Year: 2024

Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute Announces 2025 Class of Fellows

December 20, 2024/Announcements

CNSI Institute

The Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute (CNSI) is pleased to announce the 2025 Class of CNSI Fellows. This is a highly prestigious honor and only awarded to those members of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) who epitomize the excellence of Clinical Nurse Specialist as leaders of the nursing profession, staunch advocates for patients and families, and forerunners of innovations to improve the health of populations. The new fellows will be inducted on Tuesday, March 11th during the NACNS 2025 Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. All NACNS members and conference attendees are welcome and encouraged to attend by purchasing guest tickets to the GALA Celebration & CNSI Induction Dinner event; available on the NACNS 2025 Annual Conference registration website.

The CNSI 2025 Class of Fellows are:

Keitha R Beamer, DNP, APN, PMHCNS-BC, CARN-AP
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Psychiatric/Mental Health
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Gloucester County Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shannon A Brunt, DNP, APRN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN, CBRN, CWCN, TCRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
University of Michigan Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Carly C Byrne, DNP, APRN, PCNS-BC, CCNS, CENP, CPN, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, Alaska

Alianna C Crotty, DNP, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, NE-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
Naval Medical Center, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Gina M Crudden, DNP, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CMSRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
Assistant Professor – DNP Adult Gerontology Curriculum Coordinator, Nebraska Methodist College, Omaha, Nebraska

Jennifer L Elmer, DNP, APRN, CCNS, CCRN, FCCM
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Andi Foley, DNP, RN, APRN-CNS, EMT, ACCNS-AG, CEN, TCRN, CSM, LSSGB, FAEN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Care Adult-Gerontology
St. Luke’s Health System, Emergency Department and Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho

Maria C Gallup, DNP, APRN, CCNS-N, NNP-BC, RNC-NIC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neonatal
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Ellen M Harvey, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, TCRN, SCRN, FCCM
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neuroscience, Critical Care
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Department of Surgery, Neurotrauma ICU, Roanoke, Virginia

Kayla M Little, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, PCCN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio

Jeannette Meyer, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, CCRN, CCNS, PCCN, ACHPN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Palliative Care
UCLA Health, Santa Monica, California

Pamela Moss, MSN, MPH, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN-CSC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Care Adult-Gerontology
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

Carrie Peluso, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult
Chief Nursing Officer, Providence Health and Services Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska

Kenneth Romito, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNE, CNOR, CSSM, FAORN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
Assistant Professor, Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland

Ludmila Santiago-Rotchford, DNP, RN, CNS, ACNS, PCCN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult Health
Bayhealth, Dover, Delaware

Elizabeth M Savage, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CWON, IIWCC-NYU
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Wound & Ostomy
New York University Langone Health, Wound & Ostomy Program Manager, New York, New York

Theresa (Tess) Slazinski, DNP-APRN, RN, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN, CCNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care
Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura, California

Olena Svetlov, DNP, RN, AGNP/CNS, CCRN, ATCN, PHN, NE
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Critical Care, Los Angeles, California

Tracy Thomas, MSN, APRN, CCRN, TCRN, ACNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult Health
Mayo Clinic, Critical Care, Phoenix, Arizona

Theodore J Walker, Jr., APRN, MSN, A-CNS, CNOR, NPD-BC, CPPS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Perioperative
Providence Alaska Medical Center, Anchorage, Alaska

Please join us in congratulating our CNSI 2025 Class of Fellows!

In 2016, the CNSI was founded as an arm of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS). Its goal is to develop and promote the charitable, educational, innovative clinical practice and scientific purposes of NACNS. Today, the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute is the 501(c)3 arm of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.

NACNS Bylaws – Proposed Changes Available for Member Review

December 11, 2024/Announcements

The NACNS Bylaws are regularly reviewed by the NACNS Board of Directors. In 2022, the Board reviewed the existing bylaws, drafted and approved proposed changes. According to Article VX, Section 1 of the NACNS Bylaws, “All proposed amendments received in proper form by the Board of Directors and submitted to the board of directors must be circulated to the entire membership, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the vote. The amendments shall be voted on by the membership at the annual meeting of the NACNS.”

In accordance with this, the proposed updated Bylaws have been made available for NACNS member review here. Members may review this document and cast their vote on it at the Annual Business Meeting, held onsite at the Annual Conference in Boston, MA on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

Please contact info@nacns.org with any questions.

Proposed Bylaws for Member Review

Accomplished Clinical Nurse Specialists Selected for 2025 NACNS Leadership

December 4, 2024/Announcements

Electors Poised to Serve Nearly 90,000 Clinical Nurse Specialists Nationwide

WAKEFIELD, Mass. – Dec. 4, 2024 – The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) today announced the election of new leadership for 2025, including three new board members, four new nominating committee members, the 2025 President-Elect, and the 2025 Secretary/Treasurer. Their terms will start after the NACNS Annual Conference in March 2025.

Representing the over 89,000 clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) nationwide, NACNS continues to advocate for this unique group of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). With expertise in diagnosing, treating, prescribing, and leading health care innovation, CNSs are pivotal in improving patient outcomes and advancing evidence-based care.

Jennifer Manning, DNS, ACNS-BC, CNE, and current President of NACNS, highlighted the importance of strong leadership in driving NACNS’s mission forward.

“NACNS leaders are more than representatives – they are personally dedicated to CNSs and the critical roles they play in health care systems across the U.S. This year’s newly elected leadership brings a wealth of experience and a passion for advancing the CNS profession. I thank them for their commitment to such an important cause,” she said.

The current President-Elect, Rick Bassett, MSN, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, FCNS shared his excitement for the upcoming year and his plans for the CNS community.

“It is both a privilege and a responsibility to serve as the President-Elect of NACNS,” said Bassett. “As we enter a transformative time in health care, I remain dedicated to strengthening the CNS role and showcasing our value. I look forward to collaborating with the talented leaders and members of NACNS to achieve these goals in 2025 as President.”

Newly elected leadership for 2025 includes:

2025 President-Elect

  •  Jackeline Iseler, DNP, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE, FCNS

Secretary/Treasurer

  • Patricia Tuite, PhD, RN, CCNS, FCNS

Board of Directors

  • Kristen Hill, DNP APRN-CNS, AGCNS-BC, MEDSURG-BC, LSSYB
  • Amy Shay, PhD, RN, APRN-CNS, FCNS
  • Lakeshia Benn, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC

Nominating Committee Members

  • Joshua Smith, DNP, MA, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, MAJ/AN
  • Christy Mitchell, Major, USAF, DNP, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, RNC-OB
  • Kimberly Pate, DNP, RN, ACCNS-AG, PCCN, NE-BC, FCNS
  • Gina Crudden, DNP, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CMSRN

About The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists

NACNS is the only national association in the U.S. representing the CNS. It is committed to showing the value of the CNS as an APRN, embracing full practice authority for all CNSs, providing support to individual CNSs, CNS programs, and entities employing CNSs, and achieving and maintaining organizational excellence. NACNS strives to meet its vision that every CNS is an APRN with a full scope of practice and is a transformative innovator leading improvement across healthcare environments. For more information or to join NACNS, click here.

Media Contact
Melissa Bednar
NACNS Public Relations
Tel: 919.671.2796
Email: mbednar@virtualinc.com

CNSs Take Leading Role in Call for Change in Acute and Critical Care Nursing

November 20, 2024/Blog

A groundbreaking paper was released in the November-December 2024 issue of Nursing Outlook. The paper, “Call to Action: Blueprint for Change in Acute and Critical Care Nursing,” calls for a new framework highlighting their nursing practice, their practice environment and nursing outcomes. It also called out the need for more CNSs because of their essential role in supporting nursing practice.

The paper was written as a response to the many challenges with articulating the work of nursing that were always there, but came to a crisis point during COVID-19 when healthcare teams were under unprecedented stress. 

An expert panel representing clinical practice, academia, and administration decided to give voice to hospital-based nurses in focusing on what nursing care provides to patients and their families, and developed this Call to Action and Blueprint for change. Not surprisingly given their expertise and mandate, many of the authors of the paper are CNSs. Two of these, Maureen Seckel and Kathleen Vollman, kindly took some time to speak to us about the Blueprint. 

Maureen Seckel has been a critical care nurse since 1980 and a critical care CNS for about 30 years at Christiana Care, Newark DE. Now retired, she is a consultant in both critical care and sepsis. She has also been a long-time member of NACNS and is a past chair of the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute.

Kathleen Vollman has been a critical care nurse since 1980 and spent a decade as a clinical nurse specialist in the ICU at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She later founded Advancing Nursing, a company dedicated to empowering nursing environments through enhanced knowledge, skills, and processes. Vollman also played a pivotal role in establishing the NACNS, serving as both a founding director and a charter member.

Why Change is Needed Now

Nursing policy needs urgent reform because of a projected workforce gap, estimated to be 10% by 2027. There are several causes of this gap, including the retirement of baby boomers, with over 25% of nurses expected to retire within five years. Additionally, high levels of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic led many nurses to leave their roles, highlighting a need for better support structures.

The result is a much younger nursing workforce where nurses with just a year or two of experience must mentor incoming graduates. This high turnover and rapid influx of inexperienced staff creates a cycle of limited mentorship and a potentially unstable care environment.

Vollman says, “From a patient and family perspective, nurses are very important because we’re a large part of their care and support experience. In almost every annual Gallup poll about the most respected profession in this country, nurses have been number one.” 

Seckel added, “There’s a common expression used by my bedside colleagues, particularly post-COVID, about getting back to basics and improving critical thinking and having nurses describing nurses. A lot of what we have now was created without any input from us.”

The second reason for reform lies in the difficulty in proving return on investment for nursing care. In financial analyses, nursing salaries are lumped in with the cost of hospital beds and supplies. Metrics are focused on measuring the absence of nursing care with the goal of reducing costs as much as possible, instead of investigating the presence of quality nursing care and its impact.

Noted Vollman, “We’ve always had to create ROI metrics that show, ‘when this prevention isn’t given, here’s the harm that takes place.’ But these preventative measures are considered soft costs because if you prevent it, the harm doesn’t occur.”

She added, “Devin Carr, one of the authors of the paper and the CNO of Maine Medical, brought up an example in which his system has been measuring the number of patient falls, and falls with injury, for many years. Now, they’re flipping the narrative, measuring the quality of patient mobility and the difference that nursing care has on patient ambulation, hospital stay length, and how much assistance they need when they go home — which all impact quality of life. Falls just happen to be going down as well.”

A Prescription for Better Care

The Blueprint outlines a complete structure including nine domains of nursing practice and determining metrics that will allow healthcare systems to measure the true value of nursing care.

“The practice of acute and critical care nurses will thrive when the outcomes of their day-to-day practice are made visible to everybody touched by the work of nurses,” said Seckel. “These outcomes should be viewed and measured from the return on investment perspective as the ROI of nursing human capital development in terms of improved consumer, nurse and organizational outcomes. There’s an additional paper recently published titled ‘The Nursing Human Capital Value Model’ that I think does a great job of showing organizations how to measure better outcomes, and getting away from simple cost reduction-oriented models.”

Vollman added, “Instead of focusing on failures, such as ‘failure to rescue,’ hospitals could flip the narrative and describe the “number of lives saved”. For example, achieving early intervention prevents longer hospital stays 90-98% of the time. By linking these positive outcomes to shorter hospital stays, a stronger case for prevention-focused investments could be made.”

The paper also calls for the establishment of a federally-funded National Nursing Workforce Commission to support nursing research and ensure nursing input in healthcare policy decisions.

Seckel noted, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. Nursing professionals must be integral to policy development to ensure healthcare evolves to meet patient and family needs effectively.”

Next Steps

The Blueprint is aimed at everyone in the healthcare system, including the educational institutions that train nurses. NACNS has committed to creating a Think Tank to explore the outcomes that CNSs contribute to the Blueprint for Change.

Seckel commented, “It’s open access, so everybody can read and share it. You can drop a copy on your leadership’s desk, or review it at your CNS meetings. It needs to be talked about now because change takes time and action.”

“In my perfect world,” said Vollman, “we get seed funding for an operational person to work with us to put a plan together that would target patients and families, nurses, and healthcare systems, and getting work groups together and moving on this mission.”

Summing up, Seckel said, “We’re all very willing to take this forward, but this is not just ours. It needs to be shared and everybody needs to be a part of it.”

13 CNSs Inducted into American Academy of Nursing 2024 Class of New Fellows

September 25, 2024/Announcements

The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) announced its 2024 Class of New Fellows. This prestigious distinction recognizes nurses’ substantial contributions to the health care industry, honoring inductees as dynamic leaders making positive changes in their communities. 

This year, the NACNS is proud to highlight thirteen Clinical Nurse Specialists among the inductees. Congratulations to the following 2024 New Fellows:

Denise E. Bryant-Lukosius, PhD, MSc, BScN, RN, CON(C) – McMaster University School of Nursing (Canada)

Elizabeth A. Scruth, PhD, MPH, RN, CCNS, CCRN, FCCM, FCNS, CPHQ – Northern California Kaiser Permanente Hospitals and Health Plan (California)

Michelle L. Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB – Christiana Care Health System (Delaware)

Carrie M. McDermott, PhD, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC – Emory Healthcare (Georgia)

Dave Hanson, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, NEA-BC – Society of Critical Care Medicine (In Memoriam) (Illinois)

Jane R. von Gaudecker, PhD, RN, AGCNS, FAES, CGNC – Indiana University School of Nursing (Indiana)

Priscilla K. Gazarian, PhD, CNS, RN – University of Massachusetts Boston (Massachusetts)

Lydia D. Rotondo, DNP, RN, CNS, FNAP – University of Rochester School of Nursing (New York)

Shelly Wells, PhD, MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, BC-CNS, ANEF – Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma)

Laura M. Criddle, PhD, ACNS-BC, CCNS, CCRN, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, CBRN, NRP FP-C, CCP-C, FAEN – TCAR Education Programs (Oregon)

Heather E. Cuevas, PhD, APRN, ACNS-BC – The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing (Texas)

Angela Ross, DNP, RN, MPH, PMP, DASM, PHCNS-BC, FHIMSS – University of Texas Health Science Center Houston McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics (Texas)

Tina S. Gustin, DNP, CNS, RN – Old Dominion University School of Nursing (Virginia)

Just Ask Jen: CNS Career Advice

September 22, 2024/President’s Corner

In this quarter’s edition, Jennifer answers questions on exams, required programs, availability of CNS programs, and more. 

  1. If I have both a BSN and an MBA, what would be required from me to become a CNS? 

    You need to enroll in an MSN or DNP program that prepares students for a CNS certification. You can see all the CNS programs in our directory here. 

  2. I am a current CNS-NICU student in CA, in an online out-of-state (Virginia) program. I am nervous about getting my license and degree. I was told it was accepted and recognized but as I get closer to finishing what can I do to make sure all this effort was worth it? 

    You can make sure it is worth it by writing down your short-term and long-term goals and then seeking information from a mentor to help you reach those goals. Career happiness begins with you deciding what brings you internal happiness.

  3. I’m a Family Nurse Practitioner with my MSN. Can I simply take the CNS exam to become a CNS? 

    No, you must graduate from a CNS program.

  4. I’m interested in becoming a CNS and just started researching. I’m not seeing a lot of job openings or educational training programs for it. Is there a different title I should be looking for? 

    There are many CNSs positions across the country. It may be that you are not searching in a variety of search engines or directly on hospital websites. You can check out our career center here.

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Episode Featuring NACNS President Jennifer Manning Explains the Importance of CNSs in the Healthcare Industry

August 3, 2024/Blog

On June 22, 2024, NACNS president Jennifer Manning was featured as a guest on the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast. In this episode, Scott Becker and Jennifer Manning discuss the critical role of Clinical Nurse Specialists in the healthcare indsutry and why their expertise is essential now more than ever.

Listen to the full episode to learn more about the CNS position, the current state of the healthcare industry, and how the NACNS supports CNSs.

Listen to the podcast

Neuro-APP Certificate Program Call for Contributors

July 22, 2024/Announcements

Applications should be sent to Rita Norte at rnorte@aann.org on or before July 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified directly by email.

The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) and the American Board of Neuroscience Nurses (ABNN) are excited to announce the development of a new Neuroscience Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Certificate Program. Similar to the Seizure and Epilepsy Certificate Programs, this program will provide foundational evidence-based neuroscience education specific to APPs. After completing the educational curriculum, learners will complete a post-test. Learners who complete this program and pass the post-assessment will earn CE and an ABNN certificate of added qualification. This certificate program will be housed on the online Learning Management System (LMS). AANN has identified lead editors for this project and created a content outline. AANN is now looking for contributors to write the content in accordance with the outline. Those selected will receive authorship credit.

Responsibilities include:

  • Participate in the orientation for contributors.
  • Participate in monthly conference calls with project manager, editors, and board liaison to address questions regarding best practices, clinical content, and course development.
  • Ensure that the content reflects current evidence-based practices, guidelines, and standards.
  • Create comprehensive accurate content based on the content outline (PPT slides, scripts, images).
  • Incorporate case studies, scenarios, and real-life examples to enhance the learning experience.
  • Confer with AANN editors to ensure content accuracy and cohesiveness.
  • Respond promptly to project manager and editors’ questions throughout the content development process.
  • Work closely with the project manager to ensure timely delivery of a final, accurate, and complete module.
  • Ensure all materials submitted are up to date and meet the highest quality professional standards.
  • Willingness to make revisions, as needed to meet the best available evidence in the field.
  • Time management – balancing your workload, prioritization and task management will be an ongoing task. You will need to figure out how to manage your responsibilities and keep up with the scheduled timeline of this project.
  • Communicate clearly and effectively.

Qualifications

Preferred contributor candidates will be AANN members with previous writing experience and will possess these qualifications:

  • A master’s degree and certification as a Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • APP subject matter expertise
  • At least 3 years of experience as an advanced practice provider with at least 1 year being in neuroscience
  • Writing experience (preferred)
  • The ability to write and communicate clearly
  • The ability to meet deadlines
  • Experience in systematic literature review and are committed to the development of best practices
  • Can commit to the time required to successfully complete the project (the time commitment for this project is approximately 8 months)
  • A passion to advance the science and practice of neuroscience nursing

Term of the Commitment

The group will begin work in 2024. The estimated length of the commitment is 8 months using this projected timeline:

Time PeriodTaskResponsible party
September 2024OrientationContributors and editors/AANN Staff/instructional design vendor
September 2024 – February 2025Content developmentContributors
February – March 2025Revisions and editsContributors and editors
August 2025Product launchAANN staff

Application

Please submit the following:

  • A short statement of interest (1-2 paragraphs) that addresses the reasons you would like to be considered and specifies your areas of interest and special expertise.
  • A current condensed curriculum vitae that includes only:
    1. Your current position and title, with your contact information.
    2. The professional organizations in which you hold membership.
    3. The number of years you have worked in neuroscience nursing.
    4. Years of experience specific to advanced practice.
    5. List any experience with online education development you have had in the past 10 years.
    6. The titles and dates of no more than 5 lectures or presentations you have given (if you have given more than 5 presentations, select the top 5 in the field of neuroscience).
    7. List the titles of articles and publication names demonstrating your writing experience
      and your level of involvement.
    8. List areas of interest from the topics listed below:
      • Module I: Foundations of Neuroscience
      • Module II: Developmental Neurology & Neurosurgery
      • Module III: Cerebrovascular
      • Module IV: Neurocritical Care
      • Module V: Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
      • Module VI: Disorders of the Spine
      • Module VII: Neuro-oncology
      • Module VIII: General Neurology
      • Module IX: Infectious and Immune-related Diseases
      • Module X: Neuromuscular Disorders
      • Module XI: Geriatric Neurology
      • Modules XII: Advanced Practice, Ethical, and Legal Considerations

Congratulations to the May 2024 CNS Program Graduates!

July 19, 2024/Announcements

Dear May 2024 Graduates,

Congratulations on completing your CNS program! We look forward to supporting you in your new career and seeing you grow and thrive as a CNS.

Best,
Jennifer Manning
NACNS President (2024-2025)

  • Amber Ackerman, Indiana University – Purdue University
  • Jacqueline Adams, Rush University
  • Laura Allaire, University of California – San Francisco
  • Charlotte Allegretti, Molloy College
  • Kimberly Anderson, Loma Linda University
  • Rebecca Beaubien, Indiana University – Purdue University
  • Lorin Blaver, University of Detroit Mercy
  • Michele Brake, East Carolina University
  • Nancy Brasic, East Carolina University
  • Melanie Brewster, Old Dominion University
  • Melody Bridges, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Eileen Briggs, East Carolina University
  • Stephanie Britt, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Lindsay Browning, Winona State University
  • Brandy Burgess, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Amanda Caravelli, University of Missouri – Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Stephanie Chamberlain, Michigan State University
  • Suzanne Collins, Colorado Christian University
  • Jonathan Contreras, University of San Francisco
  • Taylor Coyle, University of Missouri – Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Megan Dobbs, East Carolina University
  • Patricia Donnelly, East Carolina University
  • Gabriella Dunn, UCLA School of Nursing
  • Aisha Ealey, Rush University
  • Gina Eberhardt, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
  • Mackenzie Edge-Reetz, Indiana University – Purdue University
  • Leslie Elmer, Colorado Christian University
  • Marloe Esch, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
  • Kirstan Evans, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Melissa Fuller, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Karen Genzel, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Corinne Hajjar, Point Loma Nazarene University
  • Evelyn Hale, East Carolina University
  • Karolina Ho, University of California – San Francisco
  • Kathy Hu, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Devan Humphries, University of San Diego
  • Laine Hunter, Indiana University – Purdue University
  • Benjamin Hyde, University of Maryland School of Nursing
  • Katherine Ingram, University of Missouri – Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Karla “Susie” Keepper, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Sarah Kibbee, East Carolina University
  • Heather Klein, Widener University
  • Jennifer Laessig, The University of Texas at Austin
  • McKenzie Madigan, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Jenipher Mathys, The Ohio State University
  • Rachel Mock, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Hannah Morgan, The Ohio State University
  • Dianne Katleen Motil, University of Missouri – Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Victoria Nalley, East Carolina University
  • Jessica Oliver, University of San Diego
  • Aracely Orozco, UCLA School of Nursing
  • Elizabeth Plante, Winona State University
  • Allison Plata, Kent State University
  • Katie Potter, Michigan State University
  • Jessica Powell, St. John Fisher University
  • Briyanna Privott, East Carolina University
  • Angela Rapids, Old Dominion University
  • Anne Richter, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • Staci Robinson, Loma Linda University
  • Tiara Rudzinski, University of Detroit Mercy
  • Audrey Rutkowski, Michigan State University
  • Susan Rux, Walden University
  • Kelsey Sain, East Carolina University
  • Victoria Salas, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Ross Scallan, University of Virginia
  • Brooke Schmidt, The Ohio State University
  • Bonnie Sgroi, University of San Diego
  • Jessica Single, West Chester University
  • Joshua Smith, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
  • Taylor Smith, University of Detroit Mercy
  • Wesleyan Smith, University of Maryland School of Nursing
  • Megan Sonsteng, University of California Los Angeles
  • Valerie Stewart, East Carolina University
  • Stephanie Street, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Tonya Sublett, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  • Linda Thi, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Macee Threet, Indiana University – Purdue University
  • Nicholas Topoleski, Loma Linda University
  • Courtney Townsend, East Carolina University
  • Theodore Urbano, Old Dominion University
  • Alysa Valdez, University of San Diego
  • Luana Vendramel Santos Weeks, East Carolina University
  • Kenna Waltman, East Carolina University
  • Julie Watts, Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing
  • Zanley Widjaja, San Francisco State University
  • Jaclyn Wiggins, Seattle Pacific University
  • Joshua Winowiecki, Michigan State University
  • Nicole Yates, University of Missouri – Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Olivia Yetter, East Carolina University
  • Kellie Zeichner, West Chester University

NACNS’ Takeaways from ANA Hill Day 2024: Urging Congress to Improve Nursing Work Environments and Address Decades of Challenges

July 11, 2024/Blog

On June 27, 2024, nearly 500 nurses attended the American Nurse Association (ANA) Hill Day in Washington, D.C., participating in 235 meetings on various topics with 480 Legislature and Senate members and their staff. This annual effort helps to advocate for the over 5 million registered nurses worldwide.

Rick Bassett, NACNS President-Elect, Linda Thurby-Hay, NACNS Secretary & Treasurer, and Pamela Moss, NACNS Board Member, attended and participated in ANA Hill Day 2024. Amidst a nurse staffing crisis, advocacy for nurses is essential to help increase funding, implement safe standards, revise outdated laws, and more. Bassett was one of the hundreds of nurses at the U.S. Capitol Building seeking support and leading conversations with policymakers. Among the themes this year, Bassett noted four prominent areas Hill Day 2024 focused on:

  1. Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act
    • Allows nurses to provide certain services under Medicare and Medicaid, and removes practice barriers for CNSs and APRNs to provide more equitable care to patients in underserved areas.
  2. Restricting Mandatory Overtime for Nurses
    • Restricts use of mandatory overtime, with common sense exceptions, while providing whistleblower protection and requiring healthcare facilities to create policies relating to nurse overtime.
  3. Protect Timely Access to Quality Nursing Care in Long-Term Care Facilities
    • Establishes minimum safe staffing requirements, provides an exemption for understaffed facilities, and addresses nurse burnout and attrition.
  4. Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act
    • Working to establish a 5-year pilot program to increase faculty at schools of nursing, create a grant to help combat the pay gap between clinical nursing and nurse faculty roles, and prioritize programs that serve vulnerable populations.

These four topics all relate to improving nurses’ working environment and practice barriers that have existed for decades. Participants of Hill Day collectively focused on these topics, working together to make their voices heard. The positive impact that Hill Day brings will benefit all registered nurses, including CNSs, by improving work environments and removing practice barriers.