Dear Montana Nurses Association Members,
I want to take a moment to address an important concern that has surfaced regarding MNA’s role in sharing information from our national affiliates, such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and AFT Education/Healthcare/Public Service. Our goal has always been to provide resources and advocacy related to nursing practice and healthcare policy—not to impose personal political views.
As nurses, we come from diverse backgrounds and hold a variety of perspectives. Even within MNA, our members are not always aligned on every issue—and that’s okay. Healthy discussion and professional engagement are what make our association strong. What’s most important is that we focus on constructive dialogue and informed participation rather than allowing misinformation and assumptions to take hold. Instead of engaging in debates online, I encourage members to reach out directly, get involved, or simply call our office to learn more about any issue before drawing conclusions.
MNA members ultimately have the personal freedom to decide whether to engage in state or national actions. Our role is to provide information and advocacy—not to mandate participation. Additionally, if a local unit chooses to take part in any initiative, it must follow internal processes to affirm or deny involvement. This ensures that decisions are made collectively and reflect the interests of those directly affected.
Some have questioned whether politics has a place in healthcare. The reality is that policy decisions—from staffing regulations to public health funding—directly affect our profession. Our government relations platform, approved by our Board of Directors and House of Delegates (HOD), reflects our commitment to “science, evidence-based practice, public health, and the welfare of nurses, patients, and communities”.
For example, one of our core principles is to “advocate for transparent, bipartisan legislation to achieve evidence-based healthcare reform.” We also support “collaborative efforts to ensure healthcare as a right for all” and “protect nurses, healthcare employees, and the public from health emergencies.” These positions align with our mission—not with any single party’s ideology.
MNA members are free to explore and evaluate information shared by our national affiliates as they see fit. MNA does not dictate beliefs, but we do advocate for policies that support nurses, strengthen healthcare access, and uphold science-based decision-making.
I encourage all our members, regardless of political affiliation, to stand together in supporting nursing professionalism, democracy, and evidence-based healthcare. We must ensure that nurses have a voice in shaping policies that affect our work, our patients, and our communities.
Thank you for your dedication to nursing and to the health of Montanans.
Sincerely,
Vicky Byrd, MSN, RN
CEO, Montana Nurses Association
