HPNA Advocacy

The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) asserts that clinicians have a responsibility and obligation to address hospice and palliative care public policy and regulatory issues. These issues impact the health-related quality of life of patients and caregivers living with serious illness across the lifespan. HPNA acts independently and with collaborating organizations through advocacy to address hospice and palliative care issues at the national, state, local, and regional levels. HPNA currently serves on the board of the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care; HPNA regularly works with other national coalitions in a collaborative environment. The following statements serve as HPNA’s guiding principles.

State Ambassador Program

HPNA State Ambassadors are members with experience in hospice and palliative nursing who have the desire to learn about the policy-making process at the local, state, and federal levels. These individuals serve as a general resource for HPNA members regarding legislative and regulatory issues at the state level. They provide information about state/regional policy issues on a quarterly basis. HPNA State Ambassadors also disseminate information about national policy issues as directed by HPNA. Additionally, they encourage HPNA nurses at the state and local levels to participate in HPNA public policy activities.

Recent Activity

• HPNA Signs onto Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act Letter

  September 15, 2026

  HPNA, along one of 166 other national and state organizations from across the health care community, joined onto a letter supporting Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization. This letter was sent to Congressional leadership and to all Members of Congress, emphasizing the importance of reauthorizing the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs this year. View the letter

• Contact your Legislators with HPNA’s Advocacy Action Center

  July 31, 2026

  Did you know? You can contact your legislators through HPNA’s Advocacy Action Center! Members of Congress will be home in their states and districts this August, and it’s a great time to contact them about nursing and hospice and palliative care through our action center or at a town hall meeting or local event.

• HPNA Joins NCC Members in Urging Senate Appropriators to Support Nurses in FY 2027

  July 14, 2026

  On June 10, HPNA and more than 60 other nursing organizations sent a letter through the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairs Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA), urging them to support Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs, the National Institutes for Nursing Research, and inclusion of bipartisan language recognizing advanced nursing programs in their definition of professional degrees.