Voice of the President | November 2025
As I write this final column as AONL president, I am filled with gratitude. Over the past four years — two as president-elect and two as president — I have had the privilege of serving our profession during a time of great challenge and transformation. It has been a journey of collective action and steadfast belief in the power of nurse leaders to shape the future of our profession and lift the health of our communities.
Together, we have made progress and laid a foundation for what must come next. One of the greatest strengths of AONL is the opportunity to learn from one another. Monthly town hall meetings with affiliate leaders have created space to share solutions, accelerate innovation and strengthen the collective wisdom of our community. Listening to those conversations underscored the fortitude and creativity of nurse leaders and affirmed the future of nursing leadership will be built on collaboration and shared learning.
We committed ourselves to amplifying the voice and influence of nurses in designing care models that enhance care, fortify the workforce and improve outcomes. This has been the collective effort of a profession determined to make its voice heard. AONL has leaned into its role as convener, bringing together leaders across practice, academia, regulation and industry. Together, we have strengthened partnerships with national nursing organizations and created space for collaboration on a shared agenda. Together, we have elevated nursing as a critical stakeholder in digital transformation, innovation and workforce reform.
We also recognized the urgency of elevating the role of the nurse manager. These front-line leaders carry enormous responsibility for patient care, staff engagement and organizational success. They have borne the brunt of staffing shortages, financial strain and escalating patient complexity. The first AONL Leadership Insight Study made clear the profound toll of this job. Nurse managers described the weight of their 24-hour accountability for operations, outcomes and people. Their honesty underscored why recognition and support are essential. Through initiatives like Beyond Gratitude: A Tribute to Nurse Managers, launched in partnership with The DAISY Foundation, we worked to shine a light on the essential and often invisible contributions of nurse managers. The Nursing Leadership Workforce Compendium and later Compendium 2.0 provided evidence-based recommendations to support workload, flexibility and healthy work environments, helping organizations reimagine how to sustain and retain nurse leaders in these roles.
The pandemic accelerated the need for innovation, making clear that traditional care models are neither sustainable nor sufficient for the demands of today’s patients. AONL partnered with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Johnson & Johnson to identify, evaluate and disseminate promising models. New approaches emerged, including new care teams and digitally enabled models of care blending virtual support with direct bedside engagement. AONL created a national inventory of care models and convened learning communities in which nurse leaders could share, adapt and replicate innovations, rekindling a joy in practice and improving outcomes. These efforts have helped move us closer to a system where the right care is delivered at the right time by the right team.
Technology is reshaping every corner of health care, yet for too long nurses have been absent from the decision-making tables where digital strategy is defined. We knew this had to change. In 2023, AONL convened a national digital summit, bringing nurse leaders together with health care executives, technologists and policymakers to ensure that nursing perspectives guided the development and adoption of digital solutions. The Leadership in Technology Transformation Committee became a powerful forum where nurse leaders contributed insights on telehealth, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Their work has influenced organizational decisions and reinforced a fundamental truth: technology must serve patients and clinicians alike, reducing burdens, strengthening relationships and ensuring safety.
Another essential area of progress has been in advancing a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Over these years, we deepened collaboration with schools of nursing and health systems to dismantle barriers to education and leadership. We worked to foster practice, governance and leadership so every nurse feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive.
While we can take pride in these accomplishments, the work is far from finished. Urgent challenges remain. The nursing workforce is strained to meet the changing needs of the population. High rates of turnover threaten the stability of the profession. Bullying, incivility and workplace violence persist, undermining both well-being and organizational success. These realities cannot be accepted; they must be addressed with the same urgency as any other threat to public health.
This is why the national campaign for nursing is so important. Just as Johnson & Johnson’s Campaign for Nursing’s Future reshaped the trajectory of our profession two decades ago, we now need a coordinated, collective effort that combines the rigor of data with the power of authentic stories. Nurses are more than a workforce; we are the human connection at the heart of health care. A campaign amplifying this truth can restore confidence in the profession, inspire the next generation and ensure the public understands nursing is not simply as a cost center, but a cornerstone of health.
The future demands more from us as nurse leaders. It demands that we work alongside policymakers as partners. Nursing has not yet fully harnessed its power to influence public policy, but the tide is turning. Through programs like AONL’s Nurse Leaders in Advocacy, members are now educated, supported and connected to engage with legislators, testify before committees and shape policy at every level.
Advocacy is not optional — it is the responsibility of every nurse leader. Whether serving on a school board, contributing to a community council or walking the halls of Congress, our voices matter. In today’s polarized environment, where division threatens progress, the steady and trusted voice of nursing is needed more than ever. This is our moment to thread the needle, to bring people together around shared values of compassion, access and dignity in care.
As I reflect on these years, I am reminded that nursing consistently rises in moments of need. We have done so again, adapting to change, embracing new roles, leading through uncertainty and holding fast to our commitment to patients and communities.
The lessons we learned from the pandemic — adaptability, digital fluency, attention to mental health and commitment to equity — will shape our work for decades to come.
As I pass the gavel to my good friend and colleague Ena Williams, I do so with gratitude and great hope. I am grateful to the board and colleagues who have shared this journey, and to the countless nurses whose compassion and expertise sustain our health system. I trust that the next chapter will be written by nurse leaders who claim our rightful seat at the table, guide our nation through change and shape a future where nurses thrive and the health of our communities flourish.
This issue of Voice affirms that the path ahead is strong. The articles highlight leaders who are charting the future through innovative leadership models at the unit level, renewed approaches to professional governance and executive nurse leaders who resolve crises with creativity and determination. These stories are clear examples of leadership in action.
The momentum will continue to build under the leadership of our incoming president, supported by the current board, newly elected members and the dedicated AONL staff. With the wisdom of our affiliates and the strength of this community, the future of nursing leadership is bright.