Position statements
ICN uses its position statements to address a variety of areas related to health, well-being and nursing professional advancement.
These position statements go through rigorous processes before publication including expert consultation and review, review by all national nursing association members and board review. Within these statements, ICN makes recommendations to the advancement of the topic from the international level, the national nursing association level, and the individual nurse level.
A. Nursing Roles in Health Care Services
Mental Health (2020)
PDF (615 KB)
Health of migrants, refugees and displaced persons (2018)
PDF (508 KB)
Antimicrobial resistance (2017)
PDF (508 KB)
Women’s health (2012)
PDF (34 KB)
Nurses’ role in providing care to dying patients and their families (2012)
PDF (28 KB)
Nurses’ role in the care of detainees and prisoners (2011)
PDF (32 KB)
B. Nursing Profession
Cultural and linguistic competence (2013)
PDF (36 KB)
Nursing regulation (2013)
PDF (34 KB)
Scope of nursing practice (2013)
PDF (31 KB)
Protection of the title “Nurse” (2012)
PDF (26 KB)
C. Socio-economic Welfare of Nurses
International career mobility and ethical nurse recruitment (2019)
PDF (309 KB)
Evidence Based Nurse Staffing (2018)
PDF (543 KB)
Occupational Health and safety (2017)
PDF (574 KB)
Prevention and management of workplace violence (2017)
PDF (523 KB)
Industrial action (2011)
PDF (35 KB)
D. Health Care Systems
Primary Health Care (2024)
PDF (204 KB)
Patient Safety (2023)
PDF (163 KB)
Digital health transformation and nursing practice (2023)
PDF (170 KB)
Health information: protecting patient rights (2015)
PDF (197 KB)
Informed patients (2015)
PDF (217 KB)
E. Social Issues
Health care in conflict: the nursing perspective (2025)
PDF (161 KB)
Nurses, climate change and health (2024)
PDF (197 KB)
Gender equity in health and healthcare (2023)
PDF (153 KB)
Gender equity in the nursing and healthcare workforce (2023)
PDF (160 KB)
Health inequities, discrimination and the nurse’s role (2023)
PDF (168 KB)
Substandard and Falsified Medical Products (2019)
PDF (518 KB)
Nurses and disaster risk reduction, response and recovery (2019)
PDF (209 KB)
Nurses and social media (2015)
PDF (235 KB)
Health information: protecting patient rights (2015)
PDF (197 KB)
The right to connect via information and communication technology (2014)
PDF (33 KB)
Armed conflict: Nursing’s perspective (2012)
PDF (29 KB)
Towards elimination of weapons of war and conflict (2012)
PDF (29 KB)
Nurses and human rights (2011)
PDF (31 KB)