Bridging health care and legislation: How nursing expertise can shape political impact
When two-time UC Nursing alumna Rachel Baker, PhD, RN, a nurse researcher for Cincinnati-based health system TriHealth Inc. and faculty member at the UC College of Nursing, watched local- and state-level elected officials make decisions about health and safety during the pandemic, she realized her nursing skills would translate well to policymaking.
“Nurses have the ability to pull evidence and data to understand complex issues and help people make decisions, we do that all the time,” Baker says. “I also realized so many of the skills nurses have—like building rapport, communicating, educating and advocating—could be useful in politics.”
Elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in January 2023, Baker's ability to successfully leverage relationship-building, advocacy, evidence-based decision-making and data-driven approaches in the political arena led to her reelection to the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 27th district, which includes parts of Cincinnati's east side.
My first term confirmed that I could be helpful by applying my nursing and research skills and approaches to politics. Then I got really motivated to win my second race because I saw I could have an even bigger impact leveraging the relationships I’d built for two years.
Rachel Baker, PhD, RN
Baker at the Ohio House of Representatives
“My first term confirmed that I could be helpful by applying my nursing and research skills and approaches to politics,” Baker says. “Then I got really motivated to win my second race because I saw I could have an even bigger impact leveraging the relationships I’d built for two years.”
During her first term, Baker adjusted to a highly hierarchical structure—far different from the shared governance model in hospitals—and learned to build relationships with representatives from both sides of the aisle by finding mutual interests. She was assigned to three health-related committees and to the technology and innovation and the aviation and aerospace committees, where she contributed to discussions on the use of drones for first responders. She was the primary sponsor of 15 bills, four of which have already been approved by the House and one—The Adoption Modernization Act—just signed as law by Gov. DeWine on Dec. 19, 2024.
“We run for office every two years, so legislators tend to focus on issues that can be quickly fixed to show results to our voters. The outcomes of many of the issues I'm concerned about—like social determinants of health and kids growing up in supportive, healthy families—won’t happen in two, but in 20 years,” Baker says. “So, I don't have that immediate gratification, but I know that these are important issues to work on and I'm happy to take on those projects with long term return on investment.”
While Baker’s hypothesis that her background and skillset would transfer well to policymaking was right, she did not expect that her experience as a legislator would impact her beyond politics.
“This experience has shown me that there's value in relationships even with people who you disagree with. Understanding where they come from, how they got there… we need more of this everywhere,” Baker says. “As a researcher and Biostatistics instructor, I used to see things black or white, but I’ve learned that people are much more nuanced.”
From the classroom to the floor
Misty Bauer, DNP, RN, a UC College of Nursing alumna and clinical instructor, first met Rachel Baker when she spoke at Bauer's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Healthcare Policy class. Baker was Bauer’s district representative, so she took the opportunity to introduce herself.
Bauer and Haruna during Nurses’ Day at Capitol Hill
The two bonded over being adoptive mothers and Baker invited Bauer to testify for the Adoption Modernization Act bill she sponsored at the Statehouse. Bauer, who has always been interested in advocacy and policy, was glad to advocate for an issue so close to her heart so, in November 2024, she provided testimony at the Senate Judiciary committee and made sure to be present when the bill got signed by Gov. DeWine.
Bauer also had the opportunity to join PhD student Tausi Haruna in lobbying for The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act with Ohio representatives during Nurses’ Day at Capitol Hill. While she is unsure if, like Baker, she would run for any political position, she is determined to advocate for good policymaking in any way she can.
Featured image: Governor DeWine signing the Adoption Modernization Act Bill at the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the Ohio Statehouse. Picture provided by Rachel Baker.
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