The American Nurses Association (ANA) declared a National Nurses Day of Action. To safeguard the safety, mental health, and general well-being of the country’s largest group of healthcare professionals—nurses—ANA is mobilizing nurses, nursing students, and healthcare advocates nationwide to petition Congress to act immediately on behalf of the more than 5 million registered nurses in the country. ANA is urging Congress to prioritize two crucial pieces of legislation through various grassroots lobbying initiatives.
- The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 2531 S. 1232). This bill would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enforce a final rule requiring healthcare employers to establish standards for preventing workplace violence.
- The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (H.R. 929 S. 266). Originally enacted in 2022, this bill would ensure nurses would continue to have access to life-saving mental health and substance use disorder resources.
“On this National Nurses Day of Action, we stand united with nurses across the country in calling on Congress to pass two fundamental bills that will protect our profession and defend quality patient care,” stated Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President of the American Nurses Association. “First, we affirm that ‘care goes both ways.’ Time and time again we have raised our voices, saying no nurse should come to work expecting assault, intimidation, or threats merely for doing their job. By extending critical federal mental health support for nurses, we acknowledge that the courage to care is not immune from the burdens of trauma, burnout, and moral injury.”
According to research, healthcare workers have some of the highest rates of workplace violence, and the CDC reports that their mental health is the worst among all U.S. workforce segments. Additionally, the primary cause of nurses’ extraordinary rates of burnout and departure from the profession is unresolved workplace issues. Therefore, on National Nurses Day of Action, nurses and other healthcare advocates are urged to engage with their legislators and use social media and other platforms to demonstrate to the public the urgent need to address these pressing issues that impact the nursing community.
“Our patients entrust us with their lives—it is high time our nation entrusts us with the protection and well‑being we so earnestly deliver,” stated Dr. Mensik Kennedy “Passing these bills into law is not optional—these decisions are lifesaving. Congress must act now to protect those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.”
ANA is offering a free Partner Toolkit providing resources and tools to engage with legislators and amplify advocacy efforts.
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