I agree with American Nurses Association (ANA) president Rebecca M. Patton "that these are indeed difficult times for the largest single group of health care professionals in the United States" (Letters, April). Yet I'm dumbfounded that the ANA has not embraced the movementto endorse the Office of the National Nurse. As a 22-year member, I am appalled that the ANA, which professes to speak for me, has not, to my knowledge, surveyed its membership about this issue. Rather, it hides behind its dictum, "the ANA's relevance, commitment, and leadership to the nursing profession remain unquestionable."

Well, I do think there is room for questions. The Office of the National Nurse would elevate the current chief nurse officer of the U.S. Public Health Service to a full-time position, increasing the visibility of the nursing profession and further legitimizing nursing's essential role in preventive care and health care reform. Our nation needs a national nurse, and that is unquestionable.

Sheryl Oakes Caddy, JD, RN

Corvallis, OR