Activism, Not Advocacy: The Radical Transformation of the American Nurses Association

For decades, the American Nurses Association (ANA) advocated on behalf of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. Yet, the past decade has seen a shift in the ANA’s priorities, from representation and professional development to activism that supports radical ideologies.

The ANA is just one component of the ANA Enterprise (ANAE). Other branches of the ANAE are involved in credentialing, philanthropy, political action, and academia. Despite its influence over the profession, by membership, the ANA represents less than four percent of the nation’s RNs. However, the actions of its top leadership and governance structure affect the entire vocation. How the organization imagines its purpose has shifted dramatically from the time of the ANA’s founding more than a century ago to the current state. At this point, the organization is unrecognizable as an institution that ostensibly exists as an advocate for professional nurses.

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