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It was dark and cold, but at 5 a.m. there was already more traffic than usual for that hour. I entered the Metro with my companions: My host's son, who had arrived in Washington from his college in Connecticut, and his two friends, who had driven from Georgia. We were converging with almost two million others to witness the historic Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Twenty minutes later, I emerged from the subway into a surreal scene: Buildings lit by high-powered floodlights; streetlights still casting their sodium-vapor glow; police directing traffic at every corner; and most striking of all; crowds of people streaming in both directions on the sidewalks, moving peacefully, bundled against the 20-degree air and even colder wind chill, smiling, joking, talking, and warmly acknowledging their common goal to be present for this exciting occasion. It was 5:30 a.m. The illuminated Capitol dome blazed in the pre-dawn hour with a waning crescent moon nearby. I reached one of the entry points for the parade route, having worked my way past a four-block line of purple ticket holders. They would be among the lucky ones who got to the Capitol grounds. Not all of the ticket holders managed to pass through before the Inauguration started. But I was especially lucky. By 7 a.m., the pale blue sky revealed only a few clouds, and I no longer had to fight the cold; I didn’t have to wait in the long line. I was carrying a badge that gave me access to a building on Constitution Avenue, on the parade route. I was soon indoors, on the 7th floor, overlooking the Capitol; enjoying a scrumptious breakfast and lunch buffet; watching the Inauguration activities through the windows and on the large screens displayed in the rented office suite; and toasting the new President with a glass of bubbly. I owed my good fortune to the American Nurses Association Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC), which invited me to DC because of my longtime support of ANA-PAC, and my role as an advocate for nursing in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. ANA-PAC was established to promote the improvement of the health care system in the United States by raising funds from thousands of CMA (Constituent Member Associations) members like you and me, and by contributing those funds to support worthy candidates for federal office, candidates who have demonstrated their belief in the legislative and regulatory agenda of the American Nurses Association. In the 2007-2008 election cycle, ANA-PAC endorsed 103 Democrat, Republican and Independent candidates for Federal Office. This endorsement represents the ANA's highest seal of approval. At the Inauguration Day celebration, it was my honor to meet many of the ANA nurses who were responsible for the rigorous process of deciding whom to endorse. They included Rebecca Patton, RN, MSN, CNOR (Ohio), ANA President; Lori Lioci, MSN, FNP-C, NP-C (Alabama), ANA-PAC Board of Trustees Vice Chair; Anne McNamara, PhD, RN (Arizona), ANA Board Past-Treasurer; Barbara Thoman Curtis, RN (Florida), founder of the first nursing political action committee in the nation and then of what would become ANA-PAC; Pat Messmer, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN (Florida), ANA-PAC Board of Trustees Secretary; and Rose Gonzalez, MPS, RN, ANA Director of Government Affairs. It was a brilliant day. In the distance: The West Front of the Capitol where the oath of office was administered; the twinkling of the jewels on Aretha Franklin's hat; the crowd on the Mall; the security personnel on the roofs. In the foreground: the military Honor Guard—Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard— lining Constitution Avenue and saluting the motorcades as they arrived at the Capitol from the White House and as they carried the new President back towards Pennsylvania Avenue; the surging spectators, arriving for hours on end; the circling helicopters. Inside: A sense of marvel, matching the mood on the Mall. On the roof-top terrace of our building: A bird's eye view of the parade. Thank goodness for ski pants and hand warmers. ANA-PAC not only gave me entry to this wonderful location from which to watch the Inauguration, but it also waved its wand and produced a ticket to the Illinois State Society Inaugural Gala, held the evening before the Inauguration at a large downtown hotel. Picture, if you can, a reception and dinner for 1500 people, with fabulous food and generous drinks, followed by dancing for perhaps 3000 more; several ballrooms, many bands and orchestras; and of course, a couple of thousand spectacular gowns. If a pumpkin and mice had conveyed me to Washington, it would not have been more magical. And who did I meet at the ball? A dynamic group of activist nurses like me, several of whom I would see the next day at the Inaugural viewing. Sharing the ANA gala table were Sara Jarrett, EdD, RN (Colorado), Chair of the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees, Mary Behrens, MSN, RN, FNP-C (Wyoming), ANA-PAC Treasurer; Linda Gural, RN, CCRN (New Jersey), ANA Board of Trustees; Patrick Voight, RN, BSN, MSA, CNOR, AORN President-Elect, along with Barbara Thoman Curtis, Pat Messmer, and Anne McNamara. We were also joined by Michelle Artz, MA, ANA Chief Associate Director of Government Affairs. Their CVs are impressive. So were their moves on the dance floor. Yes, I was lucky. But all of us who are nurses are lucky. We are lucky to be members of a profession that enjoys high public trust and that makes a critical contribution to the health of the nation. I've been a long-time supporter of ANA-PAC because I strongly believe that nursing's voice must be heard in Washington to advocate for affordable, accessible, coordinated healthcare and for the availability of professional nurses to help deliver that care. The nursing leaders I met in Washington are among the thousands of nurses working at organizational, community, state, and national levels to improve care. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, we are all nurses seeking the best for our profession and our patients. The work that ANA-PAC does on the Hill is vital to ensure that issues facing nurses are front and center. Although my experiences in DC weren’t typical by any means, they have solidified my belief that ANA-PAC deserves the support of every nurse. President Obama has challenged each of us to help bring about change we can believe in. For ANA, on behalf of the profession and the public, this means advocating for Nursing Voice (bringing all our knowledge and experience to the table); Nursing Workforce Development and Deployment (attracting and retaining practitioners and faculty); Full Utilization of Nursing Skill and Education (removing barriers to practice); and Safe Staffing (promoting patient safety). These are changes I believe in. ANA-PAC and President Obama have inspired me to do more to bring about these changes. I hope they inspire you, too. nurse. | ||