WSNA President Justin Gill encourages nurses to engage and advocate in 2026
This story appears in the January 2026 edition of The Washington Nurse.
As we kick off 2026, nurses must continue to show up in every arena that shapes our healthcare system. Creating meaningful change—at both the local and statewide levels—requires us to bring our lived experiences from the bedside into broader policy conversations. While nurses remain the largest and most trusted profession, we are not always represented in the rooms where healthcare policy and delivery decisions are made.
That must change.
On Jan. 8, the Washington State Nurses Association was represented, as it has been historically, at the State of Reform conference, which convenes healthcare stakeholders ahead of the legislative session.
WSNA’s Legislative & Health Policy Council members held a meeting to discuss the upcoming legislative session and attended the conference. At a time when our healthcare system faces profound challenges at both the state and national levels, it is essential that frontline voices—especially nurses—are present and heard in these spaces.
I had the opportunity to represent WSNA and the nursing profession as a panelist in a breakout session titled “Solutions for Public Health Challenges.” The discussion covered a wide range of issues, and my remarks emphasized the importance of speaking truth to power in the face of misinformation and disinformation.
I underscored the need to continue promoting evidence-based practice in Washington state and through our work with the West Coast Health Alliance. Nurses are uniquely positioned to serve as trusted messengers and stakeholders, as we are present at every level of healthcare delivery.
In conversations with state policy leaders, I also highlighted a blunt reality: We must focus more attention on who delivers care—nurses and healthcare workers. Lasting policy solutions depend on a healthcare system that respects, supports, and retains its workforce. Proposed reforms will fall short unless nurses are at the table and meaningfully included in shaping solutions. While it is critical to defend the progress we have made statewide, it is equally important to continue building toward a stronger future.
As we move through the 2026 Washington State legislative session, I am energized to support WSNA’s priorities, including nurse title protection, medication access in schools, and the protection of workers’ rights and access to care. WSNA will remain visible and active throughout session through committee testimony, action alerts, weekly legislative updates, and Lobby Day on January 29. I encourage every member to engage and advocate this year—to strengthen our profession and protect the patients and communities we serve.