Joshua Bower is a RN at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, where he works at the Brain and Spine Hospital. Joshua’s enthusiasm and leadership is contagious within his local unit, OSUNO, making him a noticeable rising star among his 3,000 plus colleagues. Even more impressive is that Joshua is a newer nurse who graduated just 2 years ago in 2016.

In 2015, Josh first came to an OSUNO meeting when he was a nursing student. At that meeting, Josh told ONA staff and future colleagues that he wanted to join OSUNO when he graduated, and he kept his promise. As soon as Josh joined, he was an advocate for OSUNO and ONA.

Josh became a board member in January and he has been instrumental in engaging and energizing his peers by attending and encouraging nurses to attend the sponsor testimony for House Bill 456 to make mandatory overtime for registered nurses illegal. During a critical time when passage of Janus threatens the existence of labor unions, Josh signed up 40% of his peers in 10 days to sign cards recommitting themselves to OSUNO.

Josh learned the importance of labor unions from his father who was a firefighter and active in his labor union. Josh’s perseverance, healthy attitude and desire to continue to be a voice and advocate for positive working conditions have made him a recommended choice for this

When asked why he decided to become a nurse, Joshua stated,

“Nursing is everything I have looked for in a career.  Our nursing profession gives us the privilege to serve our community but also advocate and educate our patients at the same time.  Nursing is a life-long learning commitment to always develop, personalize and advance your skill to facilitate the needs of others.  Nursing is an ever-changing and progressive talent to offer the highest level of accountability and care that we, as professionals, can offer.  Nurses define themselves by the excellent comprehensive care they provide.  This is why I became a nurse and I am very proud to be a member of the nursing community.”

We are very proud to have you as a member of the nursing community, too, Joshua!