By Kayleen Schenk
UNM’s Nurse Educator to be First Ever from NM on National Council
New Mexico nursing education now has a promising opportunity for positive representation in national and state policymaking.
The University of New Mexico College of Nursing’s Barbara Damron, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, has been appointed to the American Association of College of Nursing Health Policy Advisory Council (AACN HPAC). This will be the first time New Mexico has been specifically represented on this council.
“I want to represent New Mexico well and ensure our state’s cultural and geographical specifics are heard and served. I hope The University of New Mexico, the state’s nursing workforce and our nurses’ patients will all benefit from having someone with their best interests in mind in legislation,” Damron says.
Many other sectors of health care have had a long-standing and regular presence in federal and state policy for academics. Health care disciplines like medicine, pharmacy and biomedical science see a lot of attention from legislators and receive the support and funding necessary to enact change. Damron hopes that having experienced nurse educators and policymakers on the AACN HPAC will create an influential presence for nursing academics – specifically, for diverse, rural and underrepresented states like New Mexico.
My goal is to bring New Mexico and UNM’s voice to this council, because diversity doesn’t just define our communities and patients, it defines our students.
“My goal is to bring New Mexico and UNM’s voice to this council, because diversity doesn’t just define our communities and patients, it defines our students. We educate diverse students with specific curriculum requirements that properly prepare them to treat our populations. This must be spoken for in policymaking,” Damron continues.
The AACN HPAC’s overall objectives are to provide strategic guidance for the health policy department on a federal level, identify contemporary and emerging policies that impact academic nursing and review policy regarding AACN’s position. Damron and her fellow academic nursing colleagues joining the council will use their term to pursue these objectives and a more robust representation for nursing within legislation.