The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Applauds the Appointment of
Rear Admiral Susan Orsega as Acting U.S. Surgeon General
First Nurse Practitioner Will Bring Infectious Disease Expertise at Critical Time
New York, NY, Jan. 27, 2021 – The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) congratulates Rear Admiral Susan Orsega, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN as the first nurse practitioner appointed to serve as the nation’s acting U.S. Surgeon General. We thank President Biden for acknowledging the critical role that nurses and advanced practice nurses play in our nation’s health care delivery system by naming Adm. Orsega to serve in this important role as our country faces the ongoing pandemic and the need to improve health care equity.
Adm. Oresga’s experience as an officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Corps and career specializing in infectious diseases makes her a highly qualified leader to serve as the nation’s leading health care professional. Her expertise will aid national COVID-19 response efforts to combat the pandemic which has claimed more than 425,000 lives in the U.S.
“Nurses have been ranked by the American public as the most trusted profession for the last 19 years in a row. How appropriate, as we extend the 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife into 2021, that a nurse practitioner would be appointed to lead national efforts to promote health during the COVID-19 global pandemic,” said NAPNAP President Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN. “Armed with scientific expertise and confidence of the American people, Adm. Orsega will provide excellent care for all placed in her charge as a distinguished, accomplished, and visionary professional nursing leader.”
NAPNAP urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its departments and agencies to continue to appoint, hire and promote nurses and advance practice nurses to leadership roles where they can provide expertise to help improve physical and mental health outcomes in our country.
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The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is the nation’s only professional association for pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) dedicated to improving the quality of health care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Representing more than 8,000 healthcare practitioners with 18 special interest groups and 53 chapters, NAPNAP has been advocating for children’s health since 1973 and was the first APRN society in the U.S. Our mission is to empower pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses and key partners to optimize child and family health.
