Influencing healthcare through research, advocacy, and wellness

During National Nurses Week, and every day, the American Nurses Enterprise (ANE) proudly celebrates The Power of Nurses™ to create meaningful change for patients, the profession, and our communities.

This year’s Nurses Week celebration holds special significance as we elevate the “Year of the Power of Nurses,” in honor of the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) 130th year of leading and advancing the nursing profession. A proclamation in Congress honored this milestone and the extraordinary contributions of nurses to transform, inspire, and innovate across healthcare. Among recognition events and activities, in communities everywhere, hundreds of buildings are lighting up the sky in gratitude for nurses and creating public awareness for National Nurses Week 2026.

The following examples capture just a few of the reasons to celebrate The Year of the Power of Nurses.

Nurses bring economic value to healthcare

Nurses represent the largest single component of a hospital’s personnel budget, yet the economic value of nursing is typically seen as labor cost rather than as an investment. Distinguished researchers Olga Yakusheva, PhD, FAAN, and Marianne Weiss, DNSc, RN, set out to challenge that mindset.

New findings from the INVEST Study, a national mixed-methods analysis, support the premise that investing in nurses as human capital assets can create positive financial returns for healthcare organizations through the production of high-quality care. The study was commissioned by ANE and conducted independently by Yakusheva and Weiss.

“The study further demonstrates that nurses are vital to the strength and stability of healthcare organizations. Sustained investment in nurses improves care delivery and supports long-term performance,” said Brad Goettl, DNP, DHA, RN, FNP-C, FAAN, chief nursing officer of ANE. “Organizations that invest in nurse safety, well-being, and the work environment are better positioned for operational and financial success.”

The INVEST Study surveyed chief nurse executives and chief nursing officers across 45 hospitals nationwide, representing more than 80,000 nurses. Quantitative data considered for the study included nursing workforce characteristics, investment expenditures, and hospital operating margins. Qualitative responses provided context on investment strategies and challenges around tracking financial outcomes. For details about the study, visit bit.ly/41sNKNT.

In related research supported by the Margretta Madden Styles Credentialing Research Grant, Yakusheva examined the crucial link between nurse certification and the tangible benefit for both patient care and health systems. The American Nurses Foundation (ANF) awarded $223,864 to Dr. Yakusheva to complete this study.

The emerging findings suggest:

• Strong evidence supporting the benefit for hospitals to invest in aiding and incentivizing specialty RN certification programs to achieve systemic improvements in patient care.
• The importance of continuing professional education for nurses beyond formal education and licensure.

To share this understanding more widely, a National Nurses Week webinar focused on the economic value of nurses explores how to recognize, communicate, and demonstrate your value as a nurse. Through innovative research, current evidence, and alignment with the Nursing Human Capital Value Model conceptualized by Yakusheva and Weiss, experts in nursing economics will help you understand nursing’s economic impact and why measuring contributions matters at pages.nursingworld.org/nursesweek26.

Cultivating success for the next generation

The next generation of nurses offers fresh perspectives and is ready to contribute.

ANA is excited to elevate the voices, presence, and impact of NextGen Ambassadors (a group of nurses younger than age 30) in collaboration with ANA Constituent and State Nurses Associations at National Nurses Week local events. Based on research, the NextGen Ambassador program was developed to provide exceptional educational and networking experiences to NextGen RNs to shape the future of nursing. To help celebrate Nurses Week, ambassadors are connecting with their employers and communities to plan and host events and breaks, deliver swag, and share their experiences on social media.

Introduced last year, the NextGen Ambassadors participated in a program to bring 15 nurses to the 2025 Magnet & Pathway Conference™ and the 2026 Opportunity & Impact in Nursing Summit in February. Several ambassadors shared their experiences:

“Being an ANA NextGen Ambassador reminded me why I became a nurse in the first place—to be part of something bigger than myself. This experience has given me a renewed sense of pride in our profession. I feel inspired knowing that my voice matters and can help create change.”
– Melissa Garcia, RN

“I am filled with so much gratitude and a new energy to keep exploring the endless opportunities nursing has to offer. Being surrounded by thousands of nurses who are leading, innovating, and shaping the future of healthcare was truly inspiring. I left feeling proud, hopeful, and so motivated to keep growing.”
– Moselle Jules, RN

“I’m honored to join in inspiring nurses from across the country who are leading change, amplifying our collective voice, and celebrating The Power of Nurses. Together, we are shaping the future—one connection, one conversation, and one patient
at a time.”
– Katherine Cahir, RN

Speaking out for equity and justice

Demonstrating their collective power to influence change, nurses came together with strength and resolve to address these high-profile healthcare issues at the start of 2026.

When the U.S. Department of Education (ED) moved forward with a proposal that excludes nursing from the definition of “professional degree” programs tied to federal graduate student loan limits, nurses mobilized with allies to argue against this change. These loans are essential for nurses seeking to advance into critical roles across advanced practice, education, and research. ANA’s advocacy efforts, including a national petition to Congress and a formal comment letter to ED, drew international attention and support.

More than 242,000 nurses, employers, educators, patients, and advocates signed ANA’s Nursing IS a Professional Degree petition, which calls on the ED to revise the proposed definition of professional degrees to include nursing.

Patients depend on APRNs to provide them with timely, high-quality care, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities. However, Medicare policies continue to constrain APRN practice due to outdated statutory and regulatory barriers.

On March 18, ANA submitted a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee that, among other requests, called on Congress to enact the bipartisan Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (H.R. 1317) to permanently remove these barriers to care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries (bit.ly/4cqRtAD).

After the death of RN Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis on January 24, nurses denounced his killing and the circumstances surrounding it. More than 16,000 nurses and advocates signed a petition and sent close to 54,000 emails to their legislators demanding an independent investigation of the incident, full reform of the administration’s strategy that places federal immigration enforcement in our communities, and other actions.

Among other efforts, ANA’s strenuous advocacy gained several wins for funding nursing priorities in fiscal year 2026, including:

• $305 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs
• $198 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research
• $19.5 million for the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program
• Reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act through FY2030
• Extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities through CY2027

Learn more at rnaction.org or anacapitolbeat.org.

American Nurse Journal. 2026; 21(5). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ052645