Nurse holds sign "We are here for our patients"

About CNA

Founded in 1903, the California Nurses Association is a premiere organization of registered nurses and one of the nation’s fastest growing labor and professional organizations in the U.S. with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California.

Collage of nurses

CNA 101

Your guide to joining the RN movement. Learn more about our program, our history, and how we are organized.

CHEU

CHEU

The Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union is an independent union formed in 2001 by hospital employees to win strong union representation, better benefits, and improved conditions for employees and patients. It is an affiliate of CNA.

Press releases

CNA/NNU web header

California nurses applaud new law that provides transparency, improves equity in nursing education

California Nurses Association, the largest union of registered nurses in the state, applauds the signing of Senate Bill 1015 by Governor Gavin Newsom. Nurses say the new law, which was authored by Senator Dave Cortese and sponsored by CNA, is an essential step towards ensuring clinical placement opportunities for California’s future nurses, particularly for students attending public institutions like community colleges and state universities.
Four nurses inside hospital holding signs "Staff Up for Safe Patient Care"

RNs at Salinas Valley Health denounce executive pay as management refuses to address staffing concerns that put patient safety at risk

Registered nurses at Salinas Valley Health in Salinas, California, will hold an informational picket on Thursday, October 3, to denounce the administration’s failure to address patient safety concerns while the CEO received a large increase in compensation in recent years
San Bernardino nurses hold informational picket

San Bernardino County nurses to hold an informational picket for patient safety

Registered nurses who work for San Bernardino County at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, in Colton, California, will hold an informational picket on October 1 to highlight their patient safety concerns, including short-staffing and management’s failure to recruit and retain experienced nurses.
Nurses in front of California state capitol building holding banners and signs: "Insist on an RN"

Stanislaus County nurses ratify new contract with strong measures to improve patient safety and nurse retention

Registered nurses at Stanislaus County in Modesto, Calif., voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract yesterday, winning protections to improve patient safety and nurse retention.
All CNA press releases

Organize with the California Nurses Association to improve workplace standards through collective bargaining, reform national health care legislation, and make a difference for you and your patients.

Videos

2024 California Nurses Association lobby day

Hundreds of registered nurses rallied and marched in Sacramento, Calif. before meeting with legislators about nurses’ key issues and priority legislation.

Safe Staffing Ratios Protect Patient and Nurses

Safe RN ratios have been proven to improve the quality of care and nurse recruitment and retention in California hospitals, yet understaffing is a major issue RNs struggle with every day. Together, we can change that.

See all videos

National Nurse Magazine

National Nurse magazine July-August-September issue cover

Shot in the Arm: NNU nurses inject values of care, compassion, community into presedential election, endorse Harris-Walz

Winning Big

How UCLA’s PPC stopped the practice of doubling patients in single-occupancy rooms

Public-sector RNs fight back

CNA nurses are speaking out, standing up for patients, their communities, and themselves

Permanent Damage

Because our government and employers failed to protect nurses, thousands of us will struggle to live with Long Covid for the rest of our lives, jeopardizing our livelihoods and careers.

Full Issue See All Issues

Campaigns

Nurses inside hosptial hold signs "Safe Staffing Saves Lives"

California Safe Staffing Ratios

A.B. 394, the CNA-sponsored safe staffing law, has multiple provisions designed to remedy unsafe staffing in acute-care facilities. California’s safe staffing standards are based on individual patient acuity, of which the RN ratios is the minimum.

Nurse inside car displaying sign "CalCare"

CalCare

The California Nurses Association is proud to sponsor Assembly Bill 1400, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care to all California residents as a human right.

Sign "Nurses Heal California"

Supported California Legislation

CNA is committed to building a broad movement for transformative social change and confronting the powerful interests that dominate our economic and political system. Learn more about our supported and sponsored California legislation.