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ANA Reintroduces the ICAN Act to Strengthen Nursing Workforce
Late last week, the American Nurses Association (ANA) announced the reintroduction of the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act in both the House and Senate.
This critical legislative push aims to address workforce shortages and enhance patient access to care.
The bill aligns with ANA’s long-standing advocacy for systemic changes in healthcare infrastructure and has received widespread support from nursing leaders and organizations nationwide.
Its reintroduction underscores the growing recognition of nursing as a strategic asset in healthcare delivery—a significant shift from its historical characterization as a mere cost center.
Key Provisions and Implications
The ICAN Act targets three primary areas:
- Workforce Expansion: The bill includes funding for education and training programs to increase the pipeline of new nurses, particularly in underserved areas. This initiative comes at a time when over 100,000 nursing positions remain vacant nationwide.
- Practice Reforms: It mandates a federal review of outdated scope-of-practice laws that limit nurses’ ability to practice to their full potential, ensuring greater flexibility in delivering care.
- Resources and Research: The act appropriates funds for clinical research on nurse-led care models and workplace safety initiatives, addressing ANA’s recently released 2025 Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Why This Matters Now
The timing of the bill’s reintroduction is strategic.
Recent executive actions by President Trump have reshaped federal workforce policies, prompting ANA to emphasize nurse empowerment as a cornerstone of healthcare resilience.
Simultaneously, there is heightened scrutiny on systemic inequalities in nursing, highlighted by rulings like the one requiring equal pay for immigrant nurses at Tacoma’s St. Joseph Medical Center.
These developments signal a broader shift toward valuing nursing expertise in policy-making.
Nurse Advocacy and Next Steps
The ANA has framed the ICAN Act as a pivotal moment for nurse empowerment, encouraging members to engage through the newly launched Nurses Action Society (NAS)—a lobbying initiative aimed at mobilizing grassroots advocacy.
In tandem, the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) has celebrated legislative wins, such as the adoption of plain-language safety codes in hospitals, which reflect nurses’ role in existing decision-making.
For practicing nurses, the ICAN Act’s passage would not only ease workforce pressure but also amplify their influence in ethical decision-making.
ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, recently named one of Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare, emphasizes that “legislation like the ICAN Act is not just a policy move—it’s a moral imperative to uphold patient trust.”
The Road Ahead
While federal action is critical, state-level reforms remain equally urgent.
Programs like WSNA’s Health Equity CNE Webinar provide tools for nurses to engage in systemic change, aligning with the ICAN Act’s call for equitable workforce policies.
As this legislative debate unfolds, nurses are proving once again that their voices are not ancillary to healthcare reform—they are central to it.
For updated details on the ICAN Act’s progress, nurses can follow ANA’s policy tracker.
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