ICN–Interview with new President José Luis Cobos Serrano

Following his election as ICN President at Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano revealed his presidential watchword and spoke about his hopes for the future of ICN and nursing.

Dr Cobos Serrano said the first thing he felt when the result of the election was announced at the ICN Council of National Nurses Association Representatives was “a huge sense of responsibility”.

“It is a huge challenge. I have always worked behind the scenes, I've negotiated agreements with important politicians and representatives, but never on the front line. And the initial feeling is that now, it is me who is in the front line, and I have to take this important step forward. “

Dr Cobos Serrano said he realises that being the President will entail close working with his colleagues on ICN’s Board of Directors and that his style will be a cooperative one, rather than presidential.

“I want to be a leader, but I know being President is not the work of one person – it is the work of a team, and I am looking forward to having the support of a board made up of equal members. My colleagues on the Board are the voices of nursing for each geographical area, and they have so much to bring to the table. I want all nurses to feel supported, so that we can advance as a profession.”

Each ICN President has a watchword to guide their time in office and Dr Cobos Serrano revealed that his is going to be ‘empowerment’. “I chose empowerment because I understand that we have to use it on three different levels. ICN has to be empowered at an organizational level: it has to have a firm voice to advocate for nurses as one of the pillars all healthcare systems, and that nursing has to be in all political agendas at the highest level.

‘Secondly, we have to empower our National Nurses Associations and ensure that they know ICN is there to help them. ICN can support them in their talks with health authorities and governments, we can share experiences of other NNAs, and help to build their strength and capacity by showing that they are not alone, but a part of a global family of nurses.

‘And lastly we can empower nurses themselves to take action and ensure that they can work at their full scope of practice. As a profession, we take care of all the people, and all that potential has to be used in order for individual nurses to feel valued.”

Dr Cobos Serrano said his vision for the ICN over his four-year term of office would be to build on the great progress that has already been made in recent years.

“It is not so much about changing ICN – we have a great team and they have been working under a great leader in Pamela Cipriano. We have all the ingredients in place and I am going to follow a line of work that has already been set. Of course, we all have our own style and we bring our own history and experiences, and of course, our different ways of doing things. But the road map has already been set.

‘Now it is time to insist on some issues more than others. Of course, I am always very grateful when I hear people say that nursing is very important, that the health system is nothing without nurses. But the world needs to know that the time for words is over. I will tell politicians that it is time to go into action. We are tired of listening to words, even though it is a nice sentiment. Now we have to act - we have to walk the talk. And to do that, we have to empower every single nurse.

‘So I ask every nurse to reflect on what they can contribute. Nurses should not expect to receive anything from their governments, from their health care systems, not even from ICN. The most important thing is what each and every one of us can do to advance our profession.

‘ICN will set the pace, but we need everyone's support. And therefore, I will ask nurses to show their commitment to their profession, and when I talk about leadership, I would like every nurse to think about how they can become a leader, whatever stage they are at in their careers. The time has come for me to be a leader now, but others will come after me, and they will need to be ready.”