the American Nurses Association (ANA), the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s more than 4.3 million nurses, is extremely proud to announce that ANA President Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, was named among Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2022. This recognition program awards and honors individuals in health care who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential individuals in the health care profession, both in leadership and impact. This is Dr. Grant’s fourth time on the list, and he has appeared on Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives three times.
This remarkable accolade comes as Dr. Grant closes out his second and final term as ANA president, leaving behind a rich legacy as an exemplary and dynamic leader which will have a lasting impact on not only ANA, but also on the nursing profession. Dr. Grant has fearlessly led the nursing profession through some of the most demanding and bleakest times in recent history. The unprecedented, global COVID-19 pandemic, the nurse staffing crisis, severe nurse burnout, personal protective equipment shortages, and surges in workplace violence were extreme challenges requiring careful guidance, thoughtful solutions, and professional expertise and composure. Dr. Grant was a pioneer in the development of the COVID-19 vaccines, volunteering for the Moderna phase III clinical trial and appearing in top tier media outlets such as Essence Magazine to promote the safety of vaccines to skeptical communities of color. Dr. Grant also led the formation of the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing and boldly condemned racism and injustices against communities of color. Dr. Grant will go down in the ANA history books as an exceptional leader who fully characterized the core nursing values and tirelessly advocated for all nurses everywhere.
