Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions of Nurses Around the Country

The Top 5 Professional Resolutions of 2026 (and what nurses are actually demanding)

Nurses aren’t walking into 2026 with vague wishes and vision boards. They’re walking in with receipts.

Across union negotiations, national advocacy priorities, and everyday “I can’t do this like this anymore” conversations, the profession is crystal clear about what must change: staffing that matches reality, workplaces that are safe, systems that respect clinical judgment, and careers that don’t require self-sacrifice as the entry fee.

Below are the five most consistent professional resolutions nurses are making for 2026, plus what those resolutions look like at the individual level.

1) “We resolve to end unsafe staffing, for real.”

If 2026 has a headline resolution, it’s this: Enough with “do more with less.” Nurses are demanding enforceable staffing standards, not inspirational posters or “thanks for being flexible.” This shows up repeatedly in contract fights and policy conversations focused on safe staffing ratios and meaningful enforcement. (National Nurses United)

What nurses want professionally

• Staffing plans that are enforceable, transparent, and responsive to acuity (not just census). (ANA)

• Ratios and staffing standards with accountability, not “best effort.” (National Nurses United)

What nurses resolve personally

• Stop normalizing unsafe assignments.

• Document, escalate, and advocate as a standard practice, not a last resort.

• Choose employers and leaders who treat staffing as a patient safety metric, not a labor expense.

2) “We resolve to make ‘violence is not part of the job’ non-negotiable.”

Workplace violence is not a side issue, it’s a daily reality for far too many nurses. National nursing advocacy continues to elevate workplace violence prevention, including stronger reporting culture and “zero-tolerance” systems that actually function. (ANA)

What nurses want professionally

• Real prevention programs, de-escalation support, staffing that reduces risk, and clear consequences. (ANA)

• Contract language and operational policies that protect staff, not just corporate liability. (New York State Nurses Association)

What nurses resolve personally

• Report every incident, every time (and push for systems that make reporting safe and simple). (ANA)

• Stop accepting “that’s just the ED” or “that’s psych” as an excuse for harm.

3) “We resolve to protect nursing judgment in the age of AI and automation.”

Nurses aren’t anti-technology. They’re anti-being-overridden.

Contract demands are increasingly calling out guardrails on AI and the way technology is used in staffing, surveillance, documentation burden, and clinical decision workflows. (New York State Nurses Association)

What nurses want professionally

• AI that supports care, not replaces assessment, empathy, and clinical judgment. (San Francisco Chronicle)

• Transparency: what data is collected, how it’s used, who benefits, and what decisions it influences. (New York State Nurses Association)

• Input at the design table, not “training” after the software goes live.

What nurses resolve personally

• Learn the basics: what the tool does, what it doesn’t, and how bias or bad data can harm patients and clinicians.

• Advocate for tech that reduces burden and improves outcomes, not tech that quietly shifts risk onto bedside staff.

4) “We resolve to demand fair pay and sustainable careers, not martyr economics.”

Wages aren’t just about money. They’re about retention, respect, and whether hospitals can recruit enough nurses to keep patients safe.

Recent negotiations highlight calls for fair wages and benefits, often alongside staffing enforcement and safety protections. (New York State Nurses Association)

What nurses want professionally

• Pay that reflects complexity, risk, and expertise. (Times Union)

• Career ladders, differentials that make sense, and benefits that don’t punish nurses for having a life.

What nurses resolve personally

• Stop underpricing their own labor and expertise.

• Negotiate. Apply. Move. Grow.

• Treat career sustainability as a clinical competency, not a guilty secret.

5) “We resolve to put nurse well-being on the scoreboard, not in the breakroom.”

Here’s the pivot point Power Up Nursing is built for: nurses are done with “self-care” being framed as an individual hobby. The professional demand is shifting toward system-level accountability for burnout drivers, and a growing appetite for measurement tied to outcomes and retention.

The safe staffing movement itself is connected to lower burnout and better retention, which is exactly why it’s become such a core demand. (American Federation of Teachers)

What nurses want professionally

• Work design that supports recovery: staffing, breaks, scheduling practices, reasonable documentation load. (American Federation of Teachers)

• Leadership that treats well-being as a performance and safety strategy, not a wellness week.

What nurses resolve personally

• Boundaries: stop donating unpaid emotional labor to broken systems.

• Prioritize sleep, recovery, and mental health like they prioritize patient safety.

• Choose teams that respect humanity.

The 2026 Bottom Line (and the Power Up Nursing lens)

These aren’t “soft” resolutions. They’re operational. They’re clinical. They’re financial.

When nurses resolve to demand safe staffing, safe workplaces, responsible tech, fair compensation, and measurable well-being, they’re not asking for perks. They’re asking for the conditions required to deliver safe care and sustain a workforce.

That’s the 2026 shift: nurse well-being is becoming a measurable business lever, and nurses are leading the charge.

Learn more about Power Up Nursing's platform for measurable nurse well-being. Email us at info@powerupnursing.com