ANA Position Statements
The American Nurses Association (ANA) House of Delegates and the ANA Board of Directors are charged with setting policy in healthcare, the workplace, patient care, and many other areas where nurses are engaged. When a hot topic arises or there are various views and opinions about current events, the House of Delegates and/or the Board of Directors may address these concerns by way of a position statement. Position statements are an explanation, a justification or a recommendation for a course of action that reflects ANA’s stance regarding the concern. The development process for position statements initially involves internal deliberation by the Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics. A draft of the proposed position statement is then posted on ANA’s Web site, for public comment. Following public comment, the statement is revised if necessary and approved by the ANA Board of Directors. This process allows each and every nurse to voice their views and opinions on the various dimensions of the issue at hand.
Position statements expire or are retired by the organization when appropriate.