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American
Nurses Association
Who We Are
The American Nurses Association
is a full-service professional organization representing the nation's
2.6 million Registered Nurses through its 54 constituent state
associations and 13 organizational affiliate members. ANA advances the
nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice,
promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace,
projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying
the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting
nurses and the public.
Mission
Statement
The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only
full-service professional organization representing the nation's
entire registered nurse population. From the halls of Congress and
federal agencies to the board rooms, hospitals and other health care
facilities, the ANA is the strongest voice for the nursing profession
and for workplace advocacy. It is headquartered in Washington, DC.
The
ANA represents the interests of the nation's 2.6 million registered
nurses through its 54 constituent state and territorial associations
and over 180,000 members. More than 25 of the ANA's constituent
associations serve as the collective bargaining agents for nurses. The
ANA is a professional association for nurses as well as the strongest
labor union for the nursing profession.
Dedicated
to ensuring that an adequate supply of highly-skilled and well-trained
nurses is available, the ANA is committed to meeting the needs of
nurses as well as health care consumers. The ANA advances the nursing
profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting
the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace,
projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying
the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting
nurses and the general public.
The
ANA is at the forefront of policy initiatives pertaining to health
care reform. Among the priority issues are: a restructured health care
system that delivers primary health care in community based settings;
an expanded role for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in
the delivery of basic and primary health care; obtaining federal
funding for nurse education and training; and helping to change and
improve the health care workplace.
Through
the ANA's political and legislative program, the association has taken
firm positions on a range of issues including Medicare reform,
patients rights, the importance of safer needle devices, whistleblower
protections for health care workers, adequate reimbursement for health
care services and access to health care. The ANA and its state nurses
associations' lobbying efforts are contributing to health care reform
on both state and national levels.
The
ANA continues its efforts to expand the scientific and research base
for nursing practice, for the collective bargaining rights and
workplace advocacy for all nurses, to gain better compensation and
better working conditions for nurses, and to implement new ways in
which nursing services can be delivered to respond to current and
future demands for cost-effective, quality health care.
The
ANA-affiliated organizations include the American
Nurses Foundation, the American
Academy of Nursing and the American
Nurses Credentialing Center.
1998-1999 Strategic Plan
Long
Term Mission: The mission of the American Nurses Association is to
work for the improvement of health standards and availability of health
care services for all people, foster high standards for nursing,
stimulate and promote the professional development of nurses, and
advance their economic and general welfare.
Short
Term Mission: Quality health care for all people is assured by
protecting and enhancing professional nursing practice in all
environments. |
