National Nurse Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the position of National Nurse for Public Health within the Office of the Surgeon General. Includes among the duties of such position providing leadership and coordination of Public Health Service nursing professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and other agencies of the Public Health Service, conducting media campaigns, and providing guidance and leadership for activities that will increase public safety and emergency preparedness.
Requires the National Nurse for Public Health to: (1) participate in identification of national health priorities, (2) encourage volunteerism of nurses and strengthen the relationship between government agencies and health-related national organizations, and (3) promote the dissemination of evidence-based practice in educating the public on health promotion and disease prevention activities.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1119 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1119
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the position of
National Nurse for Public Health.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 16, 2011
Mr. Weiner (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, Ms.
Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Olver, Ms. Norton, Mr. Blumenauer,
and Mr. Honda) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the position of
National Nurse for Public Health.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Nurse Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL NURSE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
Title XVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 1711. NATIONAL NURSE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
``(a) Establishment.--
``(1) In general.--There is established within the Office
of the Surgeon General a full-time position, to be filled by
registered nurse to be known as the National Nurse for Public
Health.
``(2) Procedure.--Except for the initial appointment of the
National Nurse for Public Health under paragraph (3), the
Secretary shall appoint the National Nurse for Public Health in
accordance with Commissioned Corps Instruction CC23.4.6
(relating to Chief Professional Officer Nominations), as in
effect on February 13, 2008.
``(3) Initial appointment.--Not later than 30 days after
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
appoint the individual serving as the Chief Nurse Officer of
the Public Health Service as of the date of the enactment of
this section as the first National Nurse for Public Health.
``(b) Rank and Grade.--The National Nurse for Public Health shall
have the same rank and grade as the Deputy Surgeon General of the
Public Health Service.
``(c) Duties.--The National Nurse for Public Health shall carry out
the following:
``(1) Provide leadership and coordination of Public Health
Service nursing professional affairs for the Office of the
Surgeon General and other agencies of the Public Health
Service, including providing representation for the Government
of the United States at the Global Forum for Government Chief
Nursing and Midwifery Officers and serving as a member of the
Federal Nursing Service Council.
``(2) Represent the Surgeon General and the agencies of
Public Health Service in communications with groups and
societies concerned with nursing issues at the local, State,
national, and international levels.
``(3) Provide guidance and advice to the Surgeon General
and the Nurse Professional Advisory Committee on matters such
as standards, recruitment, retention, readiness, and career
development of nurses employed by and contracted with agencies
of the Public Health Service.
``(4) Conduct media campaigns and make personal appearances
for purposes of paragraphs (5) through (7).
``(5) Provide guidance and leadership for activities to
promote the public health, including encouraging nurses and
other health professionals to be volunteers and developing
projects that educate the public about and engage the public in
prevention practices to achieve better health.
``(6) Provide guidance and leadership to encourage nurses
to engage in furthering their education in order to conduct
nursing research, increase the awareness of evidence-based
practice, and educate future nurses.
``(7) Provide guidance and leadership for activities that
will increase public safety and emergency preparedness.
``(d) National Health Priorities--Healthy People 2020.--
``(1) In general.--The National Nurse for Public Health, in
cooperation with the Surgeon General of the Public Health
Service, heads of the agencies of the Public Health Service,
States, and organizations that represent health professionals,
shall participate in the identification of national health
priorities.
``(2) Addressing national health priorities.--The National
Nurse for Public Health, in addressing national health
priorities, shall encourage volunteerism of nurses and other
individuals, and strengthen the relationship between Government
agencies and health-related national organizations.
``(3) Community-based projects.--
``(A) Implementation.--In addressing national
health priorities, the National Nurse for Public Health
shall--
``(i) provide guidance and coordination on
recommended activities to organizations;
``(ii) acknowledge successful programs and
encourage their replication;
``(iii) promote the dissemination of
evidence-based practice in educating the public
on health promotion and disease prevention
activities;
``(iv) encourage practicing nurses and
other health professionals, including retired
health professionals and students enrolled in
health professional programs, to participate in
health promotion activities and replicate
successful health promotion activities; and
``(v) monitor activities being conducted
through the collection and evaluation of data
to determine if national health priorities are
being addressed.
``(B) Media campaigns.--The National Nurse for
Public Health shall ensure that media campaigns
conducted under subsection (c)(4) include media
campaigns regarding the national health priorities.
``(C) Evaluations.--The National Nurse for Public
Health shall, directly or through awards of grants or
contracts, evaluate the activities encouraged by the
National Nurse for Public Health and conducted by
community-based, nonprofit organizations to determine
the extent to which such activities have succeeded in
carrying out national health priorities.
``(D) Dissemination of information.--The National
Nurse for Public Health shall disseminate information
to governmental agencies, schools, and community-based,
nonprofit organizations interested in health promotion
and improving public health through community action.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For carrying out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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