PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 QUARTER 3

ANA Hill Day 2026 brought together nurses, nursing students, and nurse leaders from across the United States to advocate directly with members of the 119th Congress and their staff on federal policies affecting the nursing profession and patient care. Following an advocacy training session and legislative briefing, participants met with congressional offices to present ANA’s key legislative priorities. The Delaware delegation, along with hundreds of other representatives from C/SNA and IMD organizations, visited members of Congress from their states to discuss advancing the following legislative priorities for nurses.

1. Strengthening the Nursing Workforce
   The principal focus of Hill Day was increasing federal investment in the nursing workforce through support for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. ANA advocates requested at least $610 million in FY 2027 appropriations for Title VIII programs as well as passage of the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3593/S. 1874) to extend authorization of these programs through 2030.

   Delegates emphasized that Title VIII programs help address the national nursing shortage by supporting nursing education, faculty development, advanced practice preparation, workforce diversity, and nurse retention. According to ANA, these programs supported more than 24,000 nurses, nursing students, and grantees during FY 2025.

2. Preventing Workplace Violence
   ANA urged Congress to establish a national standard requiring health care employers to implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs. Nurse advocates highlighted the increasing frequency of verbal and physical assaults against health care workers and stressed that safer workplaces are essential for nurse retention, quality care, and patient safety.
3. Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act
   The bipartisan ICAN Act would remove outdated barriers in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that currently prevent Advanced Practice Registered Nurses from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training. Removing these barriers will also increase patients’ timely access to care from the provider of their choice.
4. Nursing Is a Professional Degree
   There are several bills that were introduced to circumvent the mandates issued by the U.S. Department of Education to limit the loan maximums for nurses pursuing a graduate degree. These were discussed with members of the delegation.

Advocacy Activities

Participants received advocacy training and issue briefings before meeting with legislators, conducted scheduled meetings with senators, representatives, and congressional staff. They shared personal experiences illustrating how federal policy affects nursing practice and patient outcomes and reinforced ANA’s message that nurses should be active partners in developing health policy because of their frontline clinical experience.

Broader Themes

ANA framed Hill Day around several overarching messages:

• Nurses are trusted experts whose perspectives should inform federal health policy.
• Nurses should be able to practice to the full extent of their scope of practice.
• Investments in nursing education and workforce development are necessary to address persistent staffing shortages.
• Protecting nurses from workplace violence is both a workforce and patient safety imperative.
• Grassroots advocacy is a professional responsibility and an effective means of influencing legislation.

Significance

Hill Day 2026 served as the advocacy component of ANA’s annual governance meetings held in Washington, D.C. immediately before the Membership Assembly. By engaging directly with federal lawmakers, nurses sought to influence legislation affecting workforce development, workplace safety, and access to high-quality patient care. The event underscored ANA’s longstanding role as the national voice of nurses in shaping health policy and advancing the profession.

Membership Assembly, June 26–27, 2026

• Introduction
  Purposes of this Membership Assembly were many. Additionally, celebrating “The Power of Nurses” and the 130th anniversary of the American Nurses Association, we also debated and established professional policy and bylaws, elected national leadership and recognized nurses who won awards from various branches of the American Nurses Enterprise.
• Opening of the Membership Assembly
  Welcome and Presidential Address
  1. A final Membership Assembly address by ANA President Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy reviewed accomplishments of her presidency, highlighted continued advocacy for nurses and focused on continued strengthening of the profession.
  2. Review of organizational progress in the areas of growth of the profession, reflection on organizational achievements and our future vision for nursing, in honor of the ANA’s 130th Anniversary.
• Committee on Bylaws
  Landmark Action on Membership

  The Assembly approved a major amendment to ANA bylaws enabling Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)/Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) to become eligible for ANA membership, effective July 1, 2027. This represented one of the most significant membership changes in ANA history. The amendment expands eligibility for ANA membership, broadens professional representation, promotes greater unity across nursing, and strengthens workforce advocacy.

  Thanks to the work of an Ad Hoc Committee that looked into the aspects of LPN/LVN membership, members received a thoroughly researched report on expanding membership and discussed the ability of individual states who have not already included LPN/LVN membership into their state bylaws. Sincere thanks go out to DNA members Dr. Stephanie McClellan and Kimberly C. Fisher who were named to the committee and worked so hard to make this a reality.

• Professional Policy Committee
  Three major Dialogue Forum proposals were adopted by membership.

  National Framework for Prevention, Reporting, and Accountability of Incivility and Bullying

  ANA Membership Assembly recognized bullying, incivility and psychological intimidation as persistent problems with nursing education, clinical practice and professional workplaces. A national framework was approved to address prevention, reporting, accountability and professional standards of conduct, with the intention of improving workplace culture, providing better support for nursing students and protection of practicing nurses. The intended outcomes of these recommendations include healthier learning environments, enhanced patient safety, and contribute to nurse retention, burnout reduction, professional satisfaction and workforce stability.

• Health Care Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility

  Membership Assembly agreed on the nurse’s role in environmental stewardship, sustainable health care, and climate-related health initiatives. We were asked to consider sustainable clinical practices, waste reduction, environmentally responsible purchasing, and resource conservation, and to practice environmental stewardship and embrace climate-related health initiatives.

  Expected benefits of making environmental responsibility a mission of professional nursing include improved public health, reduced environmental impact of healthcare practices, and better organizational efficiency, possibly cutting the costs of health care. Environmental responsibility should also be integrated into nursing education at all levels.

• Cannabis Nursing Competencies: Recognition of Changing Clinical Practice
  The Membership Assembly acknowledged expanding legalization and medical use of cannabis, and support development of nursing education, professional competencies, practice standards and patient safety guidance in cannabis use.

  Educational priorities include improving nurses’ knowledge regarding therapeutic uses and risks, and development of patient counseling and clinical assessment of patients who use cannabis products. The overall goal of this competency is to ensure informed, compassionate, evidence-based nursing care to clients related to cannabis use.

• Organizational Leadership Reports
  CEO Report

  Angela Beddoe, CEO of American Nurses Enterprise emphasized improved organizational alignment, strategic planning and operational effectiveness, a stronger public voice for nursing and enhanced member engagement. Strategic priorities should be focused on better data, stronger advocacy, sustainable growth and more modern organizational structures. Leadership stressed translating strategic goals into measurable action.

• Election of National Leadership
  The Assembly elected several national officers. Responsibilities of the ANA Board of Directors include:
  • Serving as 39th ANA President beginning January 1, 2027
  • Guiding implementation of the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan
    1. President-Elect
       Anita Girard, DNP, RN
    2. Secretary
       Heidi Sanborn, DNP, RN
    3. Directors-at-Large
       Elected:
       • Ahnyel Burkes, DNP, RN-BC
       • Nelson Tuazon, DNP, DBA, RN
    4. Director-at-Large (Staff Nurse)
       Josephine Agyei, BSN, RN
    5. Nominations and Elections Committee

       Additional members elected to support future governance and leadership development.

  • Strategic Vision for the Future
    Throughout the Assembly, leaders emphasized several overarching priorities.
    1. Workforce Strengthening
       Including:
       • Recruitment
       • Retention
       • Professional wellbeing
       • Expanded membership
    2. Professional Unity
       The LPN/LVN membership decision reflected a broader commitment to:
       • Inclusion
       • Collaboration
       • Unified nursing advocacy
    3. Evidence-Based Policy
       Commitment to:
       • Research
       • Professional standards
       • Evidence-informed decision making
    4. Leadership Development
       Continued investment in:
       • Emerging nurse leaders
       • Governance
       • National representation.
  • Broader Themes Emerging from the Assembly
    1. Inclusion

       The Membership Assembly representatives consistently promoted:

       • Broader representation
       • Diversity within nursing
       • Expanded participation
    2. Professional Respect
       Policies addressed:
       • Workplace civility
       • Bullying prevention
       • Psychological safety
    3. Innovation
       Recognition of changing health care through:
       • Sustainability initiatives
       • Cannabis education
       • Advocacy
         Continued emphasis on:
         • Staffing
         • Public policy
         • Patient safety

  Conclusion:

  The June 2026 ANA Membership Assembly marked one of the organization’s most consequential annual meetings in recent years. Delegates adopted a landmark bylaw expanding membership eligibility to licensed practical/vocational nurses, approved major professional policy initiatives addressing workplace civility, environmental sustainability, and cannabis-related nursing competencies, elected new national leaders, and reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to workforce advocacy, professional unity, and evidence-based nursing practice. Collectively, these actions positioned the ANA to enter its next strategic planning cycle with a broader membership base, renewed leadership, and policies aimed at strengthening the nursing profession and improving health care delivery across the United States.