Nurses are highly educated, rigorously trained, scientifically grounded, and firmly committed members of the health professional workforce. They are essential partners and leaders in the delivery, coordination, and improvement of health care. Nurses are often the primary presence at the front lines of care, and many serve in executive leadership positions within health care organizations. They are not auxiliary or secondary players; they are core contributors.
Reports from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM; formerly Institute of Medicine) have repeatedly underscored the vital role of the nursing profession. Nurses undertake rigorous training and education comparable to that of any other profession. Strong nursing leadership and high levels of nursing education are essential to better patient outcomes, safer care, improved system performance, and lower costs. Support for education and training needs in the nursing profession, including the pursuit of higher degrees, is widely recognized as among the highest priorities for our nation’s health system.
There is increasing concern about a growing shortage of nurses in the United States and globally. The exclusion of nursing from the list of professional degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the impact on nursing students’ access to federal loans may further aggravate this looming shortage and negatively affect patient care.
The NAM honors the historic, present, and future contributions of nurse professionals as leaders at every level and in each venue of health, health care, and biomedical science.
–Victor J. Dzau, President, National Academy of Medicine
–Linda A. McCauley, Vice Chair of the NAM Council and Dean, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
