Every Voice, Every Insight: The Power Behind the 2026 NP Practice Survey
Find out how results from this year’s new and improved practice survey will help AANP advocate for all nurse practitioners.
For nearly four decades, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) has captured the voice of nurse practitioners (NPs) nationwide through its workforce surveys. This year, it’s better than ever! With a streamlined experience and smarter data collection, the 2026 survey is designed with you in mind. Hear from AANP’s Vice President of Research, Kate Bradley, on what’s new, why it matters and how your input can help shape the future of NP practice. If you’re selected, this is your chance to make your voice count!
Where NP Voices Become Evidence
Past survey reports, which are available at no charge to AANP members, have been utilized by AANP’s Research team in a number of ways. “We have used the survey data to inform many different materials in addition to the main reports, ranging from survey facts that show up on communications materials like our NP Infographic to academic studies that draw on longitudinal data from several survey waves over time,” explains Bradley. “For example, we collaborated with Johns Hopkins University last year to see how the prevalence of practice agreements changed in our survey data from 2026-2024.”
This year brings a major upgrade. In 2026, AANP is using a carefully designed, state-stratified random sample of NPs nationwide. The result? Nationally representative insights that reflect the NP profession as a whole. “That means when we report on things like specialty distribution, we know those findings represent NPs across the country, not just a subset,” Bradley explains. “And that’s critical, because AANP uses this data to inform policymakers, partners and stakeholders about the entire profession.”
Shorter Survey, Bigger Impact.
If you’re selected for the 2026 AANP Practice Survey, you’ll notice right away that this experience was redesigned with NPs in mind. It’s faster, more focused and easier to complete. “We are doing everything we can to make sure the response rate is high enough to make the findings reliable,” says Bradley. “We made the survey shorter and easier to take — the survey in 2024 was very long and that dampens response.”
Because this year’s survey uses a randomized, state-stratified sample, every response carries more weight than ever before. “Each NP we invite represents many others,” Bradley explains. “That makes every single response incredibly important.” While survey fatigue is real, this one stands apart. AANP’s Practice Survey is the only national survey dedicated exclusively to NPs, and the only one directly fueling NP-focused advocacy and research. Give it 10–15 minutes. Help shape the future of NP practice.
Survey Says: Coming Soon!
The 2026 AANP Practice Survey launches May 4, and only via email. AANP will distribute the survey in batches over the spring and summer. The survey closes on Sept. 4, but Bradley urges those NPs chosen to participate to send out their responses as soon as they can. “That helps us analyze the early responses and only invite as many people as we really need to get that representative sample,” Bradley says. NPs who complete the survey will also receive the results of the survey before it is released on AANP’s website in early 2027.
When asked what AANP’s Research team is hoping to learn from the results of the 2026 AANP Practice Survey — and how NPs will benefit from that information — Bradley breaks it down into a few key takeaways. “The NP profession is evolving rapidly along with the health care landscape in the U.S. It’s important that we keep up to date on what NPs are experiencing, where they’re going, what their working conditions are like, what care they are delivering and so on,” she says. “This information helps us explain how NPs are meeting health care needs to policymakers and other organizations, which in turn helps us advocate for things like fewer restrictions on practice for all NPs or better reimbursement for all NPs. Almost all uses of the survey data are truly on behalf of the entire profession, not only AANP members.”
Turn Your Curiosity Into Impact at #AANP26
Ready to take your interest in research to the next level? The 2026 AANP National Conference in Las Vegas is your gateway. Whether you want to launch your own NP-focused survey, contribute your perspective through NPInfluence or collaborate with peers in the AANP Network for Research, there’s an opportunity waiting for you. Start at the AANP Plaza in the Exhibit Hall — opening June 25 from 1–5 p.m. — and discover how you can get involved, share your insights and help shape the future of NP research.