ANA's new leader finds success along road less traveled

By Mary Hopkins McDonald
October 31, 2002


In Orange, Mass., Barbara Blakeney's nursing career took a surprising turn. For a couple of weeks, she pumped gas at the only service station in town. "I checked oil, too," she said.

Blakeney, MS, ANP, RN, put up a sign explaining that she was in town as a public health nurse to do speech and hearing tests, increase awareness of lead paint dangers, do low-income family planning, form day care centers and handle food delivery as part of the USDA clinical case management program. She then worked for the Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Hospitals in Boston.

In the '70s, after she'd worked as coronary unit primary care nurse in Boston, Blakeney took time off to work as a VISTA volunteer.

"It was a real rock 'n' roll time. Vietnam was going on-that whole movement-and we had the Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. It was an interesting time to be a young adult," Blakeney said.

In Orange, she needed contacts for her work as a public health nurse, and figured everyone would have to buy gas sometime. It worked. When she returned to her hometown of Boston, having made many more connections through her gas station job, she earned her certification in primary care gerontology at the Boston City Hospital. Soon after, she started working with the homeless in Boston to create better health care options for them. Eventually, she became director of health services, Homeless Services Bureau, at the Boston Public Health Commission.

"We grew that program from zero to a sizable one for treating AIDS and addictions and other problems among the homeless, such as TB and mental illness," Blakeney said. "We're very proud of our work there, and very proud of the nurses who gave their time and commitment. It was a real privilege to work there, and I'm grateful for the leave of absence."

A new agenda

Blakeney took the leave when she became the new president of the American Nurses Association on July 1, succeeding Mary Foley, who served as president for two years. The ANA represents 2.7 million registered nurses in leading the way in major health policy, practice and workplace issues. It's clear from her volunteer work-and gas-pumping days-that Blakeney will do whatever it takes to solve a problem.

First on her agenda is the Nurse Reinvestment Act, recently signed by President Bush.

Blakeney shook hands with Bush after he signed the legislation. "We're of course hoping that Congress swiftly passes the appropriations-it's critically important to get funding into the reinvestment act. We're looking for $250 million," she said.

"That money will create more openings in schools and provide more money for faculty salaries. We all know the nursing force depends on nursing faculty, who are getting significantly older. Many are coming up on retirement."

The Nurse Reinvestment Act creates categories for loan forgiveness and increased scholarships, provides extra resources for gerontology specialties and supports Magnet recognition criteria.

"We believe Magnet status is particularly important because when a hospital meets those criteria, the work environment improves dramatically, in retention and in increased morale. The quality of practice is immeasurably improved. Nurses can work in partnership on patient care," Blakeney said.

With support

Blakeney previously served as first and second vice president and on many committees for the ANA. "I had a good understanding of the ANA environment," she said. "While becoming president was a change, it was not a change to the unknown. My family is a bit in awe of the work I've chosen to take on, and they've been incredibly supportive."

She also served as vice president, president and treasurer of the Massachusetts Nurses Association when it was an affiliate of the ANA. She has been president of the Theta Alpha chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International and president of the board of directors for Watertown Health Center.

Blakeney doesn't remember a time when she didn't want to be a nurse. As a child, she took care of stray animals. "I had a wonderful cousin who was a nurse, and I wanted to be just like her. The only thing I might have done, other than nursing, is teach history on a college level," she said.

She's fascinated by the second half of the 19th century, Civil War issues and the era of Florence Nightingale. "I've read extensively about her. She's quite a complex woman."

What interests her most is how what Nightingale wrote about nursing still holds true. "It's a wonderful continuum over 140 years. It's wonderful to see what nurses do and what nursing is all about."