduced on August 4, 2020, by Representative Lauren Underwood and Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, the only two nurses serving in Congress at the time. This legislation represented a historic investment in nursing education, investing $1 billion to support nursing education during public health challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and providing resources to boost student and faculty populations, support educational programming, modernize infrastructure and support partnerships and research.

     Eddie Bernice Johnson’s career exemplifies the vital role that nurses can play in shaping healthcare policy. Her background as a psychiatric nurse at the Dallas VA hospital provided her with firsthand experience of the challenges facing both healthcare providers and patients. This clinical expertise translated into her legislative work, where she consistently championed evidence-based healthcare policies and advocated for the nursing profession. Johnson’s work on the FAAN Act demonstrates how nurse legislators can address systemic issues in healthcare education and workforce development, ultimately improving patient care outcomes across the nation.

     The impact of having nurses in Congress extends beyond individual policy initiatives. Johnson’s presence in the House of Representatives for three decades provided a professional nursing voice in debates about healthcare reform, public health emergencies, and medical research funding. Her dual perspective as both a healthcare provider and policymaker enabled her to bridge the gap between clinical practice and legislative action. President Biden noted that her leadership was “crucial” in passing the CHIPS and Science Act, demonstrating how nursing expertise can contribute to diverse policy areas beyond traditional healthcare legislation. Johnson’s legacy continues to inspire nurses to pursue leadership roles in public policy, ensuring that the nursing profession’s values of patient advocacy and evidence-based practice remain central to healthcare policy discussions.

References:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2024, February 9). AACN applauds the reintroduction of the FAAN Act in Congress. AACN News. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/all-news/aacn-applauds-the-reintroduction-of-the-faan-act-in-congress

Chief Healthcare Executive. (2024, January 3). First registered nurse elected to Congress, Eddie Bernice Johnson remembered as a trailblazer. Chief Healthcare Executive. https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/first-registered-nurse-elected-to-congress-eddie-bernice-johnson-remembered-as-a-trailblazer