The Arizona Nurses Association is proud to announce that we will be awarding two Nursing Hero awards to Representative Joanne Osborne and Representative Amish Shah at our annual convention this September. Rep. Osborne and Rep. Shah embody the thoughtful, pragmatic leadership that champions the hard work of Arizona nurses every day at the bedside, in the classroom, and across our communities.

In the 2022 legislative session, Rep. Joanne Osborne and Rep. Amish Shah spearheaded three of AzNA’s priority legislative issues to address workplace safety from surgical smoke and violence against healthcare workers, and increased funding for education, training, and transition to practice programs to support Arizona’s nursing workforce. For each of these issues, along with other health and safety issues related to nursing, both Rep. Osborne and Rep. Shah exemplified bipartisan collaboration with an unwavering focus on supporting Arizona’s nurses in our work to care for Arizonans in every setting.

During the 2022 legislative session, Rep. Joanne Osborne served as chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee. In that role, she collaborated with members of the Arizona legislature across the House and Senate to introduce and pass smart bills to improve healthcare services. Rep. Osborne was the primary sponsor of one of AzNA’s cornerstone legislative efforts to support education, training, and practice across the healthcare workforce. Because of Rep. Osborne’s strong support and effective advocacy, the state of Arizona has significant additional resources for teaching, training, and transition to practice programs for nurses along with other critical healthcare professionals across the state. In addition to chairing the House Health and Human Services Committee, Rep. Osborne served on the House Education and Appropriation committees. Prior to serving in the Arizona House of Representatives, Rep. Osborne served on the Goodyear City Council including two years as Vice Mayor and is a small business owner.

Rep. Amish Shah is a longtime ally of the Arizona Nurses Association and a leader in the Arizona House of Representatives for healthcare policy. Since his first term in office, Rep. Shah has worked hard with AzNA to pass legislation that will improve workplace safety for nurses and other healthcare workers. In 2022, he was the primary sponsor for one of the mirror bills targeting violence against healthcare workers, as well as a bill to reduce smoke exposure to patients and workers in the operating room. Because of his strong advocacy, both bills were successful. Rep. Shah is an emergency physician and brings his real-world healthcare experience to the Arizona House of Representatives every day, where he is a strong advocate for education in addition to healthcare. In the legislature, Rep. Shah serves on the House Health & Human Services and Ways & Means Committees. In addition to emergency department practice, Dr. Shah is board certified in sports medicine and provides care to adults and children across Arizona.

AzNA will be presenting the Nursing Hero award to Rep. Osborne and Rep. Shah, both true heroes for Arizona’s nurses.