Eric Hinestroza, a second-year nursing student at Ocean County College in Toms River, NJ, was reading up on current events one afternoon last August when he stumbled upon an idea for the Office of the National Nurse. He read, did some research, talked to some people, and quickly fell in love with the idea. Now, just six months later, he's planning to talk about the grassroots campaign to create an Office of the National Nurse during a presentation to his peers on the other side of the country.

"It deals with prevention, awareness, and it brings nursing to the forefront," Hinestroza says about the Office of the National Nurse. "It's a beautiful thing."

Hinestroza, the resolutions director for his state's student nurse organization, will share that message with nursing students from around the country at the National Student Nurse Association's convention in Anaheim in April. Last week, his resolution about creating an Office of the National Nurse (ONN)--which would encourage individuals to enter the nursing profession, encourage nurses to become educators, and promote public health--received unanimous support at his state convention. "My presentation focused on prevention," he says. "That's what I'm going to gear it to in Anaheim."

While Hinestroza is busy working the student nurse angle, Teri Mills, RN, MS, ANP, the creative mind behind the idea, is letting the rest of the country know about the ONN. "Nurses are very concerned about healthcare in this country," Mills says. "We don't have a healthcare system; we have a sick care system in this country. That was really my impetus [for creating this idea]."

So, how did it all start?

In early 2005, Mills, a political activist and a nursing professor at Portland (OR) Community College, decided to write an opinion piece and send it to different newspapers across the country. She heard nothing. Then, one day, she received an email from The New York Times that her article was being published. "After I got over the initial shock, I realized I was off to a great adventure," Mills says.

The adventure garnered the attention of Congresswoman Lois Capps, RN, PHN (D-CA), who proposed HR 4903, "The National Nurse Act," last March. The act will amend the Public Health Service Act to establish an Office of the National Nurse. Other supporters quickly hopped on board. As of December, there were 42 co-sponsors of the bill in the House of Representatives.

"What's happening now is that nurses who are members of their own state legislatures are introducing resolutions to get support," Mills says. "Because it's grassroots, we have many, many people who are doing writing for us. It's gaining momentum."

Articles about the ONN have appeared in more than 60 newspapers, newsletters, and magazines, and several associations and federations, including the American Federation of Teachers, have pledged support.

Mills and everyone behind ONN are hoping the bill gets brought back to the table in the House of Representatives this year. If passed, the office would also house a National Nurse, someone to oversee education and activities focused on prevention and healthy living. Mills says the role would not be filled by her: "I'd want to be on the National Nurse team and help as much as I can, but we'd need someone who has a lot of experience in public health and government."

For now, though, the organization is still focused on raising awareness and support.

"It's time to unite nurses and help the public stay well," Mills says.

Hinestroza, meanwhile, will keep trying to unite the student nurses. If the student nurses pass his resolution in Anaheim, he plans to forward it to Capps and several different representatives in Congress. "We'll forward it to a lot of people," he says.

And is he nervous about a presentation 3,000 miles from home?

"I would say no," he says. "Only because of last week [at the state convention] and how receptive everyone was."

Editor's note: For more information on the National Nurse and to see how you can get involved, visit http://www.nationalnurse.blogspot.com/