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| Virginia Nurses Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Virginia Nurses Association |
| Abbreviation | VNA |
| Formation | 1901 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia |
| Location | Virginia, United States |
| Membership | Registered Nurses, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses |
| Leader title | President |
| Affiliations | American Nurses Association, National Nurses United |
Virginia Nurses Association
The Virginia Nurses Association is a statewide professional association representing registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses in Richmond, Virginia, Norfolk, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia, and across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The association interfaces with healthcare institutions such as Sentara Healthcare, Bon Secours Health System, Inova Health System, and regulatory bodies including the Virginia Board of Nursing and the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It works alongside labor and professional organizations like the American Nurses Association, National Nurses United, and the Service Employees International Union to influence standards at venues from the Virginia General Assembly to federal agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Founded in 1901 during a period of professionalization that paralleled organizations such as the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing, the association emerged amid reforms inspired by figures like Florence Nightingale and movements tied to nursing education at institutions including Johns Hopkins Hospital and University of Virginia School of Nursing. During the early 20th century the association engaged with public health campaigns connected to the Spanish–American War aftermath and collaborated with state entities like the Virginia State Board of Health. In the mid-20th century its activities intersected with broader labor and civil rights developments, including interactions with groups such as the Congress of Industrial Organizations and legislation influenced by the Social Security Act. In recent decades the association has responded to crises involving organizations such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance during pandemics, engaged with telehealth expansion tied to companies like Teladoc Health, and participated in statewide policy debates at the Virginia General Assembly.
Governance is structured with an elected board and officer roles modeled after peer bodies including the American Nurses Association board structures and organizational models used by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The association maintains standing committees and task forces to address issues mirrored in institutions like the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It coordinates with accrediting and credentialing entities including the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and communicates with regulatory bodies such as the Virginia Board of Nursing and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing on scope-of-practice and licensure matters.
Membership includes practicing nurses, nurse educators from universities such as the University of Virginia School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing, and George Mason University, as well as students affiliated with colleges like Old Dominion University and James Madison University. The association organizes local chapters and districts across regions represented by cities like Alexandria, Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Harrisonburg, Virginia. It connects members to specialty organizations including American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, Emergency Nurses Association, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, and national bodies such as the American Academy of Nursing.
The association lobbies at the Virginia General Assembly and partners with statewide stakeholders including Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health on initiatives such as nurse staffing standards, workplace safety, and access to care. Policy priorities have intersected with laws and debates around the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 implementation, scope-of-practice legislation similar to actions in states influenced by the Institute of Medicine report "The Future of Nursing," and public health responses coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The association frequently collaborates with professional coalitions including National Nurses United and legal advocates such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia on regulatory and civil rights issues.
The association supports continuing education and certification programs aligned with certifying organizations like the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Board of Nursing Specialties. It offers workshops and conferences patterned after national events such as the American Nurses Association Annual Conference and partners with academic programs at institutions like Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Old Dominion University for clinical education pipelines. Initiatives include support for residency programs modeled on national standards from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and endorsement of evidence-based practice promoted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
While primarily a professional association, the organization has historical and contemporary interfaces with collective bargaining entities such as National Nurses United and the Service Employees International Union when coordinating on workplace safety, staffing ratios, and labor disputes at employers like VCU Health and Riverside Health System. Instances of coordinated advocacy have paralleled national labor actions seen in hospitals represented by unions like the United Steelworkers or Communication Workers of America and have sometimes informed legal challenges brought before bodies such as the National Labor Relations Board.
The association publishes member communications, position statements, and clinical guidance comparable to outputs from the American Nurses Association and disseminates policy briefs, newsletters, and continuing education materials. It leverages platforms similar to Nurse.com and collaborates with academic journals such as the Journal of Nursing Scholarship and American Journal of Nursing to amplify research, practice standards, and policy analyses. The association also maintains public-facing outreach to stakeholders including state agencies like the Virginia Department of Health and national organizations such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Category:Nursing organizations in the United States Category:Organizations based in Richmond, Virginia