SIENNA on the Hill: Advocating for Internationally Educated Nurses
- SIENNA Leadership
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
By: Sharon Jackson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHIMS, FFNMRCSI, FSIEN
Bringing IEN Voices to Capitol Hill
This is advocacy in action.
At the core of SIENNA’s mission is championing internationally educated nurses (IENs)—the backbone of healthcare in the U.S. and globally.
On March 19, SIENNA brought the voices of IENs to Capitol Hill in a meaningful meeting with Senator Mark Warner’s Senior Healthcare Policy Advisor, Colleen Ramsey Nguyen. Representing SIENNA were Board Director Sharon Jackson and Ambassadors Dr. Mary Jane Genuino and Kaye Mendoza.
We also met with Senator Mark Kelly—a U.S. Senator, military veteran, and astronaut—where I advanced SIENNA’s top three policy priorities. He expressed support for all three priorities, reinforcing the urgency of strengthening and protecting the healthcare workforce.
We highlighted key priorities focused on:
🔹 Ethical recruitment and workforce protections
🔹 Immigration reform to address critical nursing shortages
🔹 Streamlined licensure and credential recognition
🔹 Recognition of nursing as a professional degree
Why this matters: IENs are essential to solving America’s healthcare workforce challenges—yet too many face barriers that limit their ability to practice and lead.
SIENNA Living Its Mission on the Hill
This work directly aligns with SIENNA’s mission: to empower, support, and elevate internationally educated nurses in the United States. By engaging policymakers, we ensure that the voices and experiences of IENs are heard where decisions are made.
A Call to IENs Worldwide
Our advocacy does not stop in Washington, D.C. We call on IENs around the world to join SIENNA and become active participants in shaping the future of nursing policy. Through our Policy Committee, members can share their experiences, develop advocacy skills, and elevate the issues that matter most.
Contact our Policy committee at policy@siennanursingsociety.org
Join the Movement
Whether you are in the U.S. or abroad, your voice is powerful. Together, we can build a more inclusive, equitable, and globally connected nursing workforce.
Join SIENNA. Engage. Advocate. Lead.
About the Author
Sharon Jackson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHIMS, FFNMRCSI, FSIEN serves as a Board of Director and Chair of the Convention and Awards Committees of the Society of Internationally Educated Nurses and Nursing Allies (SIENNA)
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