I recently had the pleasure of sharing a meal with Kristi Reguin-Hartman, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, president of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN). It will come as no surprise that we have much in common. We reflected on our shared professional development needs, because, although we are presidents, we continue to grow and learn.
It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate how our associations are aligned in many ways that have the potential to shape the future of the nursing profession. This partnership reminded me of AACN';s enduring work, collaborating with other organizations to effect change, particularly our trailblazing work on appropriate nurse staffing.
For decades, defining nurse staffing levels that meet patient safety standards has been a persistent pressure point that AACN is committed to addressing. Now, our advocacy, work and partnerships have made a significant impact.
This year, The Joint Commission (TJC) identified nurse staffing as a national performance goal (NPG), thanks in large part to the decades-long efforts of AACN and our partners.
First published in 2005, AACN';s Healthy Work Environment Standards include Appropriate Staffing as a key standard. In 2022, AACN and ANA co-led the National Nurse Staffing Task Force to draft a list of staffing imperatives, including the recommendation that specialty organizations develop discipline-specific staffing guidelines.
Additionally, AACN provided the first-ever staffing standards for Adult Critical Care in 2024 and for Adult Progressive Care in 2025, the first staffing standards for this growing specialty.
During our time together, Kirsti and I celebrated our successes, including AMSN';s recently published standards for Medical-Surgical Nurse Staffing. Achievements such as this one require collaboration and partnerships across organizations and disciplines.
After all, our patients move through a care continuum and depend on equitable distribution of resources across our inpatient settings. Alone, we cannot effectively advocate for our patients. Through tireless consensus-building and incremental change, are having a significant impact, as evidenced by the inclusion of nurse staffing as a TJC National Performance Goal for 2026, a historic achievement.
As acute, progressive and critical care nurses, we are accustomed to working on teams; yet, we often work alone and reflexively jump from problem identification to action. Collaboration outside our core team can be counterintuitive in a fast-paced environment. Compromise is not only time-consuming, but it also challenges us. While there is benefit in allowing our minds to wander and explore creative ideas, siloed thinking can be counterproductive when taken to an extreme.
Consensus building requires thoughtful consideration of diverse perspectives and viewpoints. At first, this can feel like the problem is ballooning out of control. Yet the sustainable solution to many problems and, more importantly, relief from our current anxiety about these problems, is in our collaborative partnerships. Having a partner, colleague, coach or mentor to remind us of our purpose and reassure us that the return on investment will be worthwhile is invaluable.
When Kristi and I sat together, I already had a deep appreciation for how much our respective specialty organizations need each other. Nurses and patients benefit when we collaborate. What struck me most about our conversation was the mutual respect and the support that I received. It was the gift I needed at that moment.
When we share the burden of caring, the load is lighter. True Collaboration can be a source of renewal and inspiration, well worth the investment of time and energy. When we are willing to share a meal and form a stronger human connection, we are perhaps more willing to compromise and find solutions that benefit us all.
I';d like to share the gift of some CE activities curated specifically to foster True Collaboration. Happy Holidays!
How do you share the gift of True Collaboration? How have partnerships and collaboration benefited your team and/or patient population? Share your thoughts with me at onpurpose@aacn.org.