Advocacy with ANA’s President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy: LIVE at ANCC Magnet & Pathway 2026

Recorded live at Magnet 2026 in Chicago.

Nurses are being asked to adopt AI, carry heavier workloads, and stay safe at work, often without a say in any of it. In this episode of Nurse Rosa’s INsights, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, to talk about what it really takes for nurses to shape the decisions that shape our practice.

Jennifer opens up about her TIME100 recognition and why advocating for advanced practice nurses mattered so much to her. We get into why voting is one of the most practical forms of nursing advocacy, ANA’s push on workplace violence prevention (including better incident tracking and OSHA involvement), and the fight for more than $300 million a year in Title VIII nursing workforce funding, compared with the $20 billion plus that goes to graduate medical education.

Then we turn to AI. Jennifer explains why AI can support nursing work but should never replace clinical judgment, and shares the Oregon legislation she helped shape with nurse Representative Travis Nelson to keep non-human AI agents from using the RN or LPN title. We close on nurse-led innovation and why protecting your ideas and intellectual property needs to happen early, not after someone else profits from them.

If you’re a nurse, a nurse leader, or you build or invest in healthcare technology, this one’s for you.

Timestamps

00:00 Rosa Hart welcomes ANA president Jennifer Mensik Kennedy02:36 Nursing advocacy, elections, and federal priorities

04:40 The fight for Title VIII nursing education funding

05:49 Why nurses belong in local and state advocacy

09:09 AI needs nurses’ voices, not just their labor

10:46 Oregon moves to protect RN and LPN titles from AI

11:37 Keeping clinical judgment central to healthcare AI

12:18 Nurse-led innovation and protecting intellectual property

14:34 Seeking federal and state protections early

14:54 Closing from MagnetKey takeawaysVoting is advocacy, and nurses can move policy at the local, state, and federal level.Workplace violence can’t be fixed if it isn’t tracked accurately.

Nursing education funding is a fraction of what medical education receives.

AI can support nursing work, but it can’t hold a nursing license or replace clinical judgment.

Nurses should be in the room for technology selection, governance, training review, and escalation pathways.Your ideas have value. Protect them early.

About Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, is the 38th president of the American Nurses Association, representing the nation’s nurses on policy, practice, and workforce issues. She was recognized by TIME in 2026 for her advocacy, particularly on behalf of advanced practice nurses.

Connect with Jennifer Mensik Kennedy on LinkedIn

American Nurses Association: nursingworld.org

Resources mentioned:ANA innovation resources: nursingworld.orgTitle VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs

ANCC Magnet & Pathway Conference: magnetpathwaycon.nursingworld.orgAbout your hostRosa Hart, BSN, RN, SCRN, FLAA, is a nurse, speaker, podcaster, and author of Speak Up, Start Now, available on Audible and Kindle.

Follow along @NurseRosaSpeaks

Should AI ever be allowed to call itself a nurse? Tell us in the comments, and share this episode with a nurse who needs a reminder that their voice matters.