The nursing workforce crisis continues to strain healthcare, with a focus on shortages, burnout, and retention.
Yet current solutions overlook a critical factor: nurses must directly influence policy decisions shaping care.
Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association, believes progress requires changing who shapes healthcare decisions.
“Nurses have to be at the table,” she said.
Mensik Kennedy, interviewed at the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations 2026 Annual Health Policy Summit, stressed the importance of bringing frontline expertise to policy development.
The Missing Voice in Decision-Making
Nurses are the largest healthcare workforce and spend the most time with patients.
Yet policy decisions often lack their perspective.
Mensik Kennedy said this gap affects care delivery.
Without nurse input, policies may miss realities of care, workflow, and safety.
Including nurses in decision-making is crucial for developing effective, workable policies.
Policy Shapes Practice
Healthcare policy affects all aspects of nursing, from staffing to scope of practice to patient safety.
Mensik Kennedy said policy engagement is essential for nurses at every level.
Early nurse involvement helps identify challenges before they reach patient care.
This insight supports practical, sustainable approaches to care.
The Education and Pipeline Challenge
Workforce stability also relies on education and training policies.
Mensik Kennedy cited capacity limits in nursing programs; qualified applicants are turned away due to faculty shortages and limited resources.
These barriers restrict future workforce growth.
Targeted policies and investment in education and faculty are needed to address these issues.
Leadership Beyond the Bedside
Mensik Kennedy said nurses already lead in healthcare, though not always at the policy level.
Expanding influence requires more leadership roles on boards, committees, and advisory groups.
In these roles, nurses offer a patient-centered perspective from daily practice.
This perspective is vital for decisions impacting care and outcomes.
A Defining Moment for the Profession
As healthcare evolves, Mensik Kennedy said nurses’ roles must evolve too.
The workforce crisis is not only about numbers but about who shapes the systems nurses work in.
Nurses must enter decision-making roles and ensure their expertise is heard.
“Nurses have to be at the table—now is the time to step forward and take part in policy-making to shape the future of care,” she said.
