Nurses from across OSF HealthCare recently gathered in Springfield for the OSF inaugural Nurses Day at the Capitol, bringing front-line clinical perspectives directly to state lawmakers while advocating for legislation that impacts patient care and the ministry’s ability to serve communities.

The day began with a briefing led by the OSF HealthCare Government Relations team at the American Hospital Association building, where nurses learned about several key legislative priorities.

Those issues included protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program, creating a Children’s Hospital of Illinois specialty license plate to raise funds for pediatric care, supporting Illinois’ participation in the National Nurse Licensure Compact and preserving the safety-net status of two hospitals within the OSF HealthCare network.

Following the briefing, OSF nurses were escorted to the Illinois State Capitol, where they met with state senators and representatives to share firsthand experiences from patient care settings and discuss how proposed legislation directly affects patients, families and health care teams.

Alyssa Mairs, primary charge nurse in the emergency department at OSF HealthCare Saint Katharine Medical Center, said the experience helped connect bedside nursing with the legislative process.

“Capitol Day helped bridge the gap between the direct patient care we provide as nurses and the policy decisions being made at the state level,” Mairs said. “The government relations team ensured we understood the magnitude of these issues as they relate to our ministry and the very real impact they have on our patients. Being able to speak directly with legislators and make our OSF voices heard was incredibly meaningful.”

During the visit, nurses engaged in active discussions with lawmakers, sharing real-world insight into why their support matters on issues such as the 340B drug discount program, the Children’s Hospital of Illinois license plate fundraiser and the national nurse licensure compact. The group was formally recognized on the floors of both the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives in honor of the OSF HealthCare mission.

Melinda Cooling, chief nursing and advanced practice executive for OSF HealthCare, praised the nurses for their leadership and advocacy.

“The energy and dedication shown by nurses from across our ministry made a lasting impression,” Cooling said. “Our nurses stepped up to advocate for critical issues that directly affect our ability to care for those we serve. It was a proud moment to see them recognized on the floors of both the State Senate and House of Representatives.”

OSF HealthCare plans to continue empowering nurses to share their expertise beyond the bedside, strengthening the connection between patient care, policy and advocacy.