For Dr. Sheldon Fields, improving health outcomes in Black communities requires addressing what happens both inside the doctor's office and on Capitol Hill.
During a conversation with the Black Information Network at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, the president of the National Black Nurses Association discussed the intersection of health policy, nursing representation and Black community wellness.
Fields warned about the impact that cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and public health agencies could have on communities already facing significant health disparities. He pointed to Black maternal mortality and the return of preventable diseases like measles as examples of why sustained investment in public health and preventative care matters.
The NBNA represents more than 308,000 Black nurses through over 100 chapters and advocates for policies aimed at addressing health disparities and strengthening the nursing workforce.
Fields highlighted the organization's support for maternal health legislation, including Rep. Lauren Underwood's Momnibus Act, and its efforts to protect funding for nursing research. The organization also brings nurses and nursing students to Capitol Hill each February to advocate on healthcare policy.
Fields also stressed the importance of increasing diversity within nursing, reflecting on his own efforts throughout his career to recruit more men of color and non-traditional candidates into the profession.
He also honored the legacy of the late Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a nurse who represented Texas in Congress for 30 years before Rep. Jasmine Crockett succeeded her in the state's 30th Congressional District.
NBNA is continuing Johnson's legacy through its Eddie Bernice Johnson Health Equity Policy Scholars Institute, which trains nurses to become advocates and leaders in health policy.
Ultimately, Fields argued that the U.S. healthcare system needs to shift from what he described as a reactive "sick-care" model toward a proactive "well-care" approach centered on prevention.
Listen to the full conversation below.
For more of our interviews from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 55th Annual Legislative Conference, check out Our Voices!
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