Last updated on May. 21, 2026
Each quarter, you will receive updates on AMSN's advocacy work, policy issues for medical-surgical nurses to pay attention to, and opportunities for member engagement.
Advocacy is crucial for advancing the medical-surgical nursing profession!
A Message From the AMSN Advocacy & Legislative Committee Chair
On behalf of the AMSN Advocacy & Legislative Committee, thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to advocacy. The first months of 2026 have already brought several significant policy developments—many with direct implications for bedside nurses, nursing education, and the future of our workforce. Additionally, ongoing uncertainty with international relations may have further long-term effects on future healthcare budgets and other services essential to positive healthcare outcomes.
Medical‑Surgical nurses care for patients across the lifespan and across every care setting. As our population ages and healthcare complexity increases, our voices are more important than ever. Advocacy is not limited to Washington, D.C.—it happens every time a nurse shares their expertise, tells their story, or speaks up for patients and colleagues. As you read this edition, consider how these national conversations intersect with your own practice and community—and how you might use your voice to help shape the outcomes.
Mike Urton, DNP, APRN, AGCNS
Chair, Advocacy & Legislative Committee
Key Legislative Topics: First Quarter 2026
While there are ALWAYS a variety of federal bills that should be on your radar as a nurse and key stakeholder in health care, here are three to consider:
1. Nursing as a Profession
In early 2026, the Dept of Education moved forward with rules changes that removed Nursing from the list of professions approved for higher graduate education loan limits. Along with Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine programs, the rules did keep Clinical Psychology and Theology as approved ‘professions’. Multiple national organizations and members of Congress have spoken out, but the Dept remains firm. While this doesn’t impact ADN and BSN programs, the potential increased barriers to graduate funding could impact both APRN and nurse faculty numbers. Both the ANA and Nursing Committee Coalition (along with others) continue to call for revisions of this rule.
2. Scope of Practice & Licensure--It Matters
Nursing plays a vital role in expanding access and meeting the growing demands of healthcare. Scope of practice for nurses is determined by state Nurse Practice Acts and defines what nurses are licensed to do, ensuring safe, effective, and timely care. Strong, modern legislation empowers nurses to practice fully, improving patient outcomes. Nurses must act by supporting policies that protect scope of practice and expand licensure mobility to keep care accessible and responsive to community needs. Two specific topics to keep your eyes on:
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Nurse Compact —Does your state participate in Nurse Compact and, if so, what are the rules/regulations surrounding the Nurse Compact? What do nearby states look like?
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Virtual Care/Telehealth--What are the rules surrounding nurse participation in virtual care or telehealth nursing? How do those rules address patients across state lines? What are the rules/regulations around billing for services?
3. Safe Staffing
Safe staffing is not an appeal—it is a necessity for safe patient care. Yet across the country, nurses continue to practice without enforceable staffing protections, managing rising acuity and unsafe workloads. While national standards now link staffing to patient outcomes, there is still no federal mandate for nurse-to-patient ratios. At the same time, pushback on Medicare and Medicaid staffing has delayed critical protections, as financial and workforce concerns take priority over patient safety. In New Jersey and New York, legislation continues to evolve, but gaps remain. Advocacy is no longer optional; nurses must continue to speak up, escalate concerns, and demand safe, accountable staffing.
Rosemarie S. Wright MSN, RN, CMSRN;
Vice-Chair, Advocacy & Legislative Committee
FY2027 Budget Proposals Related to Healthcare
On April 3, the President released his budget proposal for FY2027 which again included some significant cuts to topics relevant to nurses, including Title VIII funding which is designed to support nursing workforce development (e.g., Loan Repayment), funding for nursing research via NINR, and decreases to the Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS).
While Congress (House and Senate) are the bodies that approve budgets, the President’s proposal is seen as a major tool to state intentions and priorities of the administration and will become the starting point for Congressional budget drafts with the 12 major appropriations bills that fund the Federal government.
AACN Policy & Advocacy Press Release, April 6, 2026
https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/all-news/article/presidents-fy-2027-budget-request-proposes-deep-reductions-and-eliminations-to-nursing-education-and-research-funding
Skilled Nursing Staffing Requirements
.Medical-surgical nurses practice in a wide variety of settings. While the majority of our members practice in acute care hospitals, med-surg nursing care is certainly found in a variety of post-acute settings. Earlier this year, CMS repealed rules requiring 24/7 RN staffing in skilled nursing facilities following a lobbying effort with the argument that staffing and a rigid “one-size-fits-all" CMS staffing requirement was resulting in facility closures. AMSN advocates for minimum staffing standards in acute hospitals, but this topic of staffing standards is relevant for small, critical access hospitals. How do mandatory requirements, without an adequate pool of nurses, affect access to hospitals and other services?
Of note, new legislation was introduced March 2026 to restore these staffing standards; Safe Staffing Saves Lives Bill (HR 8100) introduced by Rep Lloyd Doggett (TX). While this bill faces a very low likelihood of advancing, it is still important to know what legislation is being introduced and by whom.
Maryland “Safe Staffing Act of 2026”
Maryland has a bill related to safe staffing that is moving through its legislature. It is one model of what this might look like at a state level. I wanted to include this summary of Pro and Con points to help illustrate that there are two perspectives that need to be considered. Neither AMSN or the Advocacy Committee are commenting on the bill specifically, but rather on the discussion around the bill:
Key Features of Bill
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Staffing Committees: Hospitals would be required to establish clinical staffing committees composed of at least 50% direct care workers, including nurses, nursing assistants, and technicians.
Potential Positives (according to Supporters)
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Reduced Mortality and Better Outcomes: By allowing workers to set staffing levels, hospitals will see reduced medical errors, fewer patient falls, and lower infection rates.
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Reduced Emergency Room Wait Times: By ensuring adequate staffing, ER wait times and ER boarding will be reduced.
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Improved Patient Satisfaction: Improved patient experience and care quality.
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Reduced Burnout and Improved Retention: Will improve nurse retention, reducing reliance on expensive and temporary agency staffing.
Potential Negative (according to Opponents)
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Operational Rigidity: Mandated committees, rather than flexible, management-led staffing, could hinder the ability to adapt to rapid changes in patient volume.
PDF-Testimony in Support of HB624
PDF-Statement in Opposition of MD HB624
Endorsements
Letters AMSN has Signed and Bills AMSN has Endorsed in 2026 to Date
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January:
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February:
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NCC Letter Supporting Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act
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NCC Support of FAAN Act
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Nursing-and-Friends-Letter, in support of adding post-baccalaureate nursing degrees (MSN, DNP, PhD) to the list of “professional” degrees
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Comment on the proposed revisions to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
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NCC Letter Supporting Title VIII Reauthorization
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March
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May
Calls to Action
We want to hear from our local chapters. What is going on in your part of the country that we might want to share with our members? Anything the AMSN Advocacy & Legislative Committee can assist with?
Email Mike Urton (mikeurton@gmail.com) so that we can share in future newsletter editions