The American Nurses Association promotes the power of nurses, encouraging them to use their voice to share stories of their impact on individuals and communities. What does the power of nurses mean for nurse leaders? Voice and empowerment resonated in a review of literature on this topic.
Voice
Lashley and colleagues remind us to use our voices and actions to align with our values and goals. Values are intimately tied to ethics and contribute to our nursing professional identity. Together, values and ethics reflect nurses’ caring, integrity, empathy, autonomy, justice, diversity, and inclusion.
The fellows recognition program in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing, conceptualized and promoted by the National Black Nurses Association, acknowledges nurses’ voices. The American Nurses Enterprise articulated goals for nursing in its 2026–2030 strategic plan. One of those goals focuses on amplifying the voice and visibility of nursing through nurse presence, engagement, and impact. Nurse leaders can boldly execute these actions with intent and communication to showcase the voice of nursing leadership.
According to Ramsay and colleagues, we use our voices for advocacy directed toward individual or an issue; dismissal of that voice is an injustice to the profession and in violation of our nursing values. Nurse leaders act on practice issues that protect patient and nurse health and safety. Provision 3 of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses reminds us that if practice concerns aren’t corrected or are dismissed, nurses should report the problem to higher levels of administration or appropriate agencies.
Empowerment and power
Teixeira and colleagues’ systematic review of professional empowerment and evidence-based nursing found that an empowering environment was critical to evidence-based practice. When nurse leaders promote and support evidence-based practice, they reflect the core competency of a nurse leader’s knowledge of the healthcare environment where nurse leaders direct or translate evidence-based research into practice.
What does an empowering environment look like for a nurse leader to feel enabled to advance the art and science of nursing through the generation of evidence and its translation into practice? Teixeira and colleagues identified the following eight organizational and leadership characteristics:
- Support
- Resources
- Opportunities
- Empowerment
- Culture
- Strategic plan
- Authority to use research
- Certifications
The nurse leader can advocate for these characteristics to be actualized in their work environments so they have the opportunity to flourish but also to ensure the characteristics in their own practice areas so others can thrive. It’s our moral duty to foster human flourishing in ourselves and others, as noted in Provision 5 of the Code.
It has been suggested that nurses need to be empowered before they can empower others. Supervisors of nurse leaders can support “power with” (shared power), which contrasts “power over” (domination). “Power within” (self-esteem) Is evident in nurse leaders who are reflective of their practice, boldly and collaboratively exercise their presence, and act courageously.
Bradbury-Jones and colleagues acknowledge that power and empowerment are complex issues. Power can be viewed in two ways, building on the post-structural lens of Michael Foucault including disciplinary power and power that’s intertwined with knowledge.
Disciplinary power is visible in behaviors reflecting standard practices, such as following protocol when reporting needlestick injuries or potential breaches in patient confidentiality. These behaviors are subject to judgement and comparison. A relationship exists between power and knowledge where we look for discourse as well as truths. Discourse can be as simple as recognizing that there’s a better way to conduct exit interviews based on feedback from departing employees. Nurse leaders seeking truths to guide nursing practice are committed to the best evidence, patient preferences and values, and clinician expertise.
They’re also cognizant that “Nursing integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alleviation of suffering through compassionate presence. Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in recognition of the connection of all humanity” (p. 1).
Connectedness is one aspect of the power of nurses, not only with patients but with each other. Nurse leaders who are actively engaged in professional organizations such as the AONL or ANA or a clinical specialty organization are helping to advance the values and vision of nursing and hence, the power of nurses.
Clearly and colleagues differentiate “power to” and “power over.” Nurses have been given the power to care for society’s health as the most trusted profession. Despite others sometimes having power over nursing, nurses have stood their ground since the early days of Florence Nightingale. Most recently, nurses have rallied together and used their collective voice in challenging the Department of Education proposal to exclude nursing from the professional degree definition. Another example of nurses collectively voicing their concerns to government leaders who hold the power over budgets for nursing education and research funding is the statement by the Nursing Community Coalition, made up of 65 national nursing organizations, opposing steep cuts to nursing workforce and research in the President’s FY 2027 budget proposal
Call to Action
Nurse leaders have an ethical obligation to use the power of nurses with their voice and empowerment in advocating for the protection and advancement of the nursing profession. Ethics and power can often clash, due to hierarchical structures focusing on power over, but competent nurse leaders are equipped with the knowledge and skills to transform the healthcare environment so they and other nurses can flourish.
It is imperative to recognize nurse leaders who use their voices and empower others and tell their stories through avenues such as fellows’ designations, awards, and messages of gratitude. Harnessing the power within requires intention and effort that builds your own professional identity, as well as that of the nursing profession. Together, we are the power of nurses.
References
American Nurse Association. American Nurses Association celebrates 130 years of leading and advancing the nursing profession. January 21, 2026. nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2026-news-releases/american-nurses-association-celebrates-130-years-of-leading-and-advancing-the-nursing-profession/
American Nurses Association. American Nurses Enterprise 2026–2030 strategic plan. nursingworld.org/ana/about-ana/ane-strategic-plan/
American Nurses Association. Code of Ethics for Nurses. 2025. codeofethics.ana.org/home
American Nurses Association. Department of Education proposal still excludes nursing from “professional degree” definition. February 3, 2026. nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2026-news-releases/department-of-education-proposal-still-excludes-nursing-from-professional-degree-definition/
American Nurses Association. Scope and Standards of Practice. 5th ed. 2026
American Organization for Nursing Leadership. AONL Nurse leader core competencies. aonl.org/resources/nurse-leader-competencies
Beard, K., & Fields, S. (2025). The genesis of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 125(2), 16–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJN.0000000000000012
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Brenan M. Nurses continue to lead in honesty and ethics ratings. January 12, 2026. news.gallup.com/poll/700736/nurses-continue-lead-honesty-ethics-ratings.aspx
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Nursing Community Coalition. Nursing Community Coalition opposes steep cuts to nursing workforce and research in the President’s FY 2027 budget proposal. April 6, 2026. thenursingcommunity.org/_files/ugd/148923_634534e296c54f74a50ec991f2e4ee11.pdf
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