The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) joins the American Nursing Association (ANA) in celebrating the inclusion of nursing staffing within The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goals, now renamed the 2026 National Performance Goals.

The National Performance Goal 12 discusses these key points that directly tie to nurse staffing:

• “The hospital is staffed to meet the needs of the patients it serves, and staff are competent to provide safe, quality care.”
• Emphasis on nursing leadership in requirement 12.02.01, which now highlights the role of the nurse executive.
• “There must be an adequate number of licensed registered nurses, licensed practical (vocational) nurses, and other staff to provide nursing care to all patients, as needed.”

When the National Nurse Staffing Task Force, convened by the ANA and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), prioritized the need for specialty nursing organizations to develop staffing standards, AMSN answered the call and released a clear and revised position statement titled, Medical-Surgical Nurse Staffing – A Blueprint for Safer Care. Within this statement, the organization specifically states, “To ensure patient safety and nurse wellbeing, a direct patient care registered nurse shall not be assigned more than five patients, as a guideline. Acuity-based adjustments should modify staffing as needed to reflect patient complexity, unit-specific demands, and the nurse’s experience.”

We encourage all medical-surgical nurses to view and become acquainted with AMSN’s recommendations for safer staffing and the resources available to elevate these conversations with management. These recommendations provide clear guidelines for hospitals to meet this new National Performance Goal.