Associations Merge to Form Unified Voice for Nurse Practitioners

describe the image By Katie Bascuas / Nov 27, 2012

Two nurse practitioner trade associations are joining forces to better advocate for their members and to help their members better advocate for patients.

Beginning next year, nurse practitioners will have a single, collective body representing them in Washington, DC, as well as promoting education and research in the field.

As of January 1, 2013, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American College of Nurse Practitioners will merge to form the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, both organizations announced last week.

“We felt like it was the right time for there to be one national nurse practitioner organization representing all specialties at the national level,” said Angela Golden, president of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. “This new organization gives us the opportunity to have that one strong, unified voice to move good quality patient care forward.”

The new association will also make it easier for nurse practitioners interested in joining a professional organization but confused by which one to join.

“I think the members will continue to see the same strong organization that they’ve come to expect, but nurse practitioners will not have to decide anymore, ‘Do I have to pay membership to two organizations,’” Golden said. “There’s one organization with their best interest at heart, moving things forward.”

By aligning resources and working together, “we’re going to be able to have the best of both worlds,” said Jill Olmstead, former president of ACNP. One of the biggest benefits includes a stronger legislative platform.

“I’m hoping that this will actually give the average nurse practitioner the opportunity to become more involved within their profession and advocate for improved access to patient care,” Olmstead said. “Nurse practitioners are wonderful at advocating for their patients, and I think the organization is trying to help inspire [them] to advocate for their profession.”

With the growing shortage of primary care doctors and new healthcare care laws creating a large contingent of newly insured Americans, nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly pivotal players in the U.S. healthcare system.

“Whether it’s one organization or not, nurse practitioners are so focused on the patient care, and as healthcare reform comes in,” Golden said, “our focus has to stay where it always has been and that’s on our patients.”

Recent Posts

Starting Nursing School: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Congratulations! The decision to begin Nursing school is not only brave, it's life-changing. As a Nurse, I know the butterflies (and possibly the nerves) that come with this big leap. Whether you’re...
Read More
The Nurse-Patient Bond: Building Trust in the Hardest Moments
In Nursing, there are moments when the clock seems to slow down, not because the shift is quiet, but because the weight of the situation demands your full presence. Whether it’s holding a patient’s...
Read More
Frontier Nursing University Recognized for Excelling in Mental Health and Well-Being Offerings
Versailles, Ky., August 6, 2025 — Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has received the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the largest and oldest...
Read More

Subscribe to Email Our Newsletter

Education_Award_Square