The American Nurses Association (ANA) held its inaugural Membership Assembly Friday, June 28 through Saturday, June 29 in Crystal City, Va. The Assembly brought together representatives from ANA’s constituent and state nurses associations, Individual Membership Division, ANA Board of Directors and ANA’s specialty nursing organizational affiliates to develop a framework for shaping the future of the Association and the nursing profession.

The Membership Assembly, ANA’s new governing and policy-making body, replaced the previous governing body, the House of Delegates, which ANA members voted to dissolve in 2012.

Using the theme, “A Look into the Future: Advancing the Association; Advancing the Profession,” representatives explored pressing nursing and health care issues as part of an environmental scan to better position ANA to anticipate trends that may impact the nursing profession. The environmental scan also laid the foundation for policies and positions to ensure a stronger nursing presence in the emerging health care delivery system.

Assembly representatives discussed the important and sometimes competing interests regarding access to care, care coordination, patient outcomes, and licensure issues. In terms of specific actions, they referred a licensure jurisdiction proposal back to the ANA Board of Directors. The board will further review licensure implications for nurses who provide technology-enabled care, including follow-up phone calls after patient discharge, across state lines.

Representatives also voted on bylaws, or governing amendments, which included approving a timeline for smoothly transitioning to a smaller board of directors. Additionally, representatives adopted a structure that acknowledges registered nurses who are full members of a constituent/state nurses association as holding concurrent membership in ANA.

Assembly attendees also welcomed two new state nurses associations from Illinois and New York and celebrated the Alabama State Nurses Association’s centennial.

In advance of the Membership Assembly, on Thursday, June 27, hundreds of nurses met with federal legislators on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. as part of ANA’s annual Lobby Day to advocate for critical nursing issues, including safe staffing and eliminating scope of practice barriers.

The Membership Assembly will continue to meet annually. In 2014, the Assembly will elect a new slate of officers. For more information, please visit www.nursingworld.org.

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ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. Please visit www.nursingworld.org for more information.