By the Indiana Tri-Council for Nursing (Indiana State Nurses Association, Indiana Center for Nursing, Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership, and Indiana League for Nursing)
May is National Nurses Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the nurses who serve Indiana's communities every day with critical decision-making, compassion, and leadership. Across hospitals, clinics, schools, long-term care facilities, public health departments, and rural communities, nurses are often the first and most consistent point of care for Hoosiers throughout their lives.
In 2025, four leading nursing organizations - the Indiana State Nurses Association (ISNA), Indiana Center for Nursing (ICN), Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership (IONL), and Indiana League for Nursing (ILN) - formally came together to create the Indiana Tri-Council for Nursing. The Tri-Council was reestablished to strengthen collaboration across nursing practice, leadership, workforce development, and education to support Indiana's healthcare system and the nursing profession.
The timing could not be more important.
Indiana's nursing workforce includes more than 90,000 practicing registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) serving communities across the state. Together, they are part of the nation's largest healthcare profession. However, growing workforce shortages and increasing healthcare demands underscore the urgent need to invest in and strengthen the nursing pipeline for the future.
Indiana, like much of the nation, continues to face significant healthcare workforce challenges. Demand for healthcare services continues to grow as our population ages and healthcare needs become more complex. At the same time, many nurses are nearing retirement or leaving the profession, healthcare organizations continue to face demanding clinical care environments, and faculty shortages are limiting nursing school capacity.
Despite these challenges, Indiana's nurses continue to practice and lead with strength, innovation, and compassion.
Nurses are more than caregivers at the bedside. They are educators preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals, advanced practice providers increasing access to care, leaders guiding healthcare systems, and public health professionals strengthening communities. Nursing is one of the few professions that touch every part of the healthcare continuum.
Without a strong nursing workforce, the consequences for Indiana's healthcare system would be significant. Patients could experience longer wait times, reduced access to care - particularly in rural and underserved communities - increased strain on hospitals and healthcare providers, and worsening health outcomes. A shortage of nurses also impacts public health preparedness, behavioral health services, maternal-child health, and the ability to care for Indiana's aging population.
The Indiana Tri-Council was formed with a shared recognition that addressing workforce challenges requires partnership and coordinated action. By bringing together expertise from across nursing education, leadership, advocacy, and workforce planning, the Tri-Council seeks to amplify the voice of nursing while helping shape solutions that improve healthcare access and outcomes for all Hoosiers.
The Indiana Tri-Council also recognized the important role of the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy in providing data and analysis that help inform workforce planning across our state. Reliable nursing workforce data helps identify emerging needs and supports strategies that strengthen Indiana's healthcare workforce for the future.
Investing in the nursing workforce is ultimately an investment in the health of Indiana.
The future of healthcare depends on a strong nursing workforce pipeline. That means supporting students entering nursing programs, ensuring faculty and clinical placement capacity, creating healthy work environments where nurses can thrive, and developing leaders who can guide healthcare systems through ongoing transformation.
As National Nurses Month reminds us, recognizing nurses should extend beyond appreciation alone. It should include meaningful investments in education, workforce development, leadership, and policies that sustain the profession for generations to come.
The Indiana Tri-Council for Nursing remains committed to working collaboratively with healthcare organizations, educators, policymakers, community partners, and organizations like the Bowen Center to advance the nursing profession and support Indiana's healthcare workforce needs.
Through collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and continued investment in nursing education and workforce development, Indiana has an opportunity to strengthen the future of healthcare for all Hoosiers. This month, we celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Indiana's nurses, not only for the care they provide today, but for the leadership and innovation they bring to shaping the future of healthcare across our state.
