The Canadian Nurses Association Today: Advancing Nursing Leadership and Health System Transformation Through Five Professional Domains.

Abstract

The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) plays a critical role in advancing nursing leadership and health system transformation across Canada. Guided by five strategic directions and operationalized through five interconnected professional domains - policy, practice, research, leadership and education - CNA has strengthened nursing's influence on health policy, workforce sustainability, quality care, leadership development and lifelong learning. This article highlights key accomplishments from 2024 to 2026, including policy advocacy, implementation of the updated code of ethics, expansion of specialty certification and workplace excellence initiatives, advancement of nursing research and knowledge mobilization and development of national leadership capacity. As Canada's health system faces increasing fiscal, workforce and structural pressures, CNA's integrated approach demonstrates how coordinated national nursing leadership can drive innovation, improve health outcomes, strengthen the profession and support sustainable system transformation.