Michael Jackson, a San Diego RN and board member of National Nurses United, the largest U.S. organization of nurses, won unanimous election Wednesday as president of the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).

The Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) is the consumer board that licenses California RNs and oversees and regulates the professional practice of registered nurses in California.

BRN responsibilities include implementation and oversight of regulations governing the nursing profession, including landmark rules in California protecting the independent patient advocacy role of RNs and other patient protections, as well as nursing education, licensure, practice and discipline. With over 400,000 licensees, it is the largest of its kind in the U.S.

Because of its consumer orientation, and support for RNs, the BRN has been under frequent attack by the hospital industry, and was one of the agencies targeted for elimination by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the behest of the hospitals.

“I’m honored to be able to serve California patients, and California nurses, in this vital role. The BRN is an important resource in protecting and expanding the ability of RNs to ensure the highest quality of care California patients need and deserve,” said Jackson, who was appointed to the BRN by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012.

Jackson has served as a clinical nurse II in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center since 2000.  He has also been an adjunct clinical faculty member in the registered nursing program at Southwestern Community College, Mira Costa College and California State University San Marcos. Additionally, Jackson served as a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1989 to 1993.

“We could not be more proud to see Michael Jackson in this important position,” said RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of NNU and its California affiliate, the California Nurses Association.

“The BRN has a critical voice in supporting the ability of registered nurses to act, independent of hospital administrators, to protect patients and promote the professional practice of RNs. With ongoing efforts by the hospital industry to dismantle the BRN and sharply erode the scope and practice of RNs, having a strong leader like Michael as president of the BRN is good news for all Californians,” DeMoro said.