As new presidential administrations come in, top politically appointed positions are customarily asked to submit letters of resignations as a courtesy to the incoming president. This was no different when President Trump entered the White House.
However, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy did not submit his resignation and was then fired from his post. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price appointed U.S. Public Health Services (USPHS) Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, PhD, RN, FAAN, to the post of acting surgeon general.
Having served more than 25 years in the public health service, Trent-Adams has a wealth of experience, including a stint as the Chief Nurse Officer of the USPHS. Her work has been for improving access to care for poor and underserved communities, as a clinician and a health administrator, and she’s worked with marginalized populations.
Having served more than 25 years in the public health service, Trent-Adams has a wealth of experience which includes a stint as the chief nurse officer of the USPHS. Her work has focused on improving access to care for poor and underserved communities; she’s also worked as a clinician and a health administrator, and she’s worked with marginalized populations.
Although Trent-Adams isn’t the first nurse to hold the position, it shows that the Trump administration recognizes the importance of nursing in healthcare decision making. The position isn’t expected to be permanent, but Trent-Adams will serve until a replacement is found and confirmed.