AACN is widely recognized as a trusted source for legislators shaping healthcare and higher education policy. Our organization has taken strategic steps to ensure that nurses - with their unique body of knowledge and power to influence – are working to shape policy at the highest levels. One area where our leadership is having a significant impact is with the Ad Hoc Nomination Consortium.

Last June, AACN learned that Dr. Betty Rambur with the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing was appointed Vice Chair of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent, nonpartisan agency that advises the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. Dr. Rambur, who was awarded AACN’s 2024 Policy Luminary Award, is one of few nurses to ever serve on MedPAC, giving the profession a leading role in shaping national policies affecting the health of older adults and people with disabilities.

AACN was particularly pleased to see this appointment given our role as the creator and convener of the Ad Hoc Nomination Consortium, a coalition of 22 national nursing organizations committed to nominating qualified nursing professionals to federal councils, taskforces, and committees. Since the Consortium’s founding in 2018, nearly 190 nurses have been nominated to serve on a wide variety of advisory bodies, councils, and committees.

In 2020, the Nomination Consortium advanced Dr. Rambur as a strong candidate to serve on MedPAC, and she was appointed as Commission member. Over the past 5 years, she has been instrumental in educating her fellow Commissioners on the role of nursing in payment models. In addition, the Consortium has placed other nurses in key national advisory roles, including:

• Dr. Christopher Friese, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
• Lauren Hardin, Physician Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee
• Dr. Catherine Ivory, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Dr. M. Lindell Joseph, National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice
• Dr. Kimberly Olszewski, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

AACN is fully engaged in leading the work of the Ad Hoc Nomination Consortium by using a step-by-step approach, which includes:

• Identifying potential candidates for nomination and gathering application materials, including a nomination letter.
• Sending candidate nomination letters and CVs to the Consortium for additional sign-ons.
• Submitting all application materials to the committee and notifying the candidate once submitted.
• Maintaining contact with each candidate throughout the process to provide updates and ensure candidates feel supported.

Nominating nurses to serve in high-profile appointments is a priority for AACN given the opportunity this provides nursing to advise on critical policies related to workforce development, reimbursement, and public health preparedness, among many others. As new opportunities arise, AACN will alert members through our newsletters, including Policy Watch, on the website, and via our social media channels.

Members looking to serve the profession in this capacity are encouraged to reach out to AACN staff (abryant@aacnnursing.org) stating your interest and outlining your areas of expertise. AACN is committed to working with our colleagues in the Consortium to ensure nurses are well-positioned to influence policy impacting patient care quality, safety, and access.