American Nurses Association

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Munira Wells, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, lives by the philosophy “we are never finished nurses.” This belief fuels her commitmen...
06/18/2026

Munira Wells, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, lives by the philosophy “we are never finished nurses.” This belief fuels her commitment to teaching nursing students and her passion for helping students understand that nursing extends into advocacy.

At the American Nurses Association’s Hill Day last year, Munira used her voice as a nurse and a leader with the National Association of Indian Nurses of America to advocate for issues deeply personal to her work: protecting nurses from workplace violence, strengthening nursing education and research funding, removing barriers to APRN practice, and protecting access to care. As an educator, she brings these experiences back to the classroom, showing students that advocacy can start with something as simple as a phone call or letter.

For Munira, pictured here with fellow nurse Jacqueline Owens, The Power of Nurses™ means being “everything, everywhere, all at once” – teaching, learning, and advocating, for patients and colleagues.

This year’s Hill Day will take place on Thursday, June 25. Stay tuned for stories from our time on Capitol Hill.

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerofNurses.org.

For centuries, nurses have acted as the unsung champions of healing, navigating the complexities of illness with compass...
06/18/2026

For centuries, nurses have acted as the unsung champions of healing, navigating the complexities of illness with compassion and expertise.

For the past 130 years, American Nurses Association has stood behind nurses, uniting and magnifying their impact.

Join us in looking back on 130 years of ANA and celebrating The Power of Nurses™—then and now:
https://www.nursingworld.org/ana/about-ana/history/

It’s just one word, but it means everything.“Ubuntu is a word from the languages of southern Africa that translates to “...
06/18/2026

It’s just one word, but it means everything.

“Ubuntu is a word from the languages of southern Africa that translates to “the power of we”—it’s a philosophy that emphasizes our shared humanity and connectedness,” explained Gifty Boateng, MSN, RN, CPAN.

This concept has shaped her entire life, from helping her aunt set up healthcare clinics in her native Ghana as a child, to becoming a nurse in the United States, to battling food insecurity in Delaware and around the world.

A member of the Delaware State Nurses Association, Gifty works as a senior perianesthesia nurse manager at Bayhealth in Dover. She was recently named one of Delaware Today’s Top Nurses of 2026.

Gifty founded the Global Ubuntu Impact Foundation, which aims to bridge the health equity gap by providing free health screenings and education and supporting food-insecure people in Kent County.

“We put healthy food in a refrigerator outside a clinic for low-income and uninsured patients that anyone can access,” she said.

“To me, nurses are the root of the healthcare tree,” explained Boateng. “Without the root, the tree is not going to grow and flourish. We make such an impact on patient care—not just within the walls of the hospital, but in our communities, our homes, and our churches. That is why I love being a nurse.”

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story ThePowerofNurses.org

Meet Magnet & Pathway Conference® keynote speaker Riaz Meghji. A bestselling author, television host, and expert on huma...
06/17/2026

Meet Magnet & Pathway Conference® keynote speaker Riaz Meghji.

A bestselling author, television host, and expert on human connection, Riaz has spent his career exploring what helps people build trust, strengthen relationships, and thrive together.

Join us in Chicago, October 29-31, for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration alongside thousands of nurses and healthcare leaders.

Explore this year's conference experience. https://hubs.ly/Q04kXh360

ANA was proud to celebrate the 28 newest graduates of St. John’s University’s nursing program at this year’s pinning cer...
06/17/2026

ANA was proud to celebrate the 28 newest graduates of St. John’s University’s nursing program at this year’s pinning ceremony. Congratulations to these future nurses. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with you and welcome you to the nursing profession.



St. John's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

At 16 years old, Lily Mellott, LPN, didn’t plan to become a nurse.When her grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic can...
06/16/2026

At 16 years old, Lily Mellott, LPN, didn’t plan to become a nurse.

When her grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the disease had already progressed to its final stages. Given only weeks to live, she entered hospice care. Lily, who lived with her grandmother, suddenly found herself stepping into the role of caregiver.

For the final week of her grandmother's life, Lily slept in a chair beside her bed. When her grandmother passed away, a hospice nurse invited Lily to participate in her grandmother's final bath and gently explained every step of the process.

In the weeks that followed, Lily found herself reflecting on her loss.

"I missed my grandma so much, but I also missed caring for someone. I realized I never felt more like myself than when I was caring for someone else."

A month later, she became a CNA. Today, she is an LPN and just two classes away from becoming an RN.

Lily’s nursing philosophy centers on bringing her authentic self into patient care.

“It's important to show up and be authentically you. Every patient is unique, so they need a unique nurse. A really beautiful thing about healthcare teams is that we all bring a unique element to the table.”

What unique element does Lily bring to the table? Her ability to braid hair.

One of Lily’s patients recently underwent an arm amputation and was struggling to come to terms with the loss of her independence. One morning, she looked at Lily and said through tears, "You always have your hair done. It always looks so nice. I'm never going to be able to do that again."

A lifelong ambidextrous hair-braiding skill had recently made Lily an internet sensation, so she decided to teach her patient a one-handed braiding technique, helping her regain confidence.

Another patient arrived at the hospital having a panic attack. She had matted hair and couldn’t catch her breath or explain what was wrong. Lily began combing and braiding her hair, allowing her patient to calm down and better communicate.

The braid represented independence for one patient. For another, it provided comfort, dignity, and a sense of calm during a moment of crisis.

"Nursing care really is because we care," Lily said. "It's not just the tasks that we do every day. We care for people physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally in the best way that we can."

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerOfNurses.org.

As a nurse practitioner in an STI clinic, Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, FNP, diagnosed patients as young as 16-years-old wit...
06/15/2026

As a nurse practitioner in an STI clinic, Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, FNP, diagnosed patients as young as 16-years-old with HIV. It reminded him of growing up in Brooklyn, where he watched classmates navigate questions of identity and sexuality while seeking support in their school health clinics.

These experiences sparked a question that has shaped his career: What are the social and cultural factors that drive health outcomes prior to seeking care?

Today, Orlando's research examines the root causes of HIV disparities among sexual and gender minorities in the United States and the Caribbean. From studying stigma, violence, and mental health in Jamaica to investigating how policies affect access to HIV prevention in California, his work focuses on understanding the barriers communities face and finding ways to remove them.

One of his studies revealed that a California law designed to expand access to at-home STI testing was unintentionally leaving behind many of the people it was meant to help. Instead of stopping after his research was published, Orlando and his colleagues took their findings directly to lawmakers, newspapers, and community stakeholders to push for change.

"Policy is rooted and embedded in communities," he says. "As a community-engaged researcher, I engage with communities in order to translate concerns, hurt, and trauma into policy."

For his research and advocacy to make healthcare more equitable, Orlando was recently honored with the Excellence in Health Equity and Justice Award from American Nurses Association - California.

During Pride Month, we celebrate nurses like Orlando who work to make nursing and healthcare more welcoming and affirming for the LGBTQ+ community.

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerOfNurses.org.

Farmers and ranchers put in long hours, in unpredictable conditions. From sunup to sundown, their work never stops.Aric ...
06/14/2026

Farmers and ranchers put in long hours, in unpredictable conditions. From sunup to sundown, their work never stops.

Aric Cargile, a fifth-generation farmer and rancher in West Texas describes his work as “taking up one hundred percent of your time. Ensuring your animals are properly fed, watered, and taken care of is 24/7. After that, you have to tend to your crops. You can only take what nature gives you and you got to be highly adaptable, to weather, to temperatures, to the mechanics of everything.”

When your work is this demanding, access to healthcare is a necessity. But in rural areas, the closest healthcare facility may be 30, 70, or more miles away. That distance is dangerous, especially for someone like Aric, who is managing type 1 diabetes.

For years, getting care meant long drives, time lost working on the ranch, and added stress. That is, until Nurse Practitioner John Hodges opened a nearby clinic.

John grew up in West Texas and understands the challenges rural families face. When the mayor of Ralls approached him about opening a clinic, he saw an opportunity to bring healthcare closer to people with limited access.

"People living in rural communities deserve quality healthcare. I don't think you should have to live in a city to receive better healthcare," John said.

Today, Ralls Family Medicine serves thousands of patients.

Farmers don't stop planting, irrigating, or harvesting when health concerns arise. For many rural families, getting care means they’re able to keep their livelihoods going. And for families like the Cargiles, it's the reason they can keep doing what they've done for generations.

"Having John here means that our operation will go as long as it can,” Aric remarked. “Hopefully into six and seven generations."

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerOfNurses.org.

Su***de is one of America’s most urgent health crises, and nurses are leading the way in creating change. Beverly Patche...
06/13/2026

Su***de is one of America’s most urgent health crises, and nurses are leading the way in creating change. Beverly Patchell, PhD, RN, CNS, PMH-BC, shows how care rooted in culture can save lives.

Raised in Cherokee traditions, Beverly saw that standard talk therapy often falls short for Native youth.

“Native people are taught from a very early age not to speak of negative things,” she says. “The more you talk about a bad thing, the stronger it gets.”

Her solution? Integrating healing practices, like sweat lodges and ceremonies, that create spaces where teens rediscover hope, identity, and belonging.

With support from the Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association, Beverly earned her PhD and went on to mentor dozens of Native nursing students, design culturally grounded care models, and advocate nationally for inclusivity in behavioral health.

Her work proves that The Power of Nurses™ is more than treating symptoms; nurses also restore meaning and connection. One relationship can change a life, and nurses make those connections every day.

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerOfNurses.org.

For LGBTQ+ veterans, accessing care isn’t always just about logistics; it’s about trust. Kristy Reinke, MS, BSN, RN, a W...
06/12/2026

For LGBTQ+ veterans, accessing care isn’t always just about logistics; it’s about trust.

Kristy Reinke, MS, BSN, RN, a Women’s Health Nurse Navigator and LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), does everything in her power to earn that trust, one conversation, one connection, one patient at a time.

“You have to make them feel comfortable so that they can be honest with you. Because if they’re not honest with you, then you’re not going to be able to give them the good care that they need.”

In a role where many interactions are virtual, Kristy makes herself visible, accessible, and safe. She’s placed her information across VA platforms so LGBTQ+ veterans can reach out directly. And when they do, she meets them with empathy.

“They just want to be healthy. They just want to be loved and cared for in the proper way.”

Her work goes beyond coordination, with education, advocacy, and cultural transformation. Kristy helps ensure LGBTQ+ veterans receive essential screenings and care tailored to their needs, while also guiding VA staff to ask better questions to provide more inclusive care.

Even within constraints, she continues to push forward, sharing resources, building awareness, and creating meaningful change. Because she knows that visibility matters. That access matters. And that dignity in care matters most.

“Nurses shouldn’t judge. We’re there to do one job, and that’s to make them better.”

For every veteran navigating identity, trauma, or uncertainty, Kristy offers something invaluable: a nurse who shows up fully, compassionately, and without hesitation.

How has a nurse impacted your life? Share your story at ThePowerOfNurses.org.

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