The First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), Mrs. Michelle Obama, held a nurse-only conference call today specific to the Affordable Care Act. She expressed her gratitude to nurses for stepping in and being change when needed, such as now. She also briefly discussed provisions outlined within the health care reform legislation. Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and highest ranking nurse within the US government, spoke about the Health and Human Services’ recently announced $320 million to expand the primary care workforce, of which a substantial portion focuses on nursing. While I’ve still felt other specifics of the Act have been unclear, Dr. Wakefield directed nurses to www.HealthCare.gov for patient education of the legislation; I found it very helpful.

Dr. Wakefield spoke about the nursing faculty shortage, of which the new funding will help fill the gap, as well. However, I was stunned to learn that only 13 percent of nurses in the US have a graduate degree, and only 12 percent of those nurses are faculty. I suppose I always thought the number of master’s prepared nurses was greater, and I sure thought a larger percentage of those nurses held nursing faculty positions.

Overall, the call is summed up in one amazingly wonderful concept: prevention. Nurses excel at prevention, so it’s no wonder the Obama Administration is focusing on bolstering our nation’s nursing workforce. No matter your political opinion of the Affordable Care Act, one thing is clear – it is good for nursing and nurses. And what is good for us invariably impacts those we serve daily.

Whether or not you were on the call today, what are your thoughts of the call and the Affordable Care Act’s impact on nursing?