Andrea Higham, who spoke at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing graduation in May, is leading Johnson & Johnson’s Campaign for Nursing's Future.

Andrea Higham isn't a nurse, but her advertising and marketing skills have made a profound impact on the profession. In 2002, retired Johnson & Johnson vice chairman Jim Lenehan asked her (in addition to directing corporate equity and new ventures) to head the company's Campaign for Nursing's Future.It would prove to be her most challenging and rewarding job.

"Johnson & Johnson has strong ties to hospitals and we were hearing repeatedly about the nursing shortage," Higham said. "Our credo states that our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses, patients, and to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services. Jim thought it was natural that we explore the issue and see if we could help."

As Higham began researching, she discovered that society's perceptions of nursing didn't fit with reality. While nurses were among the most trusted of professionals, people thought they spent their days following orders and caring for patients at the bedside.

"I've learned many things in three years, and one is that Americans are mostly ignorant - as I was - of how much nurses contribute to the inner workings of hospitals, health care and their communities," Higham said.

Higham's first thought was to improve the image of nursing with 30- and 60-second advertising spots. But in talking to nurses, educators, administrators and students, she soon realized that the problem went beyond image to issues of recruitment and retention.

"Commercials alone were not going to be sufficient," Higham said. "We took a three-pronged approach to enhance image, increase recruitment and improve retention."

The $30-plus million campaign launched a Web site (www.discovernursing.com) where people can explore the career and its many specialties. They can search the database for nursing programs, continuing education opportunities, scholarships, professional opportunities and links to job sites.

A free materials section provides brochures and other career and retention materials. The site has attracted more than 2.5 million unique visitors and the company has sent out eight million pieces of recruitment material.

"We recently made an interactive CD-ROM for newly appointed nurse managers to help them learn conflict resolution, team building and other management skills," Higham said.

The campaign has raised more than $7 million by staging Celebration of Nurses Events around the country. Partnering with local nursing and hospital associations and community leaders, Johnson & Johnson paysfor the event so that the money raised can go to regional nursing scholarships, nurse educator fellowships and capacity expansion grants for nursing schools.Atlanta hosted an event in 2003.

"I love what I do and I'm proud of Johnson & Johnson's commitment. We've done more than I thought we could," Higham said.

Lately, campaign ads are sounding more alarming and focusing on the faculty as well as the nursing shortage. "Because I've learned so much more about what nurses do, I'm scared to death by how little people realize the impact that these growing shortages are going to have on their lives," she said.

Higham realizes that between 50 percent and 60 percent of nursing programs are run by public systems, and that states don't have the money allocated to significantly raise faculty salaries, expand facilities and enroll more nursing students.

"Tops on my wish list is that government would begin to make an investment in funding for nursing programs," she said. "We're trying to raise public awareness, so that people know something needs to be done."