I wish that the American Nurses Association (ANA) would support the national nurse movement (In the News, "The Campaign for a National Nurse," December 2006). While we need to support nurses who are the profession's advocates, what we really need are new nurses. A visible, articulate national nurse would facilitate nursing recruitment through television appearances and radio announcements and encourage people to enter the profession.

There is room for everyone to advance the nursing profession. However, working behind the scenes, as the ANA seems to do, isn't enough to attract college students who might be unaware of the ANA's activities in Washington but could relate to a national nurse who encouraged them to enter the profession. I'm not sure what the ANA, or other nursing leadership groups, are afraid of. We can only benefit from having a national spokesperson.

Kim McAllister, ASN, RN

Hayward, CA