Public Statement: Protecting Healthcare for Americans

Since the new administration took office, we've seen a whirlwind of executive orders and actions reshaping federal operations, policies, and the workforce. We anticipate many of these changes will be significant, impacting many individuals. 

As the American Nurses Association, we stand in support of policies which guarantee that all Americans are being taken care of, and we continue to lean into our values to safeguard nursing workforce policies which create opportunities for all Americans, including drawing discouraged workers into the labor force and supporting equitable health care access and outcomes for all. 

"The Code of Ethics and the nursing oath are the pledge to practice nursing with integrity, compassion, and respect. It requires nurses to prioritize patients' health and safety and provide care without judgment regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, socio-economic status, or political party. We are concerned that the Executive Orders and administrative actions may have the potential to put Americans' health at risk and impact the nursing workforce and the quality care for patients today." says American Nurses Association President Jennifer Mensik-Kennedy, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. 

We're acting on the issues that matter most to nurses and the people they care for:  

• Making sure nurses have the latest health information to give the best care possible.  
• Addressing the nursing shortage by pushing for more training programs and hiring support.  
• Fighting for policies that keep healthcare safe, affordable, and focused on patients.   
• Advancing fairness in healthcare so that all patients get the care they deserve.  
• Hosting the Equity in Nursing Summit in Washington, D.C., bringing together nurses and healthcare leaders to discuss real solutions for a stronger and widely accessible healthcare system.  

We're also pushing for key legislation that would make a real difference:  

• Training More Nurses: The Faculty Shortage Reduction Act would help nursing schools train more students by addressing the shortage of educators. More teachers mean more nurses entering the field to fill critical gaps in care.  
• Expanding Access to Nursing Care: The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act would remove outdated rules that limit what advanced nurses—like nurse practitioners—can do. That means more people, especially in rural and underserved areas, can get the care they need.  
• Protecting Access to Care: As our largest health insurer, providing care for eighty million Americans, Medicaid is critical to our health care system, particularly in rural and health desert areas across the nation. While ensuring efficiency is important, Congress must use a scalpel rather than an axe when revising Medicaid. Similarly, we promote awareness of the importance of social determinants of health and the impact of nutrition on health supported through critical programs like SNAP and WIC for children, mothers, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities. These are uncertain times, but one thing is certain—we will always stand with nurses, patients, and the future of healthcare. We’ll keep pushing for policies that protect the nursing profession, improve patient care, and ensure that nurses have the resources and support they need.  

Together, we will continue to advocate for policies that push for quality, affordable, patient centered healthcare for every American and we will focus on real solutions for a stronger and more equitable healthcare system.