Who We Are

CNA is the national and global professional voice of Canadian nursing, advancing the practice of nursing and the profession to improve health outcomes in a publicly funded, not-for-profit health system by:

• unifying the voices of nurses;
• strengthening nursing leadership;
• promoting nursing excellence and a vibrant profession;
• advocating for healthy public policy and a quality health system; and
• serving the public interest.

CNA is a key player on federal and provincial committees, coalitions and roundtables, where we use the nursing perspective of our members to help shape public policy on issues like primary health care, chronic diseases, quality end-of-life care and the effective use of health resources. We work closely with an assembly of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial premiers — known as the Council of the Federation — to harmonize health care and nursing solutions across Canada. We also participate in numerous non-governmental initiatives affecting health such as those that promote income equality, safe and affordable housing, and harm reduction.

Influencing health policy is a collective effort — one that relies on the expertise and experience of our members because, after all, they know better than anyone what’s going on in their health-care settings. Through surveys, workshops and focus groups, we regularly consult with our members, especially before governmental meetings, when we invite members to attend to share their knowledge and expertise.

The contributions of our members — especially in the areas of mental health, health promotion and disease prevention, healthy aging, patient safety and the social determinants of health — are essential to our work.

We advocate for you and your crucial roles in Canada’s publicly funded, not-for-profit health-care system. We ensure the nursing voice is heard when key decisions are being made about how health care is delivered in Canada.

In the ever-changing world of health care, nurses are always learning. CNA gathers information from across Canada and provides a vast array of knowledge resources to our members. In our member benefits section you’ll discover many of the benefits, resources and professional development tools that are at your fingertips as a member of CNA.