Nashville conference closes with ‘undeniable global truth’: advanced practice nursing must be a health system priority

The ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse (NP/APN) Network Conference closed last night with a powerful message: advanced practice nursing is an urgent priority for all countries to expand access, strengthen primary health care and respond to rising health needs.

Held in Nashville, USA from 14 to 17 September and hosted with Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, the world’s largest global gathering of its kind brought together over 1,300 advanced practice nurses and nursing leaders for strategic discussions, evidence-sharing and exchange under the theme Advanced Practice Nurses: United for Global Impact, Innovation, and Care. ICN’s President José Luis Cobos Serrano delivered virtual remarks throughout the event, while the in-person delegation included Board Representative Sylvain Brousseau, ICN CEO Howard Catton, and ICN Director of Nursing and Health Policy David Stewart.

Across four days, delegates demonstrated how advanced practice nurses are already improving access to safe, high-quality and people-centred care, managing complex and chronic conditions, leading innovative services and bringing care closer to underserved communities. The conference’s final day also coincided with World Patient Safety Day on 17 September, this year focused on safe care for noncommunicable diseases, and discussions highlighted how advanced practice nurses strengthen patient safety by preventing complications, coordinating care and helping people stay well and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

Last night’s closing ceremony celebrated the global power of advanced practice nursing, marked the 25th anniversary of the ICN NP/APN Network, welcomed new Network leadership and announced that New Zealand will host the next Network conference in 2028.

ICN Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton said:

“This event has put advanced practice nursing centre stage and proved the undeniable global truth that APN is absolutely essential to solving the challenges health systems face today. This week, we have seen the evidence, the expertise and the extraordinary energy of advanced practice nurses from across the world in action. The message from Nashville this week is not that advanced practice nursing has potential. It is that advanced practice nursing is a proven global health solution, and now we must enable it at scale.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ICN NP/APN Network, I want to pay tribute to the wonderful leadership of outgoing Network Chair Daniela Lehwaldt, and our new Chair, Josette Roussel, as well as Network Secretary Karen Moore. Daniela has greatly strengthened the Network and its global voice, and we are delighted that Josette, who has played such an important leadership role for many years, will build on this excellent work now take this work forward.

“I also want to thank Dean Pamela Jeffries, April Kapu, and the entire Vanderbilt University team for producing such a successful and significant conference. Nashville has been an incredible celebration of the Network’s first 25 years and the power of Advanced Practice. Even more importantly, it has reinforced our clear path for what comes next: we must work to turn evidence into action, remove the barriers holding advanced practice nurses back and make APN a health system priority everywhere. We look forward to bringing that energy and momentum to New Zealand in 2028.”

Advancing global evidence, practice, and policy action

Hundreds of presentations, workshops, plenaries and panel discussions explored how advanced practice nurses are transforming care across diverse countries, specialties and health-system settings. The programme addressed primary and community care, noncommunicable diseases, mental health, emergency and crisis response, education, leadership, research, health equity, regulation, workforce development, digital health and artificial intelligence.

In his plenary address, ICN CEO Howard Catton laid out the compelling global evidence for advanced practice nursing and warned that failing to enable its expansion would be one of global health’s greatest missed opportunities. At a time of severe workforce shortages, ageing populations, rising levels of chronic disease, widening inequalities and intense economic pressure, he argued that advanced practice nurses offer exactly what health systems urgently need: expert, trusted care close to communities, improving access, outcomes and value.

The programme featured powerful contributions from leaders across nursing, health policy, education and practice. ICN Director of Nursing Policy and Practice David Stewart addressed the future of the profession and the policy changes required to accelerate advanced practice worldwide, and interviewed special guest Edna Adan Ismail, founder of the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital, former Foreign Minister of Somaliland and a leading advocate for women’s health and rights. Susan Orsega, the first ever Nurse Practitioner to hold the position of US Acting Surgeon General, and currently the Deputy Assistant Secretary for US Defense for Health Services Policy and Oversight, also delivered a plenary session. Another highlight came from Nurse Practitioner and musician Tad Worku, whose keynote, “Imagining the Future with Hope”, combined storytelling, purpose and live music. 

Key panels included “Advanced Practice Nurses: United for Global Impact, Innovation and Care”, bringing together international APN leaders to consider how international collaboration, innovation and advanced clinical expertise can extend the reach and impact of nursing worldwide. Another highlight, “Advancing Global Nursing Education and Workforce Capacity through Policy, Health Equity, and Cross-Border Collaboration”, underscored the vital importance of international partnerships, supportive policy and equitable access to high-quality education to develop a sustainable advanced practice workforce. 

Examples shared from around the world showed advanced practice nurses expanding access to primary care, strengthening prevention and management of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic conditions, supporting mental health, improving care coordination and helping people stay well and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. The conference also highlighted the vital importance of APN in rural and underserved communities, disaster and humanitarian response, maternal and child health, palliative care, anaesthesia, emergency services, care for ageing populations, and leading transitions to ethical digital health.

A united global voice for advanced practice nursing

ICN President Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano delivered two virtual addresses during the conference, reinforcing the importance of structurally empowering nurses and calling for urgent investment in realizing the full potential of advanced practice nursing.

He urged nurses to stand together and continue to advocate for the power of APN.

ICN’s President said: 

“APNs have been shown to be key to addressing the challenges of accessible, safe, and affordable health care, particularly in rural, remote, and underserved communities. We know that when nurses are empowered to use their powers to the fullest, lives are saved, health outcomes improve, care becomes more accessible, and whole societies prosper.

‘Investment, impact, innovation and care have all been central words to this conference, but the key word is unity. Only by standing together and raising our collective voice can we ensure that the power of advanced practice nursing is fully recognized and fully enabled.”

As the Network begins its next chapterand looks towards New Zealand in 2028,the closing message from Nashville is clear: advancing health care access, safety, equity means advancing advanced practice nursing.