AACN Position Statements

AACN develops positions relevant to nursing practice and health policy that impact the care of acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Position statements are intended to help guide the profession, amplify the views of acute and critical care nursing and educate decision-makers.

AACN Position Statement: Science Must Drive Clinical Practice and Public Health Policy
Mar. 2025
AACN calls for all healthcare decision-making to be anchored in the best scientific evidence available. This is true for healthcare professionals at a patient's bedside and for public policymakers. Even during fast-moving public health crises, decisions must be based on carefully evaluated healthcare research and the guidance of fully qualified experts.

AACN Position Statement: Preventing Violence Against Healthcare Workers
Feb. 2025
Nurses cannot make their optimal contributions to patient care while facing the threat of violence. Read AACN's stand on violence against healthcare workers. This also serves as a call for healthcare institutions nationwide to require violence prevention plans be in effect at all times in all patient care units, including inpatient or outpatient settings and clinics. This statement can be downloaded and shared widely in your unit and with your institutional leaders.

AACN Position Statement: Raising the Standard of Care for the Disease of Firearm Injury
Aug. 2024
Injury from firearm violence is a major public health crisis, and healthcare providers should approach it with the same seriousness as other deadly diseases. Actions should include trauma-informed care, community collaboration, mental health support and non-judgmental discussions about prevention. Nurses, given proper resources and training, can play a crucial role in changing the dialogue about firearm injury and implementing comprehensive care that includes prevention, treatment and follow-up.

AACN Position Statement: Ethical Triage and End-of-Life Care
April 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians may be forced to make heartbreaking decisions under circumstances they have never faced before Institutions must institute guidelines and education about triage and end-of-life care so nurses and other members of the healthcare team fully understand considerations and consequences. Nurses must strive to provide patients with the best end-of-life care possible in these unprecedented times.

AACN Position Statement: Moral Distress in Times of Crisis
March 2020
Even under normal circumstances, critical care teams wrestle daily with moral challenges. During a crisis, everyday challenges are compounded. While our front-line providers care for patients and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals must vigilantly identify and provide resources to mitigate the harmful effects of moral distress.

AACN Position Statement: Zero Tolerance for Bullying, Incivility and Verbal Abuse
Nov. 2019
Abusive behavior impedes the delivery of safe, quality care and violates individuals' rights to dignity and well-being. Read AACN's zero-tolerance stance on bullying, incivility and verbal abuse. This also serves as a call for institutions to implement enforceable policies and culture changing programs to prevent and eliminate abusive, disrespectful and noncollaborative behaviors in the workplace. This statement can be downloaded and shared widely in your unit and with your institutional leaders.