Image
Nurses Shaping the Future of Healthcare
2026 AACN Policy Summit Series
My experience at the AACN Policy Summit was both inspiring and empowering. Throughout the summit, I began to reframe my identity as a nursing professional and felt a renewed sense of purpose to engage in policy and advocacy.
I was reminded that while federal policy is inherently political, the needs of patients and the nursing profession transcend politics.
On our final day, students representing 48 states advocated for academic nursing by meeting with our Representatives and Senators. As my USF colleagues and I marched to Capitol Hill, I thought of all the lawmakers throughout US history who wore down the smooth marble floors, shuffling through the halls to create laws that would shape our nation. My colleagues and I had the chance to walk through those same halls in the name of nursing advocacy, realizing then that we had a critical responsibility and the distinct honor to use our voices to shape the nursing profession.
This experience taught me that meaningful change begins when nurses step into advocacy roles – whether at the local, state, or national level. By remaining open to growth, we as nurses can influence policies, develop essential programs, and ultimately strengthen the future of our profession and the communities we serve.
I am deeply grateful to Dean Eileen Fry-Bowers for this opportunity, as well as for the inspiring connections I made with my fellow USF colleagues. I highly recommend this summit to any nursing student interested in understanding the difference they can make through advocacy.
