TNA PRESIDENT'S NOTE
TEXAS NURSES ASSOCIATION
The Economics of Healthcare
Amy McCarthy DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC, CENP
President, Texas Nurses Association
DEAR TEXAS NURSES,
It was exciting to see so many of you in Austin this past June for our annual Texas Nurses Association Conference! With more than 60 presentations, the event highlighted the powerful work nurses are doing to improve the health of our communities. One presentation that has especially stayed with me was delivered by economist and professor Olga Yakusheva, focusing on the vital—and often overlooked—economic value of nursing.
One of the greatest challenges we face as a profession is the way nursing is represented in the economics of healthcare. Too often, nursing is viewed as a line item on a budget—a necessary cost to be controlled, rather than a strategic investment to be leveraged. We know this perspective is flawed, but its consequences are very real. It shows up in unsafe staffing ratios, in budget cuts to professional development, in outdated workflows, and in missed opportunities to innovate the very systems we keep afloat.
What’s missing is the recognition that nurses generate value every single day. We reduce readmissions. We prevent complications. We catch the error before it becomes harm. We teach, we listen, we lead. Our work is the frontline defense against poor outcomes and the heartbeat of healing. And yet, these contributions rarely show up in the language hospital executives speak—economic return.
This must change—and we must lead that change.
Our work is the frontline defense against poor outcomes and the heartbeat of healing.
Nurses are often highlighted for their strength, their voice, and their relentless commitment to their patients. Now, we must bring that same energy to advocating for new models of valuing nursing. Models that quantify not just what we cost, but what we create. That means participating in research. Partnering with finance leaders. Designing metrics that link nursing care directly to measurable outcomes. It means building a future where every nurse can see their impact not only in a patient’s recovery, but in the sustainability of the system they serve.
This is about more than recognition. It’s about creating workplaces where nurses can thrive. When decision-makers understand our economic value, investments follow—investments in staffing, technology, education, leadership pipelines, and the well-being of the workforce itself. Too often, there’s a significant disconnect between how nursing is perceived and the reality of what nurses actually do—leading to assumptions and decisions that fail to support or reflect the true needs of our profession in the clinical space.
Texas nurses have always led boldly. We were among the first to advocate for workplace protections, lead in disaster response, and shape rural care delivery. Now, we must lead in this: proving that nursing is not a cost center, but a force multiplier for outcomes, equity, and innovation.
I urge you to:
• Ask your organizations how they track nursing impact.
• Support data-driven tools that make our work visible.
• Join conversations about cost, quality, and care design.
• Educate legislators, CEOs and the public about nursing’s full value.
The future of healthcare is being built right now. Our voice, our data, and our lived expertise are essential. To truly improve care delivery, we must show that investing in nurses is one of the most economical and impactful decisions any health system can make. TN
