For the first time in its history, the American Nurses Association (ANA) is opening its doors to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). On June 27, 2026, voting representatives at ANA’s annual Membership Assembly approved a bylaws amendment that ends decades of RN-only membership and welcomes the full nursing care team under one roof.
If you’re an LPN or LVN who has watched from the sidelines while RNs accessed ANA’s advocacy, education, and professional resources, this is the change you’ve been waiting for. Here’s what happened, why it matters, and what to expect next.
What ANA Actually Voted On
ANA’s Membership Assembly — the organization’s highest governing body — approved an amendment expanding individual membership eligibility beyond registered nurses to include LPNs and LVNs. The vote took place during the Assembly’s 2026 meeting in Washington, D.C.
ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, framed the decision as a statement about unity across the profession. LPNs and LVNs, she said, are essential to patient care and to the strength of nursing as a whole, and ANA intends to build a more inclusive organization that reflects the entire nursing team.
This wasn’t a snap decision. It’s the product of a multiyear process:
- 2017: ANA first amended its bylaws to let individual state nurses associations accept LPNs/LVNs as state-only members — a pilot, essentially.
- 2025: A full membership amendment was introduced at the Membership Assembly but referred to an ad hoc committee for further development after extensive debate.
- 2026: With backing from Constituent and State Nurses Associations (C/SNAs) and a track record from the state-level pilots, the full amendment passed.
ANA is calling it one of the most significant bylaws changes the organization has made in decades.
READ: American Nurses Association
Who’s Eligible Now
LPNs and LVNs are licensed nurses who deliver hands-on, direct patient care in settings that include:
- Hospitals
- Long-term care and skilled nursing facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Community health settings
- Home care
Under the new bylaws language, these nurses can now join ANA directly and/or their state nurses association, gaining access to the same kind of professional community, advocacy, and resources that have historically been reserved for RNs.
What Hasn’t Happened Yet
It’s worth being precise here, because the rollout isn’t instant. ANA has said the full effect of the bylaws change will take shape “over the coming months” as the LPN/LVN membership model is operationalized. In practice, that likely means:
- Updated membership categories and dues structures
- Possible adjustments to voting rights or governance representation for the new member class
- Coordination with C/SNAs, many of which already have their own LPN/LVN admission processes, to align state and national membership
If you’re an LPN or LVN ready to join today, your fastest path may still run through your state nurses association, several of which already accept LPN/LVN members and have infrastructure in place. National-level enrollment details from ANA itself should follow as the policy is implemented.
Why This Matters for the Nursing Profession
This change reflects something that’s been building for years: a recognition that “the nursing workforce” isn’t just RNs. LPNs/LVNs make up a substantial share of the bedside and long-term care workforce, particularly in nursing homes, rural clinics, and home health — settings that are chronically short-staffed and heavily reliant on this exact license type.
By bringing LPNs and LVNs into ANA’s advocacy structure, the organization gains:
- A larger, more representative voice in legislative and policy fights — things like staffing ratios, scope-of-practice rules, and workplace safety legislation that affect LPNs/LVNs directly.
- Broader influence in shaping standards that apply across the entire care team, not just RNs.
- A stronger base heading into ongoing battles over nurse staffing levels and workplace violence protections, areas ANA has prioritized in recent legislative advocacy.
For LPNs and LVNs, ANA membership could mean access to continuing education, the Code of Ethics and Scope and Standards resources, and a seat — even if a new and still-forming one — at a much bigger advocacy table.
What to Watch For Next
A few open questions worth tracking as this rolls out:
- Membership dues and categories — will LPN/LVN dues mirror RN dues, or will ANA create a distinct tier?
- Governance representation — will LPNs/LVNs get voting representation in the Membership Assembly itself, or start with associate-style membership?
- State-level alignment — how quickly will individual C/SNAs update their own bylaws to match, given that several states already had their own LPN/LVN frameworks in place from the 2017 pilot?
- NALPN’s response — the National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses has represented this license type for over 70 years; how the two organizations coexist or collaborate going forward is worth watching.
ANA has indicated more specifics will come as the policy is operationalized, so this is a story to revisit later this year.
Bottom Line
ANA just took its biggest step in decades toward representing the entire nursing care team, not just registered nurses. If you’re an LPN or LVN, this opens a door that’s been closed for the organization’s entire history — even if the exact mechanics of joining are still being finalized. Keep an eye on both ANA’s national announcements and your own state nurses association for the rollout details.
Have questions about how this affects your state nurses association or your specific license type? Drop them in the comments — we’ll be updating this post as ANA releases more details on implementation.